Help with Singapore Blue enclosure.

[2oCHEVYo0]

I recently purchased a juvenile Singapore Blue and am doing some HEAVY research on doing a very detailed final enclosure for it. I'm going to use nothing but real plants and hopefully some of the same wood/bark from its natural habitat but is proving quite difficult to find . Any information would be helpful. I'm looking for things like moss, flowers, plants, grass... basically ANYTHING!!! I just want to make my favorite T feel right at home

 

[blooms]

Don't use real plants. They need lots of light, which most tarantulas loathe. They make the enclosure too damp. The T, if it's arboreal, will probably web up all the leaves, which will eventually kill the plant causing you to have to remove it, while the spider probably tries to make a run for it. Some plants are toxic to t's.

On the other hand, real bark is probably ok, depending on what kind of tree it comes from. Again, some kinds of trees are toxic. Also, if using real bark make sure that you sterilize it first. I usually use boiling water followed by baking it in the oven before using it.

Real wood is probably not the best idea as it will probably mold in the humidity that L. violaceopes prefers.

Also, be careful with anything that is collected from outside or which has been sitting around a garden shop (often bark is stored near fertilizer or pesticides).

 

[dianedfisher]

Lampropelma violaceopes like a warm and humid environment so you will need to use cork bark, tree fern or other hides which will not mold. I think you will also find that your T, while "arboreal" is going to end up with a surface burrow beneath/behind whatever you provide and will only be out and about in the dead of night, unless you let her get really, really hungry and force her from her hide area. if you insist on a plant use "Golden Pothos" which is used to growing under the jungle canopy in low light conditions, but the previous advice regarding live plants is pretty much accurate in my opinion. If you keep them trimmed they will bush out and not get too leggy, but they are more trouble than they're worth. You can get "fake" Golden Pothos at Walmart. I'd love to see photos onces you get your set-up complete. Good luck with your T.
diane

 

[2oCHEVYo0]

Thank you for the advice! I found a website today that I think I'm going to use quite frequently, (www.blackjungleterrariumsupply.com) they have an amazing selection of all types of things I could use in my setup! I have however decided to go 50/50 and use both fake and real plants I just like the idea of having to trim things up and keep it tidy. The ones I have chosen thus far don't require too much lighting to keep them alive so that shouldn't be a major problem. I just want the enclosure to look really good so even if you can't see her, (95% of the time) you still have something amazing to look at! Thanks again for the input! much appreciated

 

[Offkillter]

How big is this guy.the reason I ask is I did the same thing,made a nice arboreal setup for it and I never see it.As juveniles Lamporapelma would really much prefer to burrow then hang out in that nice arboreal setup you put all your time and effort in.I'm going to hold off on a new arboreal set up until mine decides it's o.k to come outside.

 

[2oCHEVYo0]

She's not real big at the moment just a little over 3 inches id say. I'm not going to start the enclosure until she is a little closer to 4.5-5 inches. I'm just trying to get all the planning out of the way ahead of time so I have little to know time looking for what I want. I know she's not going to be out all that much as already stated, basically just a pet hole you throw crickets at, but I want something "real" to look at. I plan on getting very detailed on most of my enclosures because to me, that is another major exciting part to owning a T is challenging myself to be as creative and inventive as possible on enclosure design. I am an artist of sorts and thats just the way we think

I know the T doesn't care. It would be fine with a hide, proper temp/humidity and a good feed schedule would suffice. But that wouldn't be "exciting" to the eye.

 

[AbraCadaver]

Just figured I'd add, cork bark DO rot! I had a T delivered to me once with some corkbark that basically crumbled because it was molded through.. Just figured I'd add that..

 

[Offkillter]

She's not real big at the moment just a little over 3 inches id say. I'm not going to start the enclosure until she is a little closer to 4.5-5 inches. I'm just trying to get all the planning out of the way ahead of time so I have little to know time looking for what I want. I know she's not going to be out all that much as already stated, basically just a pet hole you throw crickets at, but I want something "real" to look at. I plan on getting very detailed on most of my enclosures because to me, that is another major exciting part to owning a T is challenging myself to be as creative and inventive as possible on enclosure design. I am an artist of sorts and thats just the way we think

I know the T doesn't care. It would be fine with a hide, proper temp/humidity and a good feed schedule would suffice. But that wouldn't be "exciting" to the eye.

