Plants

Arachnopal

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 7, 2010
Messages
7
Any feedback on live spider plants? I have been setting up enclosures for some new T's I ordered. I have several spider plants around the house and plucked a few small hanging babies to put in the tanks. I know alot of plants have a natural toxin. Some even deadly to T's. Anyone know about spider plants? Or have used them?
 

Arachnopal

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 7, 2010
Messages
7
That vid is great always enjoy Robs stuff. My set ups are mainly for Aphonopelma and Brachypelma. I like 2.5 gallon fish tanks filled 1/2 way with potting soil. I do have some of those plants around the house but even a tiny sprout of this plant 3 or 4 leaves would fill the little tank. The spider plant babies are tiny and fit well.
 

jt39565

Arachnoknight
Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
179
I know the plant you are referring to, I think it would work just as well. Keep in mind they multiply, and do require more light than the pothos plants.
 

curiousme

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Messages
1,661
We haven't put one in a T enclosure yet, but we have one in a tank in our basement with a light on it, just waiting for a little one to grow up enough to fit in a 10 gallon tank. :) Depending upon where you keep the enclosure, you might need a little additional lighting for it.
 

jdmjames

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 24, 2010
Messages
6
how about ferns? are they "T safe?" i want to plant my enclosure a bitt and i really like how the ferns look but im scared to put them in cause i cant find if they are okay for T's.
 

DawgPoundSound

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
5
Most commercial plants aren't gonna harm your tarantula. They aren't like some animals that will gnaw on the stem or leaf, which over time, has made some plants evolve to defend themselves and become highly toxic. You're not using Rose bushes or Venus Fly-traps here. So Ferns shouldn't be a problem. The worst it can do is outgrow the actual enclosure. And you should consider the environment of the actual Tarantula as well. Like using a Fern for a desert dweller wouldn't be the best of ideas. But good luck to you in getting that perfect fit for you and your tarantula!;)
 

Arachnopal

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 7, 2010
Messages
7
I agree about the eatting part. I was scolded by a few here for using pieces of mesquite tree bark for hides. After using the bark for almost 2 years with no apparent problems it was removed. Research on this points back to birds and other critters that will in fact chew the wood. Most spiderling T's this time of year can be found under or in old mesquite logs around here. Lacking the size and strenth to dig a burrow in this hard arizona soil they tuck themselves under lumber, logs, rocks anything that hasnt moved in a while to hibernate for the winter.
I did salt water reef tanks for years. There was a guideline followed but nothing is carved in stone. What may work for 1 may not work for another. The best we can do is research the opinions of others, process that information and adjust it to what does work for us.
First conflicting data I notice is about sunburst baboons aka OBT. Oh its nasty oh it cant be handled it will rip your arm off with 1 gnawing bite. But yet the gallery has pictures of OTB's being handled.
 

curiousme

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Messages
1,661
I agree about the eatting part. I was scolded by a few here for using pieces of mesquite tree bark for hides. After using the bark for almost 2 years with no apparent problems it was removed. Research on this points back to birds and other critters that will in fact chew the wood. Most spiderling T's this time of year can be found under or in old mesquite logs around here. Lacking the size and strenth to dig a burrow in this hard arizona soil they tuck themselves under lumber, logs, rocks anything that hasnt moved in a while to hibernate for the winter.
I did salt water reef tanks for years. There was a guideline followed but nothing is carved in stone. What may work for 1 may not work for another. The best we can do is research the opinions of others, process that information and adjust it to what does work for us.
Tarantula care is all about personal preference. There are some guidelines that are recommended for the safety of the T, but that's how they should be taken. The only things that I can think of that could possibly carry a little more weight, would be making sure you have enough substrate(to prevent injury from falls) and using coniferous wood, such as cedar.(which contain oils that are a natural pesticide) Those are two that if not followed, could result in injury or death. If the spiderlings that are local to you are hanging out in mesquite logs, then I would assume it would have been fine to have a hide made out of it too.

