New to tarantulas

[Peavey91]

How do u guys think the exo Terra nano tall terrarium fairs with ventilation for the versi? The 8x8x12

 

[Olan]

People use those for arboreals a lot. Seems to work well for them. I've never used one though.
My first arboreal was a versicolor, I've had her 9 years now. As long as you're aware to avoid a stuffy, humid encloseure, you should do fine.

 

[Jerry]

I think the only down fall with those enclosures is the lack of cross ventilation but there b vagans are awesome mine is a is a aggressive feed and real easy to care for

 

[Peavey91]

I have coco fiber I'm going to dry out completely in the sun before I place in in the terrarium so avoid excess humidity and I can control the humidity easier. I think it's going to be easier to avoid a stuffy stagnant terrarium thay way as well.
I really like the exo Terra terrarium I've had them before for anoles and tree frogs and the like. But the ventilation I could see a problem but the front should have enough holes to push air through the top of the tank.
Where do you guys purchase pre made acrylic tanks at?

 

[Jerry]

http://jamiestarantulas.com/enclosures this is one place to get them there are. Bunch any place that sells large numbers of tarantulas online tend to have enclosures and a lot of people make there own out of recycled containers

 

[Jerry]

And don't get me wrong you can use them and they do alright this is what I have my MM A Avic in and he's fine it's just not ideal

 

[Peavey91]

And don't get me wrong you can use them and they do alright View attachment 234024 this is what I have my MM A Avic in and he's fine it's just not ideal

I love jaimes enclosures, but there a bit expensive.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

How do u guys think the exo Terra nano tall terrarium fairs with ventilation for the versi? The 8x8x12

Those enclosures are fine, I have a 3" female in one, just remove the polystyrene background they supply (some Tarantulas chew them up and they take up far too much room in my opinion, cork tile looks better and takes up a lot less space) and replace the mesh in the lid (they can get their tarsal claws stuck in the mesh and lose legs) with a piece of acrylic with plenty of air holes drilled into it and you're good to go.

 

[Jerry]

bug.net/apps/webstore/products/category here is anothe set and much cheaper but also not the largest enclosures

 

[Peavey91]

bug.net/apps/webstore/products/category here is anothe set and much cheaper but also not the largest enclosures

That link isn't working and I csnt seem to pull up bug.net either /:

Edit:I found it

 

[cold blood]

I dont have anything else constructive to add except that Ive never paid more at a breeder than a petshop. Breeders are always cheaper. Have fun!

Yeah, buying directly from breeders is literally, always cheaper.

The red rump I was almost set on but I've heard towards full maturity they get quite aggressive. I was almost set on a rose hair but I wanted to keep a more humid tank, more on the top side ofor 70 to 80 percent humidity. I don't necessarily want a pet hole either the challenge of keeping an avic. Avic. Or versicolor from sling into adulthood kinda strikes a light bulb on in my head......

Red rumps are more skittish than anything...and defensive is a better description than aggression...these things aren't chasing things down to bite, its purely a defensive thing.

Tliltocatl vagans

• cold blood
• Feb 13, 2017
• 5
• brachypelma vagans mexican redrump tarantula tliltocatl tliltocatl vagans vagans

vagans

Important to note, keep away from humidity numbers, there is literally no reason to even have a device that attempts to measure it (hygrometers themselves are notoriously inaccurate). What you should concentrate on with ts is the moisture level in the substrate, not in the air...then ventilation is the next consideration, as moisture dependent ts enclosures will be prone to mold without adequate ventilation.

Good to see that ultimately you chose not to go this route. This balance is much easier with experience, and therefore these species are more enjoyable when you don't have to wonder or worry.

Red rump = B. vagans

B. vagans is a semi-arid species. A humid tank would kill that spider.

B. vagans isn't a desert spider, and is fine in a wide range of keeping, I offer mine damp substrate on a regular basis, especially in winter when its dry here.

This is what's available even then it's what there breeders supply the stores. Now I do realize there are alot of species on there not suitable for a beginner such as the ornamentals, the orange baboon, and the Trinidad chevron.