From on creative individual to another I can completely relate. My wife thinks I'm crazy,I make enclosures for T's that i don't even own yet! I just get bored and need something to do and since I've found it hard to sell my art in this economy,I create for my T's.

 

[2oCHEVYo0]

Well put, do you have any pics of your enclosures?

 

[curiousme]

Don't use real plants.

Please don't tell people that.

They need lots of light, which most tarantulas loathe.

This is not true. Not all plants need 'lots' of light, there are some that are actually low light plants.(like pothos) Tarantulas do not loathe light either, as long as they have a place to be out of the light if they wish, there isn't a problem with having lights on a tank for plants. Our G. rosea will actually bask in the light and she isn't the only one. We do have a few photo sensitive species of slings and juvies, so it will remain to be seen how they will behave as adults.

They make the enclosure too damp.

This statement tells me a couple things. One, is that you may not know how to properly water plants. Two, is that you may not know which species to keep with which plants. If your enclosure is too damp because of the plants, it is probably too damp for the plant too. Keeping a plant in with a humidity loving species is a great way to maintain humidity in the enclosure, without 'misting'. We keep a few small succulents in with our G. rosea that require less water than the ones we have in our P. cambridgei,
A. avicularia, or our H. spVietnam; which make them just fine for the arid loving species.

The T, if it's arboreal, will probably web up all the leaves, which will eventually kill the plant causing you to have to remove it, while the spider probably tries to make a run for it.

This is not true either and honestly I am starting to wonder if you have ever had plants in with a T at all. IF the T webs a few leaves of pothos into their tube web and IF they do die, it is just those leaves not the whole plant. The size of the plant may weigh in on that outcome, but pothos is a pretty hardy plant.(nor is the only or even main one that we use) It is actually quite cool to see the T incorporate leaves into the structure of their home and one I would never discourage someone from experiencing. It adds very little extra work to tank maintenance, but adds a ton to the enclosure.

Also, the T will not 'probably' make a run for it. Most would rather stay in their home, rather than leave it. They may get testy with you for messing around in it, but plant maintenance done properly shouldn't leave too many worries about an escaping T. I suggest a good pair of longer tongs for plucking leaves out, or manipulating vines.

Some plants are toxic to t's.

Can you please provide a source for this statement?

On the other hand, real bark is probably ok, depending on what kind of tree it comes from. Again, some kinds of trees are toxic.

This is true. Stay away from Cedar, and other coniferous trees, as they have oils that actually make them a natural pesticide. We have bark backgrounds in a couple tanks and have no problems.

Also, if using real bark make sure that you sterilize it first. I usually use boiling water followed by baking it in the oven before using it.

This is an opinion and personal preference. ^^ & ------>

--->Personally, I think people can sometimes shoot themselves in the foot with over sterilizing. If you boil it, then bake it, all you have done is provide a completely blank slate for whatever wants to inhabit it first. We have had problems with not boiling a piece of wood once. It started having this orange mold spawning all around/ on it and we just removed it, until eventually died out. Then we put the T into the enclosure and have no problems with it since.

Real wood is probably not the best idea as it will probably mold in the humidity that L. violaceopes prefers.

You just have to be smart about plant placement and your watering/ humidifying method. Spraying the wood directly isn't a good idea. Neither is placing a plant right up against the wood, because in the process of watering it would most likely get the wood pretty wet and once again that isn't a great idea. If you think things through, adding plants makes for very pretty naturalistic enclosures.

Also, be careful with anything that is collected from outside or which has been sitting around a garden shop (often bark is stored near fertilizer or pesticides).

This is a very good bit of advice and a possible reason to boil the piece. We are lucky to own 72 acres of undeveloped forest from which to gather our wood, so we don't have to worry about that. I would suggest going to a forestry, or national park to scout out some good pieces.

 

[curiousme]

Thank you for the advice! I found a website today that I think I'm going to use quite frequently, (www.blackjungleterrariumsupply.com) they have an amazing selection of all types of things I could use in my setup! I have however decided to go 50/50 and use both fake and real plants I just like the idea of having to trim things up and keep it tidy. The ones I have chosen thus far don't require too much lighting to keep them alive so that shouldn't be a major problem. I just want the enclosure to look really good so even if you can't see her, (95% of the time) you still have something amazing to look at! Thanks again for the input! much appreciated

Finding completely native to its habitat plants is a noble and neat idea, but will probably be unattainable. I recommend some wandering jew. You could have a compact flourescent light fixture on the enclosure and it would grow beautifully. It is a lovely plant with greenish silver leaves that sport a purplish bottom, that can either vine or be used as a free standing plant. It grows steadily, but pruning isn't too hard with a good set of tongs. Pothos is pretty hardy as well, but I prefer the wandering jew.

