Suggestions for arboreal for my Exo Terra mini tall terrarium

DaveOB

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Hi all! I've just got back into keeping tarantulas after a break of about 20 years. I currently have Brahypelma boehmi and Monocentropus balfouri, both subadult females. I've just got an Exo Terra mini tall terrarium, so I'm looking at an arboreal to put in it. I was thinking of Psalmopoeus irminia (I've kept & bred cambridgei in the past so I'm used to fast, feisty spiders!), but I'm welcome to suggestions.
B. boehmi 01b.jpg
 

curtisgiganteus

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If you use an exo your going to have to replace the mesh on the lids.

But to answer your question, it all depends on preference. I love Asian arboreals so Phormingochylus Rufus would be a good candidate because they rarely exceed 4” or so. Lampropelma nigerrimum would also be a good one. I wouldn’t house anything that gets over 6” in it though. I love P irminia but I’m on an Asian arboreal kick right now haha.
 

The Grym Reaper

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Mini Tall is the 12"x12"x18" one IIRC so wouldn't house anything smaller than an adult female P. cambridgei in it
 

DaveOB

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Yes, it's the 12"x12"x18" one. I'm going to replace the mesh top with acrylic sheet with ventilation holes drilled into it.

Thanks for the suggestions so far; Phormingochilus rufus was another that I'd looked at, as well as Caribena versicolor. I'm not going to rush into buying anything yet though, so I've plenty of time to make my decision
 

DaveOB

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I've replaced the mesh top with acrylic sheet (I've drilled plenty of ventilation holes!), so I can start thinking in earnest about what to get. Would this size terrarium be suitable for P. metallica, or is it too small?
 

lindale450

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Heteroscodra maculata
Poecilotheria regalis
Poecilotheria rufilata
Ornithoctoninae sp. Hatihati
 

DaveOB

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Heteroscodra maculata
Poecilotheria regalis
Poecilotheria rufilata
Ornithoctoninae sp. Hatihati
Thanks for these suggestions. I'd have thought that P. rufilata gets a bit large for this size enclosure though. It's a shame as it's a beautiful species!
 

lindale450

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It may get a bit tight in there for a rufilata.
P. Regalis and H. Maculata would both do well with that size, P. Regalis is out a fair bit too. P. Irminia are beautiful but you almost never see them
 

DaveOB

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Thanks again. I've kept (and bred) regalis in the past, and while I would like to try something different this time around, it's definitely not off the table. My initial enthusiasm for irminia has waned, since I've read elsewhere that it's quite reclusive and I'd like something that I'd actually see.
I hadn't thought about H. maculata, but I'll add it to my list of possibilities!
 

The Grym Reaper

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Would this size terrarium be suitable for P. metallica, or is it too small?
More than big enough for an adult metallica

My initial enthusiasm for irminia has waned, since I've read elsewhere that it's quite reclusive and I'd like something that I'd actually see.
The vast majority of people who complain about having ultra-reclusive irminia house them in barren enclosures with solitary cork tube as a hide and wonder why it never leaves the cork tube. Give them a decent setup with plenty of plant cover and you're much more likely to see them (tbh this can be said for a lot of species that have a reputation for hiding a lot).
 

DaveOB

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More than big enough for an adult metallica



The vast majority of people who complain about having ultra-reclusive irminia house them in barren enclosures with solitary cork tube as a hide and wonder why it never leaves the cork tube. Give them a decent setup with plenty of plant cover and you're much more likely to see them (tbh this can be said for a lot of species that have a reputation for hiding a lot).
Cheers for this. That's a good point about 'reclusive' species - making sure that they have enough cover to feel secure leading to them becoming more visible.
 

Introvertebrate

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I kept & bred those back in the 90s. Gorgeous things!
Are they persnickety early on? Sometimes he'll grab a feeder right away. Other times, he'll ignore it for several days. He seems to be getting bigger anyway.
 

DaveOB

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Are they persnickety early on? Sometimes he'll grab a feeder right away. Other times, he'll ignore it for several days. He seems to be getting bigger anyway.
I had to Google 'persnickety'! No, as I recall mine were good feeders and grew quickly. I started off with 2 slings, which were both females. I only bred them once each, from the same male, and kept them both until they eventually died.
 

curtisgiganteus

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Any spider with an adult legspan of 6-7” would do fine in that enclosure. In fact it may be overkill for some haha. I have an A avic M4 in the same enclosure and even though she’s around the 6” mark, it’s way too much space for her
 
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