Keeping High Humidity and Good Ventilation/ Airflow in an arboreal tank?

[NirvanaMama]

I'm new to having tarantulas. I have a Mexican Red Knee and now a Pink Toe. I'm having troubles getting the perfect combination of humidity and airflow for my Pink Toe's tank. It's a vertical glass terrarium with locking doors that open in the front. The top is screen. I have a TropicAire humidifier and air exchanger going into the tank. I also have lots of moss and live plants to keep it humid. I have a digital hygrometer and temperature gauge. I keep the temperature at around 80 degrees and I try to keep the humidity at least 80%. I've been struggling to keep up on the humidity. My husband purchased a square of plexiglass to replace the screen lid and so far it's working at keeping the humidity in. I'm just worried it will block the air flow. There are still air vents in the tank at the bottom and I think the TropicAire that I use also helps keep the air from getting stagnant. I was just wondering if anyone has any tips on how to keep my tank humid and mold-free at the same time?

 

[TB3Redneck]

Just keep doin what your doin The plexiglass works wonders for keeping in humidity, and even though it seems like the air might get stagnant, as long as you keep the substrate damp, you should have any problems with the mold. Ive had my A. Avic for about 2 months now in a little tank with a screen at the top, and couldn't keep humidity in for the life of me, so I got a piece of plexi, and its working great Ive got about 80% of the top covered, and I keep the substrate damp, mist it 4-5 times a day, and I have yet to have a problem with mold

 

[le-thomas]

As the person above me said, keep doing what you're doing. Unless you don't feel that you're doing the right thing or that your results aren't good enough, I see no reason to do anything more. Humidity is tricky, but it isn't impossible.

 

[NirvanaMama]

Thanks! I also haven another question: How adaptable are A. Avics when it comes to temperature? Does it have to stay at 80degrees or can it adapt to room temp (75 at my house)?

 

[Crysta]

room temperature is fine.
if you want more 'airflow' drill a couple holes in the plexi glass.

 

[Amoeba]

Ive had my A. Avic for about 2 months now in a little tank with a screen at the top, and couldn't keep humidity in for the life of me

Our friends Mr. Packing Tape or Mrs. Saran wrap over some of the screening will also keep humidity in. :biggrin:

As for Temp. my Ts went from a standard 75-76 F at my house to lower 70s in my "apartment". Ts are ideal between 70 and like lower to mid 80s. With swings in the 60s at night. If memory serves they start stressing at 95F and tend to die somewhere in the 100s. so they are a bit hardier to cold than hot.

 

[1hughjazzspider]

Just keep doin what your doin The plexiglass works wonders for keeping in humidity, and even though it seems like the air might get stagnant, as long as you keep the substrate damp, you should have any problems with the mold. Ive had my A. Avic for about 2 months now in a little tank with a screen at the top, and couldn't keep humidity in for the life of me, so I got a piece of plexi, and its working great Ive got about 80% of the top covered, and I keep the substrate damp, mist it 4-5 times a day, and I have yet to have a problem with mold

Personally I think misting 4-5 times a day is WAY too much. I don't even mist that much a week for none of my Avics, slings included. I'd say do it lightly 2-3 times a week no more

 

[catfishrod69]

i would say pitch the hygro and go by your gut feeling...i just keep a water dish in with mine, and mist as needed..

 

[Amoeba]

i would say pitch the hygro and go by your gut feeling...i just keep a water dish in with mine, and mist as needed..

+1 it's not needed (maybe with something like a T blondi)

 

[catfishrod69]

yep...i have 1 in with my red tail boa, and my lateralis, but only because i had problems breeding them...other than that i dont keep 1 in with my tokay or anything else..none of my T's has one

+1 it's not needed (maybe with something like a T blondi)

 

[NirvanaMama]

Thanks. I just used the hygrometer because I read that my Pink Toe would be more likely to die from not getting enough humidity. I'm just trying to make it's habitat as close to nature as I can get, but it's not easy
to recreate a jungle in Indiana weather!

 

[Kirsten]

I have two Avic. avics and a P. irminia for arboreal species. For one avic., I use a false bottom, substrate is watered (not misted) and she's lives in a clear paint can from Michael's, with a good number of air holes all around and in the lid. (the large one). For the other avic., she lives in a Michael's cube, no false bottom, and 200 air holes drilled total in the top half all the way around, about 80 all the way around on the bottom, and around 15 on the top. Substrate is watered damp, again..not misted.

Throw away your hygrometer, or at least take it out. Most hygrometers don't give you accurate humidity anyway, unless you have a very expensive one, and you don't need that. Unless your room is cold (under 72 degrees F) you don't need to heat it. Mine do fine all through the winter and it gets very cold where they are. Just use a space heater during the colder months.

Misting ups the humidity only very temporarily and simultaneously brings the temperature in the tank down. Keeping the substrate damp by watering it and considering a false bottom would suit you both much better. I think I re-water my sub. once every couple of weeks. Just be sure to have as full water dish and keep it up high as many avics will not go down to drink at all.

I hope this helps, and good luck!

 

[Vilurum]

I have my A. Avic at room temp in a large cricket keeper (Its only a sub adult) with nothing blocked off and I give a good mist once every 2 or 3 days I have done this for around 6 months now and have had no problems, I ofcourse have a waterdish with clean water at all times.

As one poster said mist 4-5 times a day? Thats seems excessive imo and can put stress on the T.

 

[takelondon]

Kirsten is right; misting is a futile effort, and watering the substrate has a much more lasting effect. Using a large, shallow water dish on the bottom of the enclosure and keeping the substrate slightly moist should keep humidity at a healthy level. If you're using a hygrometer, you're putting in far too much thought. Do keep an eye out for mold, and if the enclosure starts to develop visible mold or an odor, you may want to increase ventilation to what it was previously (humidity really is not as much of an exact science as some care sheets and websites make it out to be.)

Arboreals will have no problem venturing to the floor for water if they are thirsty, though if they are smaller than 2-3" DLS or so a bottle cap attached high on a wall should be easier to fill and clean (and easy for them to access).


-Kendra