KritterKeepers for Arboreals?

[Hixson]

Hello all, first post here....

I have two arboreal T's, one P. Regalis sling and a mature pink-toe. I am strapped for cash, a crafty person and lover of all small creatures so I am always looking for the most accommodating habitats for my friends.

Without the means for a 'cadillac' acrylic enclosure, I modified a medium sized KK for my pink-toe in a turned-up-on-its-side orientation with a cork tube and about two inches of substrate. I think it looks nice, but the poor dude/gal has a REALLY hard time climbing on the walls and I feel like I have a lot of wasted real-estate in my build. Plus, I just want him/her to have complete freedom when building his/her web.

My question is somewhat vague as I am not sure I know what the answer is that I am looking for, but more or less I am wondering if it is ethical to have an enclosure for an arboreal which does not allow for wall-climbing? Are there materials more friendly for climbing such as acrylic, polycarbonate or glass? Are KK's a flat-out no for arboreals?

The acrylic enclosures by Jamie's seem to be the cats-meow, and I am in the process of procuring materials to make one myself... I'll post pictures of it once I have it done.

Thanks for reading my meandering! Take care.

 

[Andrea82]

Your ' pink toe' (do you have a scientific name by any chance?) could be having trouble climbing the plastic because it is close to a molt. Kk are used as arboreal enclosures, yes .
This thread contains everything you need to know to keep Avicularia/Caribena/Ybyrapora (Pink Toes) species succesfully:
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/avicularia-husbandry.282549/#post-2461396

 

[PidderPeets]

My A. avicularia has been in her KK for almost a year now and she's never had any trouble. She can walk on the acrylic with no issues whatsoever, and has successfully covered most of the upper walls in webbing. As @Andrea82 mentioned, an arboreal having difficulty climbing on smooth surfaces generally means it's close to molting.

 

[Rittdk01]

For a little bit more u can get a Bugarium. That's what I use for my few aboreals.

 

[cold blood]

A much better option would be sterilite tubs...cheap...3-7 bucks...easy to ventilate with several means...I use a drill...and offer enough vertical space to provide a good habitat.

avic housing-adult

• cold blood
• Mar 13, 2018
• 1
• avicularia enclosure pinktoe tarantula

On top of that, I use topsoil, which costs about $1.37 for a 40lb bag....I collect driftwood from lakeshores. The most expensive things are the $5-7 plastic plants.

Entire set up costs me in the neighborhood of $10

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

Hello all, first post here....

I have two arboreal T's, one P. Regalis sling and a mature pink-toe. I am strapped for cash, a crafty person and lover of all small creatures so I am always looking for the most accommodating habitats for my friends.

Without the means for a 'cadillac' acrylic enclosure, I modified a medium sized KK for my pink-toe in a turned-up-on-its-side orientation with a cork tube and about two inches of substrate. I think it looks nice, but the poor dude/gal has a REALLY hard time climbing on the walls and I feel like I have a lot of wasted real-estate in my build. Plus, I just want him/her to have complete freedom when building his/her web.

My question is somewhat vague as I am not sure I know what the answer is that I am looking for, but more or less I am wondering if it is ethical to have an enclosure for an arboreal which does not allow for wall-climbing? Are there materials more friendly for climbing such as acrylic, polycarbonate or glass? Are KK's a flat-out no for arboreals?

The acrylic enclosures by Jamie's seem to be the cats-meow, and I am in the process of procuring materials to make one myself... I'll post pictures of it once I have it done.

Thanks for reading my meandering! Take care.

I'm confused by this post. You have a Poecilotheria regalis and a pink toe and house them both in an upturned Kritter Keeper. The pink toe can't climb the walls but you didn't mention if the P. regalis can, so does that mean the P. regalis has no trouble? I'm also wondering if they were both housed in something else before the Kritter Keepers. Was the pink toe housed in something else that it was able to climb but can't climb the Kritter Keeper?

I'm more concerned by the pink toe not being able to climb as acrylic is acrylic. Doesn't matter if it is sold by a pet store, an individual's small business, or some kind of housewares store. Pink toes (Avicularia species) can climb smooth surfaces quite easily. There seems to be some back story to these two spiders that needs to be told.

 

[Hixson]

I'm confused by this post. You have a Poecilotheria regalis and a pink toe and house them both in an upturned Kritter Keeper. The pink toe can't climb the walls but you didn't mention if the P. regalis can, so does that mean the P. regalis has no trouble? I'm also wondering if they were both housed in something else before the Kritter Keepers. Was the pink toe housed in something else that it was able to climb but can't climb the Kritter Keeper?

I'm more concerned by the pink toe not being able to climb as acrylic is acrylic. Doesn't matter if it is sold by a pet store, an individual's small business, or some kind of housewares store. Pink toes (Avicularia species) can climb smooth surfaces quite easily. There seems to be some back story to these two spiders that needs to be told.

Sorry for the confusion, and I appreciate your concern!

The spiders are NOT kept in the same enclosure, as that would be an irresponsible thing to do. Unfortunately, the A. metallica [nd] was housed in a deli-cup enclosure before it came under my care. So I quickly made a more appropriate enclosure and did not see it climbing on anything before I transferred it.

The P. Regalis is a sling, and is housed in a small plastic container with a small cork bark, and some coconut fiber. The P. Regalis has no issues getting around and is comically lively.

Regarding your concern for it's difficulty climbing, and considering the other posts which say that they have difficulty climbing during pre-molt, is there something else that I may have missed? Thanks for responding!

My A. avicularia has been in her KK for almost a year now and she's never had any trouble. She can walk on the acrylic with no issues whatsoever, and has successfully covered most of the upper walls in webbing. As @Andrea82 mentioned, an arboreal having difficulty climbing on smooth surfaces generally means it's close to molting.

View attachment 271286

That's wonderful!!!! Same exact setup. Thank you!

Your ' pink toe' (do you have a scientific name by any chance?) could be having trouble climbing the plastic because it is close to a molt. Kk are used as arboreal enclosures, yes .
This thread contains everything you need to know to keep Avicularia/Caribena/Ybyrapora (Pink Toes) species succesfully:
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/avicularia-husbandry.282549/#post-2461396

Thank you so much. Happy to hear.

 

[NukaMedia Exotics]

I've seen people use KK's for arboreal species and they work just fine. The T can in fact walk on the walls, unless there's something going on like premolt.

 

[Vanessa]

I have a couple of juvenile male C.versicolor in KK's that are turned sideways. I used a piece of cork bark at the front as a barricade to keep the substrate in.

 

[StampFan]

For a little bit more u can get a Bugarium. That's what I use for my few aboreals.

I've probably asked you this before and can't recall the answer, but have you made any modifications to the Bugarium, or done anything to help keep the lid tight?