We have succulents in our G. rosea tank and she is known to have sunk her fangs into their leaves and stalk, since the fangs aren't her mouth we don't worry about it. Also after 2 years of doing it, she seems just fine.

First conflicting data I notice is about sunburst baboons aka OBT. Oh its nasty oh it cant be handled it will rip your arm off with 1 gnawing bite. But yet the gallery has pictures of OTB's being handled.
There is a handling video around here somewhere by the user Sarah, where she handles her P. murinus just like it was a G. rosea. I will see if I can find it, because it is pretty darn cool. :)
 

AmbushArachnids

Arachnoculturist
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 30, 2010
Messages
629
Most commercial plants aren't gonna harm your tarantula.
Commercial plants are sprayed with pesticide most the time. They can also bring in parasitic mites. There are alot of things to consider. You can just pick a plant from any store and stick it in an enclosure and expect everything to be fine. :rolleyes:


JDM: I tried a few ferns in my enclosures but they need alot of water.
 

jdmjames

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 24, 2010
Messages
6
JDM: I tried a few ferns in my enclosures but they need alot of water.
damn, lol i want to plant my tank but i dont really want pothos. )8 thanks though saved me the trouble or having a bunch of ferns die and me wondering why. lol
 

curiousme

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Messages
1,661
Commercial plants are sprayed with pesticide most the time. They can also bring in parasitic mites. There are alot of things to consider. You can just pick a plant from any store and stick it in an enclosure and expect everything to be fine. :rolleyes:
Let's try quoting that whole section...... and not just : Most commercial plants aren't gonna harm your tarantula.

Maudua said:
Most commercial plants aren't gonna harm your tarantula. They aren't like some animals that will gnaw on the stem or leaf, which over time, has made some plants evolve to defend themselves and become highly toxic. You're not using Rose bushes or Venus Fly-traps here......
Once you put that sentence in context, it makes more sense and you can see that is not what they meant.

That said, it is always a good idea to rinse your plants after buying and before transplanting them into an enclosure.

OP~ I do realize this was a houseplant, so I wasn't referring to you. ;)
 

DawgPoundSound

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
5
Commercial plants are sprayed with pesticide most the time. They can also bring in parasitic mites. There are alot of things to consider. You can just pick a plant from any store and stick it in an enclosure and expect everything to be fine. :rolleyes:


JDM: I tried a few ferns in my enclosures but they need alot of water.
I don't know what you thought I meant by *commercial* but I was talking about plants you buy and have within your home, as opposed to picking them from someone's lawn. Either way he'll be fine this is not as big a deal as people are making it. Like I said, he'll have more issue with the plants themselves growing rather than it hurting the Ts. Also you don't need plants in the enclosure to attract mites. So this is false info and discouraging to the OP. Many people have dealt with mites including myself and I don't use live plants.
 

DawgPoundSound

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
5
@curiousme I know what you speak about on the G. Rosea. Don't consider them trying to EAT the plant though. They are just trying to move them. My G. Rosea have actually dug up the flowering and moved it around time after time. And I've even had the female use the flowering as a fill-in egg sac and rolled it around for weeks and defended it after I pulled the sac from her.
 

curiousme

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Messages
1,661
@curiousme I know what you speak about on the G. Rosea. Don't consider them trying to EAT the plant though.
No, definitely not eating! If it were human, I would say that it borders on playing for ours.

They are just trying to move them. My G. Rosea have actually dug up the flowering and moved it around time after time.
Ours will prune the poor plants for us! When she gets it in her head to do so, we will find leaves scattered all around the enclosure. The plants themselves are actually planted in little pots, so she can't dig them up.

And I've even had the female use the flowering as a fill-in egg sac and rolled it around for weeks and defended it after I pulled the sac from her.
Interesting, haven't heard that one before! :)
 
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