New Enclosure

mconnachan

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I've had a new exo - terra nano viv set - up for my p. metallica unfortunately the exo-terra hygrometer/thermometer is telling me the RH is only 27% although there is condensation on the vivarium, do you think I need to change vivarium or is the exo-terra hygrometer wrong, please help as I really want to use the set up I've created,

thanks
 

Venom1080

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This is why hydrometers suck. Get rid of it. Keep the substrate slightly moist.

This is another example of why most people don't bother with live plants.
 
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mconnachan

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Thanks for your response, I feel the vivarium is just right for the P. Metallica, I just need to add some plants and the juvie will be re-housed, what is a love plant BTW. The temp is 26C at the moment and RH is 25%, still got plenty space for a deeper bed of substrate, but I think we're in agreement that the hygrometers are wrong!
 

Venom1080

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Thanks for your response, I feel the vivarium is just right for the P. Metallica, I just need to add some plants and the juvie will be re-housed, what is a love plant BTW. The temp is 26C at the moment and RH is 25%, still got plenty space for a deeper bed of substrate, but I think we're in agreement that the hygrometers are wrong!
I don't even know what RH is. Probably not something that needs to be worried about. I don't know what a love plant is. Sub only needs to be like a few inches.
 

bryverine

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This is another example of why most people don't bother with love plants.
I don't bother with love plants either, way too clingy.

Don't use hygrometers, they are not necessary for Ts. They are normally very inaccurate. Even calibrated ones have a poor sensitivity and "reaction time", if you will.

DAMP sub as a full water dish is all you need. Do not "swampify" your enclosure. I only over fill my water bowl once a week.

@mconnachan Can you get a pic of the setup?

Edit: looked at mconnachan's profile and corrected questions.
 
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Venom1080

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I don't bother with love plants either, way too clingy.

Don't use hygrometers, they are not necessary for Ts.
Is this your first tarantula or just a first pokie?

DAMP sub as a full water dish is all you need. Do not "swampify" your enclosure. I only over fill my water bowl once a week.

@mconnachan Can you get a pic of the setup?
7am will always be too early for me to properly function.
 

Goodlukwitthat

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Yes, a picture of your setup will help out. I prefer fake plants because 1, easier to clean and remove without all that extra mess that come with live plants. 2, no extra light or watering or food needed for them to grow.
 

Chris LXXIX

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Mah... we are talking about arboreals, my man. I fail to realize why there isn't, inside, a vertical long piece of cork bark ^

I mean, something like this (just for give you the idea, not the parameters).

Wimpy 2.jpg

This was the set up I had for a juve, back then unsexed (turned a male, after) P.cambridgei.
 

mconnachan

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The P. Metallica is not in the vivarium yet, I was waiting until everything was perfect for it, I'm expecting it to molt any time soon, so what I'm gonna do is wait until it molts then rehouse it, do you think that's the right thing to do or should I re - house it now.
 

mconnachan

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Mah... we are talking about arboreals, my man. I fail to realize why there isn't, inside, a vertical long piece of cork bark ^
I haven't added it yet but the cork bark tube you can see is going into the substrate as a hide.
 

Chris LXXIX

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I haven't added it yet but the cork bark tube you can see is going into the substrate as a hide.
Yes, but they are arboreals, not obligate burrowers. You can leave that piece of cork bark, man, but def. being you I would add another, more longer, on vertical. They lives on trees, after all, in the wild :-s
 

mconnachan

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I haven't added it yet but the cork bark tube you can see is going into the substrate as a hide.
Yes, but they are arboreals, not obligate burrowers. You can leave that piece of cork bark, man, but def. being you I would add another, more longer, on vertical. They lives on trees, after all, in the wild :-s
OK will do fella, was always going to put more cork bark in anyways, but wasn't sure whether to get a cork background, or just put in another piece of cork, you've made up my mind. Thanks for the shout, but it was in hand.
 

mconnachan

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IMG_0502.JPG Here is my Exo-Terra enclosure for my P. Metallica, I think it looks really good considering it's so small, although I will upgrade again
when needed.
 
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Nightstalker47

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View attachment 237667 Here is my Exo-Terra enclosure for my P. Metallica, I think it looks really good considering it's so small, although I will upgrade again
when needed.
The setup looks nice, but there's way too much moisture in that enclosure. You can tell from all the condensation on the glass door. P.metallica need some humidity, but it's easy to over do it. I'd let the substrate dry out a bit before you introduce the spider to the enclosure.
 

mconnachan

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Thanks Nightstalker, that was my plan, I'm going to let everything settle down first let the T molt once more in it's tall deli container then I'm going to introduce the P. Metallica, by then it will be big enough for the new setup. I've let the moisture dissipate and now there is no condensation on the viv. Thanks again my friend.
 

user 666

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The setup looks nice, but there's way too much moisture in that enclosure. You can tell from all the condensation on the glass door. P.metallica need some humidity, but it's easy to over do it. I'd let the substrate dry out a bit before you introduce the spider to the enclosure.
The condensation is not _necessarily_ a sign of excess moisture.

It is a sign of a temperature differential, that the inside of the enclosure is warmer than the outside. When the warm are contacts the cool glass, water condenses out of the air onto the glass.

Given that the enclosure has a screen top, I would not worry about excess humidity.
 
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