Sustainable Tarantula keeping

[TGod]

As of late I have become abit of an eco warrior lol. Part of that is trying to refrain from buying new stuff whenever I can help it. So I've been wondering how I can apply this to my tarantula hobby. Luckily It seems the only things that are going to be problematic are the enclosures. I don't believe the tubs that I have been until this point using are recyclable and I don't really like the idea of using possibly greasy dirty second hand ones. It also seems getting the larger ones used are gonna be a big issue as well. Perhaps I'll go for a new ones but opt for the wooden and glass designs. Hmm I suppose this isn't really an official question, I'll probably change the thread. Is this something that has been discussed on this forum or something you other keepers have at least thought about?

 

[Hakuna]

-what material do you want to use?

-clean out old containers with some good ol Dawn dish soap to get rid of oil/grease residue - - No it won’t harm your T if you rinse thoroughly

-wood? Woods gonna mold or already has been treated with unsafe chemicals

Go to your nearest dollar store...you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

I thought of the glass vs plastic issue right away when reading your post. Glass is probably more sustainable (this is just an assumption, though, and I'd be happy to be educated on this point). Some keepers make very functional enclosures out of used food containers, which is a good way to reduce waste. I'm not sure what's recyclable where you live -- maybe there are some recyclable plastic containers you could buy.

One thing to consider is the amount of fuel it takes to get commercial feeders from farm to keeper. Those (crickets, mealies, supers) are mostly sent FedEx overnight (air service) to pet shops, at least in the US. Breeding your own feeders might be better than buying them, environmentally speaking. Many feeders can be raised on nothing more than vegetable scraps from your kitchen and some dry food.

If there is any part of 'eco warrior' that includes reducing animal smuggling, then refusing to buy species that descend from smuggled stock may be up your alley too. All Brazilian endemics are likely in this category, and you could do some research into other species to make educated decisions as to whether they are likely to exist in the hobby because of smuggling. I don't buy any species of any exotic animals that are likely to be descended from smuggled stock -- so no Brazilian or Australian animals for me.

 

[TGod]

I thought of the glass vs plastic issue right away when reading your post. Glass is probably more sustainable (this is just an assumption, though, and I'd be happy to be educated on this point). Some keepers make very functional enclosures out of used food containers, which is a good way to reduce waste. I'm not sure what's recyclable where you live -- maybe there are some recyclable plastic containers you could buy.

One thing to consider is the amount of fuel it takes to get commercial feeders from farm to keeper. Those (crickets, mealies, supers) are mostly sent FedEx overnight (air service) to pet shops, at least in the US. Breeding your own feeders might be better than buying them, environmentally speaking. Many feeders can be raised on nothing more than vegetable scraps from your kitchen and some dry food.

If there is any part of 'eco warrior' that includes reducing animal smuggling, then refusing to buy species that descend from smuggled stock may be up your alley too. All Brazilian endemics are likely in this category, and you could do some research into other species to make educated decisions as to whether they are likely to exist in the hobby because of smuggling. I don't buy any species of any exotic animals that are likely to be descended from smuggled stock -- so no Brazilian or Australian animals for me.

Yeap you are right, glass is much more sustainable. As for the breeding my own feeders I'm actually currently trying to get a mealworm colony going. I just feed them oats and banana peels for hydration. I'm hoping if I get a sustainable source going I can sell them to other people as bird food, fishing bait and of course exotic pet feeders. It's still pretty early days ha

 

[Malum Argenteum]

banana peels

No bananas for eco-warriors, sorry.

Carrots work great for a moisture source.

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

I try to be as eco friendly as possible as well in all aspects of my life. I take the time to separate out all recyclable materials and put them in the municipal recycling containers instead of the trash. I even save up all plastic bags and take them to the grocery store for recycling.

When it comes to tarantula keeping, my housing of choice are plastic storage bins. Since it is doubtful that all of the plastic bins are recyclable I reuse them as much as possible. As spiderlings grow into adults and as adults start to die off, all of the empty plastic bins are cleaned and put away in a closet. I then have a rotating supply of usable housing and don't have to buy new ones every time I need an adult enclosure or if I happen to buy new spiderlings and need small containers. If I have an excess of unused plastic bins then I will reuse them for their intended purpose of storing all of the junk I have lying around for better household organization. Small plastic vials used for spiderling shipping are saved and put away in one of the empty plastic bins. Those always come in handy at some point. Using a rotating supply of plastic bins, I haven't needed to buy new ones in years. Some of the plastic bins housing tarantulas right now in my spare bedroom are nearly 20 years old. It also helps that my collection is focused on burrowing tarantulas so I don't need a huge variety of different sized plastic bins anyway and my collection is controlled at a maximum of 40 tarantulas at any given point in time. I also don't buy those expensive acrylic tarantula enclosures and instead use cheap Sterlite, Rubbermaid, or Container Store brand plastic containers as much as possible to maximize cost and reusability.

 

[l4nsky]

If there is any part of 'eco warrior' that includes reducing animal smuggling, then refusing to buy species that descend from smuggled stock may be up your alley too. All Brazilian endemics are likely in this category, and you could do some research into other species to make educated decisions as to whether they are likely to exist in the hobby because of smuggling. I don't buy any species of any exotic animals that are likely to be descended from smuggled stock -- so no Brazilian or Australian animals for me.

We'll always respectfully disagree on this point. Regretfully, Pandora's box is opened. To try and close it will just trap the Hope we might have to save these species. Regardless, we both agree that we'd like to see these animals persevere into the future.

I also don't buy those expensive acrylic tarantula enclosures and instead use cheap Sterlite, Rubbermaid, or Container Store brand plastic containers as much as possible to maximize cost and reusability.

Yeah, acrylic enclosures are something I don't see the appeal in. Clarity and toughness are desirable, but not at that price point. I can get the same durability with only a small lack of clarity at a much better price point with a Sterilite 1932, 1933, or 1934. They're more easily modified as well.

For my part, I have one self imposed rule: Never knowingly buy a WC specimen unless you have every intention of breeding it to reduce the collection pressure on the wild population.

I've wanted a big AF O. violaceopes as a display animal for awhile, but I've never pulled the trigger on the cheaper adults I've seen offered as I know they're mostly WC and I have no intention of breeding them.

Consequently, I jumped at the opportunity to acquire a 0.1 O. sp Ho Chi Minh DCF when I had the chance, fully knowing she was likely wild caught. She's certainly a jewel in my collection, but I acquired her because I have every intention of trying to get them established in the hobby and reduce the price to make wild collection less financially viable.

 

[KaroKoenig]

Also - no peat.

 

[YungRasputin]

i am v much biased for glass enclosures - they’re more eco-friendly and they’re just more reliable, more durable, easier to clean, provide a clearer view, etc

only buy captive bred - helps stop the demand fueling illegal smuggling, while also minimizes the risk of containment transmission from the wild to enclosure and you can help support up and coming breeders (oh hey )

i also try to use all natural décor now

 

[RezonantVoid]

Also - no peat.

This is an excellent point. I no longer use peat as a base material in any substrate mix, I use local clay soil and sand which is easily accessible in massive quantities and doesn't destroy fragile habitats around me. And I have exponentially better results from all families of mygalomorphs i try it with, since natural soil is far closer to what they'd normally burrow in than peat or coir will ever be