Newbie with questions on slings

[Kia4evr]

hello everyone! It has been decades since I last had a tarantula. I am getting a 1/2" brachypelma smithi Tuesday. I want to make sure I have appropriate housing for one so small. I have a 3 gallon acrylic tank with eco earth. I have at least 2 inches of bedding. Do I need to water it down? I didn't want to make it too humid. I have a small water bowl and hide. Anything else I should consider? Thank you

 

[Venom1080]

does not sound appropriate at all.
ditch the giant cage, use a 16 oz deli cup with a few inches of semi dry eco earth, since thats what you already have, add a small bottle cap of water, overflow that a bit if the substrate seems to be drying out too much. poke a few holes in the lid, and feed by dropping small prekilled crickets in. a hide isnt really necessary at 1/2", it will likely burrow. temps 70+

 

[Kia4evr]

does not sound appropriate at all.
ditch the giant cage, use a 16 oz deli cup with a few inches of semi dry eco earth, since thats what you already have, add a small bottle cap of water, overflow that a bit if the substrate seems to be drying out too much. poke a few holes in the lid, and feed by dropping small prekilled crickets in.

 

[Kia4evr]

Ok. Thank you so much. This is my first little one. The ones I had so long ago were already large enough for tanks.

 

[Venom1080]

Ok. Thank you so much. This is my first little one. The ones I had so long ago were already large enough for tanks.

good luck and enjoy, Brachypelma are simple to raise. although slow growing.

 

[user 666]

does not sound appropriate at all.
ditch the giant cage, use a 16 oz deli cup with a few inches of semi dry eco earth, since thats what you already have, add a small bottle cap of water, overflow that a bit if the substrate seems to be drying out too much. poke a few holes in the lid, and feed by dropping small prekilled crickets in. a hide isnt really necessary at 1/2", it will likely burrow. temps 70+

/\/\ this /\/\

 

[Devin B]

Also a condiment cup works for that size as well here is my smallest sling in one

 

[Kia4evr]

Ok. So I got a 2 cup. Is this good? I semi moistened the soil and placed air holes at the top and sides.

 

[Devin B]

Ok. So I got a 2 cup. Is this good? I semi moistened the soil and placed air holes at the top and sides.

That looks good but a little word or warning. I have a B. Smithi sling and it burrowed for 5 months. Now I have it in a condiment cup is about a 1/2 inch of substrate. I do this to keep it on the surface and keep him eating and gowing.

 

[Kia4evr]

Thank you! Will keep an eye on that. Hopefully with time I will get used to having such a small spider. Eventually I want to get a GBB. But I want to get used to this girl first. I know they are slow growing, but how slow are they? How long will it be in this container before I can put it in the 3 gallon?

 

[Devin B]

Well i got my B. Smithi in september 2016. It was about a half an inch. It was molted twice and now is a about 1.25 inches maybe an inch and a half.

This has been my experience I hope it gives you an idea.

 

[D Sherlod]

Thank you! Will keep an eye on that. Hopefully with time I will get used to having such a small spider. Eventually I want to get a GBB. But I want to get used to this girl first. I know they are slow growing, but how slow are they? How long will it be in this container before I can put it in the 3 gallon?

That container should be good for 6 months. Then move to 16oz deli cup.

 

[Andrea82]

I'd get the GBB sling as well. Brachypelma are easy to raise, but are a bit on the slow side. A GBB can be ready for that tank in a couple if months, depending on the size and temps/feeding.

 

[Red Eunice]

Ok. So I got a 2 cup. Is this good? I semi moistened the soil and placed air holes at the top and sides.

Those are just fine. Add a water bottle cap and a hide or plastic leaf. As slings, they burrow, a natural instinct to avoid predation. Brachypelma are considered slow growers, so have patience.
I purchased a 3/8" sling Feb. 2015, she's 3"+ now. Her home is a 2 gallon container and has the appetite of a B. vagans.
C. cyaneopubescens grow quicker, but a skittish species, be prepared for that. Quite colorful, great eaters and silk up an enclosure quickly. Mine never burrowed as slings, they loved climbing and spinning silk on EVERYTHING.
Both species are hobby favorites, w/h that said "Welcome to the forum and the addiction!".

My female smithi.

C. cyaneopubescens received on 7/16 @ 3/4" now at 3". Fast grower!

 

[Andrea82]

My B.smithi climbs a lot as well and is quite the landscaper. Well, up to a certain point. She stuffed her fake plants in her hide, dumped the waterdish in there as well, and usually sits on top of that, perched like a Queen viewing her territory.
She is very, very flicky though. At the slightest disturbance she unleashes visible clouds of urticating hairs. Which sucks, since I am particularly sensitive to her type of hairs.

 

[Kia4evr]

She's here!!!

 

[D Sherlod]

Congrats on your new arrival

 

[Kia4evr]

Thank you. Will be picking up some small crickets and mealworms tonight so I can start gut loading them for her when I feed her in a day or two

 

[Kia4evr]

When do you think I should feed her? I got small crickets, but they are bigger than her. I did order pinheads and will getting them today. Should I just wait another 24 hours or give her more time to get adjusted? I also got small mealworms

 

[cold blood]

A cricket leg is a fine meal...mealworms should be diced into approptiately sized pieces.....be aware that small slings fill up fast, so at that size theyre not eating a lot....a couple meals and they may be pre molt for weeks or even months.

It will be several years before that adult enclosure comes into play.