I'm glad you didn't decide to rely on someone local, you get better deals (can't find them if you aren't looking where they are) and a significantly larger selection to work from. The classified section and its correlating review page are tarantula shopping gold....utilize them, its not only a great place to buy from, but also to network with breeders.

Get the chevron at some point, they're hardy, easy to keep and not particularly defensive (but impressively fast). IMO these are the perfect tarantula (I am partial to green though). They grow as fast as anything, get large, are unbelievable eaters and make great display ts (note that this doesn't apply to most of the rest of the genus)...plus they breed easily, so they're readily available at low cost....often $10 or less for a sling (which stay slings for like 6 months). On top of all that, its my belief that no single species is better at preparing someone for OW arboreals....JMO

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• cold blood
• Mar 3, 2017

I mean I don't plan on going right into a 10g tall or similar enclosure for an adult of the species. So I wouldn't be planting anytime soon. So advice for rearing from sling to juvis to adult would all be welcome.

Slings can be kept easily in a 16 or 32oz deli cup.

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• cold blood
• Mar 1, 2017

Johnny 2 legs finally got an actual enclosure to enjoy...the recovery process and growth of this...

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• cold blood
• Nov 26, 2016
• 5

Wood to climb on, surround the mid to upper half with plants, add a water dish and good ventilation and you should be just fine...just keep the sub predominantly dry.

Yes that's something I will be ready for. I don't plan on doing any rehousing on my dresser. But I do plan on having a spare deli cup as well a the top of a Coke bottle throuroughly washed out for catch cups. I've seen videos of these guys jumping, and I know that falls can kill them easily

A dresser would probably be a terrible place IMO (unless its in the center of an empty room). Try to utilize a more controlled environment....an easy, logical place is the bath tub...roomy, smooth, and free of clutter (generally). For me, it just makes things easier....just close the drain first.

Another long time keeper @Poec54 uses another interesting and effective method. He does it on a tall stool. This keeps you at a good level (as opposed to bent over a tub) and makes it so the spider needs to negotiate its way down an open and easily retrievable area. Just put the stool in an open area, than if you get a jumper you have enough room to easily corral it. I often put a stool in the tub if I am dealing with something that could take a little more time if things have a hiccup.

I tried looking on here but couldn't find anyone selling avic versicolor slings. And I don't know if anyone local has any? I'm in the bay area California, you'd think there would be some type of specialist t or invert store but there's not, the aquaria hobby is big out here.

Spring is almost here, and with it will be the annual influx of plentiful and cheap versi slings.

In 2 months they will be everywhere...they always are.

Yeah the weather is pretty bad in the bay area California rn. I would necessarily want to subject a sling to this weather. Even ordering aquatic fish and plants I coordinated with my suppliers across the US to ensure survivablity.

Ts ship much better than those things...pretty much anything over 30 for night lows is a safe bet with someone who knows how to properly pack.

I'm sure yours will be an example of such packing. I recall a while back Kelly shipping a big package of ts in the middle of winter to Alaska without losses. The man's been in the biz for a while and is a pro.

The problem is trying to find a small local breeder I've been trying with no avail. Like I said in previous posts, in the bay area the aquaria hobby is huge.

Can the local search...this hobby is much more fun and interesting if you don't limit your sources.

I'm pretty confident, or I wouldn't have risked purchasing a versi. I am extremely excited. With everyone's help here and Kelly's, this is going to be an extremely satisfying and gambling experience to embark on.

I wouldn't have suggest it, but truthfully, its probably the hardiest of all the avic (like) species out there. They tend to web quickly (a sign of an avic adapting), and eat very well....they can also be pretty fast grower.

How do u guys think the exo Terra nano tall terrarium fairs with ventilation for the versi? The 8x8x12

Not for a sling of juvie (see previous pics)...how big is the one you ordered?

I have coco fiber I'm going to dry out completely in the sun before I place in in the terrarium

Are you using those bricks? If so...good idea...but if not (I wouldn't touch those bricks for free), the bagged stuff can just be added.

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• cold blood
• Nov 9, 2016

versi

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• cold blood
• Nov 23, 2016
• 2

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• cold blood
• Jan 13, 2017

versi

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• cold blood
• Jan 13, 2017
• 1

versi

Good luck, versicolor are a true joy to raise, they go through some great color changes along the way.

