Need more ventilation or just loving the breeze?

BossRoss

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Sep 18, 2014
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So as summer is beating down on our South African soil we have our normal warmer temperatures. Our summers can range from anything between 12 degrees Celsius(cold rainy evening) to about 38 degrees Celsius(glorious summer day)


I have recently, within this year, upgraded my T shelf. I have noticed with this summer that when the windows are open and there is a strong(ish) cross breeze my brachys and lasiodora on the bottom shelf tend to climb onto the sides of the enclosures almost as if they are attempting to get closer to the breeze. Could this be an indication the enclosures need better ventilation? I never seemed to have this problem before.
 

Robyn8

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Feb 24, 2016
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So as summer is beating down on our South African soil we have our normal warmer temperatures. Our summers can range from anything between 12 degrees Celsius(cold rainy evening) to about 38 degrees Celsius(glorious summer day)


I have recently, within this year, upgraded my T shelf. I have noticed with this summer that when the windows are open and there is a strong(ish) cross breeze my brachys and lasiodora on the bottom shelf tend to climb onto the sides of the enclosures almost as if they are attempting to get closer to the breeze. Could this be an indication the enclosures need better ventilation? I never seemed to have this problem before.
Perhaps when you have the windows open on summer days, the air blown in the room is warmer than room temperature?
 

Red Eunice

Arachnodemon
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Mar 2, 2014
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666
Could be, since new arrangement, that the breeze is causing an air turbulence inside their enclosuses. Terrestrials react differently than arboreals when it comes to air currents/breezes.
Only a guess without a photo showing placement of shelving and windows.
 

BossRoss

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Sep 18, 2014
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74
Perhaps when you have the windows open on summer days, the air blown in the room is warmer than room temperature?
The cross breeze through my apartment is always cooler and often a life saver :-D

Could be, since new arrangement, that the breeze is causing an air turbulence inside their enclosuses. Terrestrials react differently than arboreals when it comes to air currents/breezes.
Only a guess without a photo showing placement of shelving and windows.
Hmmm.... I think you might be onto something here....

So unfortunately I am using what I could get at the time, what was available at the many LPS other than those exo-terra ones that cost an arm and three legs. These have always been less than ideal and within the last 6/7 months I have been replacing all enclosures with custom made ones(I have started with Avics and other arboreals first).

So here are the two teristerial types you generally get here in SA(Size in centimetres):

and




now that's too little of a space in both cases if you ask me.

The shelf in question is situated parallel and about 1m away from the window, the shelf is 2.2 meters high and was a length of 1.6 meters. The windows are two large sliding door windows, opening one window all the way means that 50% that window frame is now open for air to pass through. The window length is almost that of this tarantula room. You will notice on the left is a red tool box, the curtain is sitting on the window sill and the curtain rail is just above the window lintel.


 

BossRoss

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Sep 18, 2014
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"New" avic enclosures on the left and right. Arboreal are similar except the vents are on top. In some cases on the top and sides. Slits are larger and there are more of them in this case.

 

Andrea82

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Jan 12, 2016
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"New" avic enclosures on the left and right. Arboreal are similar except the vents are on top. In some cases on the top and sides. Slits are larger and there are more of them in this case.

I don't think i have ever seen enclosures with slits for ventilation like this. Usually the ventilation is created by metal strips with holes in it. These are a lot of precision work I think?
From a first glance, I don't see anything wrong with your setup, aside from the unusual ventilation, but maybe others can chime in, @cold blood and @EulersK , what do you think?
 

EulersK

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I can't see any pictures o_O So long as there's plenty of ventilation, plenty of fake plants, and dry substrate, the enclosure should be fine. But I'd like to see the pictures to be sure...
 

BossRoss

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Sep 18, 2014
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...These are a lot of precision work I think?...
Luckily it is not me who is making them, yes they are made very well and are cheaper than what I can get elsewhere. He is pretty proficient and making these by now.

I can't see any pictures o_O So long as there's plenty of ventilation, plenty of fake plants, and dry substrate, the enclosure should be fine. But I'd like to see the pictures to be sure...
The new enclosures are amazing, It seems like the Ts prefer them as I see more behaviour that I would expect, especially with the Avics. But the old ones are my concern.
Possibly a work proxy blocking them? See if you can open this link to the gallery in a new tab: https://postimg.org/gallery/msmhnh5s/
 

Walker253

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 12, 2016
Messages
554
Those enclosures look pretty cool. I'd love some of those for arboreals

I have recently, within this year, upgraded my T shelf. I have noticed with this summer that when the windows are open and there is a strong(ish) cross breeze my brachys and lasiodora on the bottom shelf tend to climb onto the sides of the enclosures almost as if they are attempting to get closer to the breeze. Could this be an indication the enclosures need better ventilation? I never seemed to have this problem before.
I'd think they are merely finding a more preferable temperature. If it's a cooler breeze, your room is a bit warm most likely. Unless you are playing some Christopher Cross - Sailing on the stereo.
 

cold blood

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Staff member
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Jan 19, 2014
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13,223
I hate those little vents like the one on top of that one...but the slits are interesting. I can't see how they wouldn't be just fine, it certainly is an interesting look.

Now as for breezes, I always keep a fan in my room, so I have a constant permanent artificial breeze. Some of mine do the same, and I really don't even think about it as the height isn't too much in any of my terrestrial enclosures....your terrestrial enclosures look similarly safe, so I wouldn't worry about it, but I would run a fan when you have the windows closed just to create air movement.
 
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