Smells when making an enclosure that would hurt jumping spiders?

The Snark

Dumpster Fire of the Gods
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
11,575
Consider hot glues. Once cooled they are inert non toxic. Some are clear.
 

HooahArmy

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jul 12, 2022
Messages
267
Buying more lotion at Back and Body Hurts... it's HooahArmy!
(Hint: Bath and Body Works joke.)

Good day ladies and gentlemen! Let's rally up on the mysteries of bad stenches with adhesives! In general, adhesives harden in one of two ways: Drying and Curing. With the process of curing, volatile (can go airborne) chemicals within the compound are released and vented off during a chemical reaction that hardens the material, Drying is self-explanatory.
Most adhesives that leave a 'stench' or need more than a few days to harden are the curing type rather than the drying type. The volatile chamicals within can potentially harm animals, espeially if the vapors are trapped within a confined space, like an enclosure. These can harm little critters, so for safety's sake when I use them, I carefully read the suggested curing time on the item's package. Mod Podge, for a start, can cure for over a month, unless its the quick-dry type.
Polycrylic, on the other hand, is water based and non-toxic per its information page. It dries, rather than cures, yet its base compounds just stink despite not releasing anything that should be harmful to critters.
Styrofoam lastly, is a very interesting beast. It is inert in its stable state, but because it requires curing when created,fresh-made styrofoam can stink and still release chemicals. I prefer using foam that as old as I can find; smell-test first! Styrofoam is also very chemically reactive. When in contact with some adhesives that include thinners like mineral spirits, turpentine, or acetone; or come into contact with some bonders like cyanoacrylate (super glue), it can 'melt' and degrade, releasing gnarly chemicals on their own.

So what do I do?
1. Check the cure/dry times for the items you're using. Have you waited that long? If so, try adding an extra week or so in a well-ventilated place.
2. Polycrylic still stink? Air it out! It should be non-toxic based on the product page and likely won't harm the critters with stench.
3. Check as well what's being used with the styrofoam and look up potential reactions. Good hits could include 'Does Mod Podge dissolve styrofoam?' or similar searches like that. Ensure that an incorrect adhesive didn't accidentally get used with your material.
4. Most importantly, keep and eye on you and your spoods. If you are getting headaches or nausea near the enclosure, air out the item. If your jumper looks lethargic or erratic, remove him or her and shift them into a temporary home until their decor finishes curing or venting.
5. For other projects, hot glue like The Snark suggested are great, that and aquarium silicone (yet this one still needs to cure).
 
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