I will also add that in the ideal shipping times of spring and fall, temps across the country are so good for shipping that 2 day shipping, at less than half the cost, is now a very good option. Many breeders (myself included) do indeed offer LAG with 2 day shipping during these times....take advantage!

 

[EulersK]

B. vagans isn't a desert spider, and is fine in a wide range of keeping, I offer mine damp substrate on a regular basis, especially in winter when its dry here.

Agreed, but the OP was talking about 70-80% humidity. The B. vagans is durable and not to be kept on bone dry substrate (mine rarely dries out completely), but I really don't think it'd do well in that high of humidity.

 

[Peavey91]

Not for a sling of juvie (see previous pics)...how big is the one you ordered?

My versi is less than an inch and so is the vagans. The exo Terra I was referring two was for a mature t. For a sling to juvis I know to keep it in smaller containers. Kelly provided me with a 50 dram vial for my versi which he said would last a while. My vagans I'm going to go to the dollar store and get a Tupperware that's flat and has some space for him to move around on.

Edit: also I'm not using the bricks. I absolutely hate those, even when I worked with killie fish and breeding those I always always used the bagged stuff.

 

[Peavey91]

Agreed, but the OP was talking about 70-80% humidity. The B. vagans is durable and not to be kept on bone dry substrate (mine rarely dries out completely), but I really don't think it'd do well in that high of humidity.

After talking to eveeyone and just found out one of my supervisors keeps t's and snakes and other venomous animals, I'm not going to concentrate on humidity, but rather get a feel for what my tarantulas tell me.

 

[cold blood]

Agreed, but the OP was talking about 70-80% humidity. The B. vagans is durable and not to be kept on bone dry substrate (mine rarely dries out completely), but I really don't think it'd do well in that high of humidity.

Yeah, but I made a point to not focus on humidity...so it wasn't that, my point was more that you don't have to keep them bone dry.

 

[Walker253]

Depends on species for CITES. Can't order Brachypelmas for example without doing a fish and wildlife inspection at a port city, so they're out of the question. A lot of species are not regulated though.

You might find out the hard way. Live animals into the US need to be inspected. What you are doing is called "Brown Boxing". It's illegal.
Tarantulas Canada isn't breaking laws and has no responsibility to make sure you're abiding by them. You're playing with fire...

 

[Peavey91]

This is why I ordered domestically

 

[Peavey91]

I don't have a picture of my redrump yet. It seems to be a bit shy.

I got home last night and my f2f had unboxed my new friends to let some fresh air fun through the shipping containers. Which Kelly does an amazing job with. I set up there little habitats. The redrump is in a tupaware container filled about halfway with cocofiber and a cork bark hide I got today. But it had dug a little burrow and webbed that up a bit last night while I was sleeping.

My versi as pictured here, is in a 50 dram vial with some coco fiber and a cork bark slab, it was a bit finnicky unpacking and didn't really want to go into it's new habitat but I coaxed it in with a soft bristled paint brush. It hasn't webbed anything up yet. I'm going to try to feed them tonight or tomorrow morning.

I was super excited when I got home last night. Like a 4 year old in a toy store

 

[runCMD]

By the way - it may be worth checking out East Bay Vivarium if you can make it to Berkeley. They have some cool Ts there and it's just an awesome shop to visit. I drove down from the north bay and picked up one of my 3 Ts there last month. The others I just ordered online.

EDIT: good choices btw - my third was a versi from Jamie's and I love the little blue bugger.

 

[Peavey91]

By the way - it may be worth checking out East Bay Vivarium if you can make it to Berkeley. They have some cool Ts there and it's just an awesome shop to visit. I drove down from the north bay and picked up one of my 3 Ts there last month. The others I just ordered online.

EDIT: good choices btw - my third was a versi from Jamie's and I love the little blue bugger.

I've been thinking about driving up there. When I worked at petsmart, I had a customer that kept dart frogs of all sorts and he uses to go there a lot and suggested it to me as well.

I may end up breaking the bank and purchasing a terrarium from jaimes for my red rump. But the versi eventually I'm going to get an exo terra for