L. Parahybana hanging from its screen lid by back two legs

Nightstalker47

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Hey all, I was checking out my Ts and noticed my MM Lp was in a strange position. He was hanging from the screen top of his enclosure and appeared stuck in a position where he couldn't recover his footing, he was hanging by his back legs. Anyhow I freed him and he's fine, thought i would share the experience. Has this ever happened to anyone who uses 10 gal tanks?
 

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DeanK

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Jun 16, 2016
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That's the main reason people advise against using screen lids. Tarsal claws get stuck and can cause a loss of limb very easily and a lot of stress for the tarantula
 

Nightstalker47

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That's the main reason people advise against using screen lids. Tarsal claws get stuck and can cause a loss of limb very easily and a lot of stress for the tarantula
That's an eye opener! Thanks for the info
 

KezyGLA

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Cheap thin sheet acrylic from art craft store with holes pierced in it, taped or glued underneath the screen top is a less costly and just as effective preventative.
 

Haksilence

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the is precisely the reason screen lids are unacceptable in this hobby, 10g tanks are already horrid enclosures for tarantulas in most circumstances, but the screens make them 10x worse for this exact scenario. youre lucky she didnt lose her legs or suffer from a fatal fall.

you NEED to fix this tarantulas housing. either change it into some other enclosure (something with more controllable ventilation and not as much height, this species is from a region the gets frequent rainfall and a high average humidity so screen tops are worthless as they let all humidity escape almost immediately) or buy a sheet of clear acrylic plastic, cut it to size, and drill some ventilation into it to replace that screen.
 

Tim Benzedrine

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Cheap thin sheet acrylic from art craft store with holes pierced in it, taped or glued underneath the screen top is a less costly and just as effective preventative.
This is what I plan on doing to one of my lids when i rehouse my LP to his next enclosure.
 

KezyGLA

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This is what I plan on doing to one of my lids when i rehouse my LP to his next enclosure.
I have used this method on Komodo nano habistats for my terrestrials and Exo Terra For my arboreals. Its much cheaper and it can be cut to size easily with craft knife.
 

WoofSpider

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I'm dealing with the same problem right now. The reptile shop where I purchased my first T suggested the Exo Terra Nano for a sub-adult A. Avicularia. The size is good, but it has a screen mesh top. I want to replace the screen top with acrylic, but I'm having a really hard time doing so. The screen that needs to be replaced is about 1 cm short of 8 in. A size that is not sold anywhere.

Home Depot will not cut acrylic.
Lowes will not cut acrylic.
I do not own any power tools myself.

I've never done a DIY project in my life. The whole situation is very frustrating right now.

EDIT: I should mention that so far my Avic has not had any problems with the screen top, but I know it's just a matter of time.
 

Rocky

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Screen mesh tops are bad as everyone stated already lol. But if you have a reptile arran wrap on top of the enclosure really works well to hold in humidity. I just bought a medium think acrylic sheet from lowes got them to cut the right size for me which was 36 ×18.25 since these guys get big then I cUT it again making a door drilled some breathing wholes drilled some holes for hinges and then a hole for a knob and bam.
 

WoofSpider

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Screen mesh tops are bad as everyone stated already lol. But if you have a reptile arran wrap on top of the enclosure really works well to hold in humidity. I just bought a medium think acrylic sheet from lowes got them to cut the right size for me which was 36 ×18.25 since these guys get big then I cUT it again making a door drilled some breathing wholes drilled some holes for hinges and then a hole for a knob and bam.
Lucky you. My Lowes told me that they would only cut wood.
 

cold blood

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Cheap thin sheet acrylic from art craft store with holes pierced in it, taped or glued underneath the screen top is a less costly and just as effective preventative.
Taped or glued underneath the screen top??

No, just throw the screen top away or use it for something else.
 

cold blood

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I'm dealing with the same problem right now. The reptile shop where I purchased my first T suggested the Exo Terra Nano for a sub-adult A. Avicularia. The size is good, but it has a screen mesh top. I want to replace the screen top with acrylic, but I'm having a really hard time doing so. The screen that needs to be replaced is about 1 cm short of 8 in. A size that is not sold anywhere.

Home Depot will not cut acrylic.
Lowes will not cut acrylic.
I do not own any power tools myself.

I've never done a DIY project in my life. The whole situation is very frustrating right now.

EDIT: I should mention that so far my Avic has not had any problems with the screen top, but I know it's just a matter of time.
use plexi-glass, they all cut that.
 

KezyGLA

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Taped or glued underneath the screen top??

No, just throw the screen top away or use it for something else.
If it works it works. Not all of us can afford thick acrylic or the tools to cut it to size and drill holes in. No dramas
 

Rocky

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I agree!
use plexi-glass, they all cut that.
Though I do believe acrylic is what they normally make plexiglass glass out of at least mine was acrylic plexi glass. There are probably cheaper options considering for a 24 × 48 mid grade sheet cost me around 60 bucks lol.
 
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cold blood

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If it works it works. Not all of us can afford thick acrylic or the tools to cut it to size and drill holes in. No dramas
Make me laugh, I can pretty much guarantee you have more $$ than I do. And you said you were already using acrylic. As I also suggested, plexi is a cheaper, easier to cut option...its what I use on the 2 aquarium set ups I have.

If you are already using acrylic, what's with the redundancy of also having a screen? This makes no sense to me, why add a worthless top, to an already functional top?
 

KezyGLA

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Make me laugh, I can pretty much guarantee you have more $$ than I do. And you said you were already using acrylic. As I also suggested, plexi is a cheaper, easier to cut option...its what I use on the 2 aquarium set ups I have.

If you are already using acrylic, what's with the redundancy of also having a screen? This makes no sense to me, why add a worthless top, to an already functional top?
Acrylic is cheaper in the states. I am using 1mm sheet and the screen top. Cheaper than cutting your own 4/5mm escape proof.

The assumption that i have more $$ than you is redic. This is a forum. You dont know me.

Here the 'acrylic' we get in hobby stores is called plexiglass. So i'm stumped at what you mean.

As i said before its not worthless. It works, and your above comment doesnt make sense.
 
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