Tarantula Cave Help

[zacthree]

Hello once again guys. I really need your help here. I have been searching the web and harassing the search box of arachnoboards looking for a nice DIY cave for terrestrial T's. I really need ideas on how to build a cave like hides like those in the vivarium and terrarium forum. I've seen awesome caves there but have no idea on how to build them. So far, I have come up with a few materials that I could work with. I need your help though to know which once work best or have way better substitutes. These hides are for my (3) B. smithi sub adults and my (1) G. alticeps spiderling which will be arriving this month.

Here are some ideas.

• Styrofoam based cave with a somewhat hard finish.
• Wooden cave carved by hand.
• PVC cave with substrate molded over it.
• Rock formations.

These are but a few ideas I have found online or have thought of. Please help me in determining which is my best bet. And of course give your own suggestions that you yourself use in your terrariums. All help will be much appreciated.

-zac

 

[Grin]

I was at Michael"s the other day looking for stuff, and i cam across styrofoam balls in all different sizes.
thinking to myself if i could carve some sort of cave with a knife, then cover it in substrate of some sort.
give it a try, and lemme know if you do.

 

[pipsiugbo]

The best way to give styrofoam a "hard finish" would be to warm it with a heat gun until it melts. Obviously you don't want to burn a hole straight through it, so its easier done with a heat gun instead of say a propane torch or such.

I once made a background for a 55gal aquarium out of styrofoam. Where I ran into trouble with the setup was that it was hard to paint. I was more concerned about sealing it since it would be submersed, and fish are extremely sensitive to contaminants in the water. That meant not only would it have to be sealed, but it would have to be sealed with something that was safe for use underwater. The second issue was buoyancy, which obviously would not be of any concern in a terrarium. I'll try to see if I can find some pictures of it, and I'll let you know how I went about creating it.

I pretty much used a wood rasp and would switch to the edge of a knife to get some finer detail, occasionally heating with the gun to smooth thing out. I made it out of a piece of styrofoam the exact size of the tank, so when it came time to put it in, I had to cut it into three pieces. It was easy to hide the blend lines by making sure they went through the crevices in the rocks.

If I were to do it again for a spider enclosure, I would simply coat it in a mixture of black and brown silicone, and then cover with a mixture of substrate, cocofiber and mosses. A light coating of sand would do well to give it a rocklike texture.

 

[pavel]

Pieces of slate or shale could be piled and glued together. Expanding foam like GreatStuff can be carved and later covered with sealant and or paint after it cures.

 

[boxofsorrows]

Coconut shell halves/quarters?

 

[zacthree]

I was at Michael"s the other day looking for stuff, and i cam across styrofoam balls in all different sizes.
thinking to myself if i could carve some sort of cave with a knife, then cover it in substrate of some sort.
give it a try, and lemme know if you do.

Alright. I'll give it a try. So styrofoam is completely safe for T's?

The best way to give styrofoam a "hard finish" would be to warm it with a heat gun until it melts. Obviously you don't want to burn a hole straight through it, so its easier done with a heat gun instead of say a propane torch or such.

I once made a background for a 55gal aquarium out of styrofoam. Where I ran into trouble with the setup was that it was hard to paint. I was more concerned about sealing it since it would be submersed, and fish are extremely sensitive to contaminants in the water. That meant not only would it have to be sealed, but it would have to be sealed with something that was safe for use underwater. The second issue was buoyancy, which obviously would not be of any concern in a terrarium. I'll try to see if I can find some pictures of it, and I'll let you know how I went about creating it.

I pretty much used a wood rasp and would switch to the edge of a knife to get some finer detail, occasionally heating with the gun to smooth thing out. I made it out of a piece of styrofoam the exact size of the tank, so when it came time to put it in, I had to cut it into three pieces. It was easy to hide the blend lines by making sure they went through the crevices in the rocks.

If I were to do it again for a spider enclosure, I would simply coat it in a mixture of black and brown silicone, and then cover with a mixture of substrate, cocofiber and mosses. A light coating of sand would do well to give it a rocklike texture.

Thanks! The heat gun idea is perfect! I'll give it a try. My only concern is the finish is it possible to use chipped rocks or pebbles along with some sort quick drying hard finish?

Pieces of slate or shale could be piled and glued together. Expanding foam like GreatStuff can be carved and later covered with sealant and or paint after it cures.

What glues and paints are safe for T's? It really worries me on which products to use. LOL

Coconut shell halves/quarters?

As of now, I have been using coconut shells, they're great. But for me a bigger cave would look more appealing.

 

[akpropst]

My simple way of making hides is to use empty toilet paper rolls/paper towel rolls. Slice them long way to make a long C : Then take Great Stuff Foam or any generic window caulk and coat it in whichever you chose. Then, have a container of very dry substrate set it in, dump more substrate on top, and let it cure. Works for me.

 

[mmfh]

I just made a great hide out of my reptomin turtle pellet bottle. Pull the bottom off and its smooth and large enuf for my T to fit into and open at both ends.

 

[pavel]

Thanks! The heat gun idea is perfect! I'll give it a try. My only concern is the finish is it possible to use chipped rocks or pebbles along with some sort quick drying hard finish?

What glues and paints are safe for T's? It really worries me on which products to use.

As long as you allow the glue to fully cure, this really is not a big issue. It is of more concern with objects that are immersed in water constantly (a question of if the glue would dissolve after drying initially and then being immersed). You don't have that situation to worry about.

Hotglue, as well as any number of other adhesives, can be used on shale/slate if you decide to go with that idea.

Greatstuff is inert once it has cured. Many vivarium folks make use of it. (*Note: Apply in thin layers -- it will cure faster & more thoroughly, and it does expand a lot more than you'd expect if you've never used it before.) To make the surfaces harder, non sanded grout can be applied after the GreatStuff has fully cured.

For sealants, any non-toxic all surface sealant like Mod Podge or aquarium silicone can be used.

For paints, non-toxic acrylics are good.

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[le-thomas]

Toilet paper/paper towel tube could work. A ceramic pot mostly underneath the substrate and covered could also work.

 

[Popsmoke63B]

My Lp and GBB are happy as can be with their pvc hides. All i do is half burry it, and pile a little sub on top, takes like 2 minutes, and very cheap!

 

[ArachnoAddic808]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgsjbdA6464