Personally, I would never mix fake plants with real ones. Why mix plastic in when you already have the real thing, which is infinitely cooler? My husband(Mr. Gone) and I completely agree with your reason for wanting plants. That's why all of our adult tanks will have plants, as long as the T allows it! (we have had a T systematically kill his pothos)

 

[blooms]

Please see Schultz and Schultz, the Tarantula Keeper's Guide, page 149

 

[Motorkar]

Don't listen to anyone who says don't use live plants. I use live plants in my enclosures and they all grpw perfectly. Orchids, Pothots, Tillandias, they all work very well in low light and high humidity. Just stick with what curiousme posted. Something is when you read some book, the other is some personal experience.

 

[curiousme]

Please see Schultz and Schultz, the Tarantula Keeper's Guide, page 149

The TKG is a wonderful resource for beginner tarantula keepers. Schultz and Schultz are big fans of the utilitarian set-up for all Ts, which is bone dry substrate and an over-sized water dish. This is an ideal situation/ advice for someone with no plant experience, on top of no T experience. The Schultz team are not plant experts and they are trying to streamline your first T experience, which they do well. There are ways to have plants in an enclosure with success, they are not hard to keep in an enclosure, but like T keeping it requires some research on the part of the keeper.

If you have no personal experience with a subject and are trying to simply quoting a book, please say that.

 

[LisaD]

+1 on curiousme's posts.

I have my LV in a 12 x 12 x 18 Zoomed enclosure. I have a fluorescent power compact fixture that is on during daylight hours. There is a low light bromeliad (potted) in the enclosure, some branches, bark, and a coconut shell hide. The T either stays in the leaves of the bromeliad or in the hide. It is still young, about 3.5".

I plan to add Pothos or other plants when I get a chance to work on my Ts' enclosures.

I haven't had any problems.

 

[robc]

Don't use real plants. They need lots of light, which most tarantulas loathe. They make the enclosure too damp. The T, if it's arboreal, will probably web up all the leaves, which will eventually kill the plant causing you to have to remove it, while the spider probably tries to make a run for it. Some plants are toxic to t's.

On the other hand, real bark is probably ok, depending on what kind of tree it comes from. Again, some kinds of trees are toxic. Also, if using real bark make sure that you sterilize it first. I usually use boiling water followed by baking it in the oven before using it.

Real wood is probably not the best idea as it will probably mold in the humidity that L. violaceopes prefers.

Also, be careful with anything that is collected from outside or which has been sitting around a garden shop (often bark is stored near fertilizer or pesticides).

I have to disagree with the above...I have plants in all of my enclosures with hardly any light and I have to cut them back they grow so fast. Potho's require very little light, very little water. I also have wild collected wood pieces in all of my enclosures and they do not mold a bit. I had plants in a OBT tank that sje totally webbed and it did not kill the plants LOL!!.

 

[2oCHEVYo0]

My actual reason for using fake (It will only be one plant) is because i was planning on having the hide stuck into the background and wanted a plant back there as well. I was going to make it fake so I dont have to prune around her hide opening or bother her everytime i decide to change something. All other plants and moss will be real.

I plan on the background to look something very similar to what Goliath did on his tanks. I'm making some design changes in how the background is installed that will make it easily removeable and (a little) more funtional. I'm going to get an Exo-terra, but haven't decided on size yet. Either the 18x18x24 or the 24x18x24. Want to go with the 24x18x24 but dang, the thing is Xpensive :wall:!!!

Thanks for the vast amount of information everyone, very helpful too me! And I will definatly check into the pothos and wandering jew!

Also, if anyone has pics of their personal L. Violeceopes enclosure post em up, I'd like to see what everyone else decided to do for theres

 

[SpiderDane]

I can only agree on using live plants in your enclosure. Allmost all of my T´s have live plants, and some are webbed up pretty neat and still going strong

I use a piece of natural bark and some kind of wax plant?

http://www.insectgeeks.com/user/gallery/album/name_SpiderDane/album_1225/

A few pics of my T´s