Trying my hand at a Bioactive Planted enclosure

[8 legged]

Neither am I. Why do people on here assume I wanna argue and fight. I think it's silly that viper wants to come at me about moss and is trying to say that because I added moss I need to redo my whole setup and research where Theraphosas come from. Moss is used all the time by many keepers and they even mix it in the substrate. It helps hold moisture and maintain humidity. But now suddenly I'm wrong for adding moss? Makes no sense

I probably deleted the last sentence too late, sorry. No - do your thing and report back! I also do a lot of things that the community here doesn't like, I just stand by it and it's good!

 

[Dayners666]

Cheers to

I probably deleted the last sentence too late, sorry. No - do your thing and report back! I also do a lot of things that the community here doesn't like, I just stand by it and it's good!

Cheers to us for being rebels

 

[viper69]

You're right. Not in arid environments and deserts where there is little to no moisture

Nor in the rainforests of S America that I’ve been to

 

[Biollantefan54]

The enclosure is fine. Hopefully the tarantula doesn’t destroy the plants but there is no issue adding moss to the tank. Good luck with it and hopefully your spider settles in to a good spot and leaves the rest alone, that’s what my Chilobrachys fimbriatus did, I’ve got a few plants in its enclosure and it’s got a burrow and is leaving the rest alone. Nice enclosure!

 

[Dayners666]

The enclosure is fine. Hopefully the tarantula doesn’t destroy the plants but there is no issue adding moss to the tank. Good luck with it and hopefully your spider settles in to a good spot and leaves the rest alone, that’s what my Chilobrachys fimbriatus did, I’ve got a few plants in its enclosure and it’s got a burrow and is leaving the rest alone. Nice enclosure!

Thank you!

 

[Mirandarachnid]

Of course you of all people would find something wrong with it as you do with everything I post interestingly enough, of everywhere I posted photos of my setup, you have been the only one with some kind of negative input because for some reason you constantly target me

Don’t take it personally. Viper doesn’t target anyone in particular. It can seem like he’s singling you out, but I promise, he's blunt with everyone. He’s here for the T’s, not people’s feelings.

Neither am I. Why do people on here assume I wanna argue and fight. I think it's silly that viper wants to come at me about moss and is trying to say that because I added moss I need to redo my whole setup and research where Theraphosas come from. Moss is used all the time by many keepers and they even mix it in the substrate. It helps hold moisture and maintain humidity. But now suddenly I'm wrong for adding moss? Makes no sense

The difference is, you have a carpet of sphagnum moss (which by the way, I’m pretty sure does not naturally grow in South America). Most of the time people have small clumps of moss, or, like you said, mix it into the substrate. Tarantulas (especially terrestrials) generally seem more comfortable on compacted substrate. The moss in your enclosure looks loose and stringy, and frankly uncomfortable to move around in.

It’s a lovely looking enclosure, but if I were you I’d use the moss a little more sparingly. Maybe around the corners and back of the enclosure, and maybe over the hide when it is added. Then add leaf litter to the main central part for visual interest and pat it down so it’s comfortable for the spider to move around on.

But that’s just what I would do. I try to set up enclosures as comfortable as possible for each tarantula so that “redecorating” is not as necessary, and my enclosures tend to stay fairly close to the way I set them up when I put a great deal of thought into them. You could also try a carpet of moss on another enclosure your t grows into. See if they hate it or not, then adjust this one accordingly.

 

[moricollins]

Tarantulas (especially terrestrials) generally seem more comfortable on compacted substrate

Bullseye , hence why @viper69 stated:

I don’t know how well the T will enjoy the moss- good luck, let it cycle for a few months

To which you, OP, replied with:

I figured it would help hold moisture as well as give it the sensation of grass

Which was followed by another helpful post from @viper69

Do they live on grass?

And you responded with a comment that I can't read any way besides sarcasm.

Is there grass outside in the wild?

Viper again responded with a helpful post:

I’ve been to a few deep rainforests in the middle of the continent- I can guarantee you in the ones I lived in for a few weeks there is not a single carpet of moss other than what you find on dead trees.

As for the rainforest floor, it was not heavily grassy at all- QUITE THE OPPOSITE. For two primary reasons I believe

1. There’s not a lot of light under the canopy- it’s fairly dim.
2. Due to all the trees, the ground floor is COVERED in multiple layers of leaves most larger than a human face.

I DID see grass in grass fields where there was no canopy. I would rethink your setup and research where they live specifically.

And you take it as a personal attack.

Of course you of all people would find something wrong with it as you do with everything I post interestingly enough, of everywhere I posted photos of my setup, you have been the only one with some kind of negative input because for some reason you constantly target me

I think you need to stop seeing everything viper writes as an attack on you. Viper gave you helpful insight , AND delivered it tactfully, and you decided you didn't like him questioning your design choice and took it as an attack.

 

[viper69]

Bullseye , hence why @viper69 stated:

To which you, OP, replied with:

Which was followed by another helpful post from @viper69

And you responded with a comment that I can't read any way besides sarcasm.

Viper again responded with a helpful post:

And you take it as a personal attack.



I think you need to stop seeing everything viper writes as an attack on you. Viper gave you helpful insight , AND delivered it tactfully, and you decided you didn't like him questioning your design choice and took it as an attack.

Spot on- end-user seems to only complain when I don’t agree. The end- user has liked some of my posts/suggestions- no complaint there

 

[Dayners666]

Don’t take it personally. Viper doesn’t target anyone in particular. It can seem like he’s singling you out, but I promise, he's blunt with everyone. He’s here for the T’s, not people’s feelings.



The difference is, you have a carpet of sphagnum moss (which by the way, I’m pretty sure does not naturally grow in South America). Most of the time people have small clumps of moss, or, like you said, mix it into the substrate. Tarantulas (especially terrestrials) generally seem more comfortable on compacted substrate. The moss in your enclosure looks loose and stringy, and frankly uncomfortable to move around in.

It’s a lovely looking enclosure, but if I were you I’d use the moss a little more sparingly. Maybe around the corners and back of the enclosure, and maybe over the hide when it is added. Then add leaf litter to the main central part for visual interest and pat it down so it’s comfortable for the spider to move around on.

But that’s just what I would do. I try to set up enclosures as comfortable as possible for each tarantula so that “redecorating” is not as necessary, and my enclosures tend to stay fairly close to the way I set them up when I put a great deal of thought into them. You could also try a carpet of moss on another enclosure your t grows into. See if they hate it or not, then adjust this one accordingly.

Thank you. That makes more sense. Also I'm being told in another group that I have dangerously too much space between substrate and the top and that there isn't enough substrate in there for it to burrow. Is that true?

Bullseye , hence why @viper69 stated:

To which you, OP, replied with:

Which was followed by another helpful post from @viper69

And you responded with a comment that I can't read any way besides sarcasm.

Viper again responded with a helpful post:

And you take it as a personal attack.



I think you need to stop seeing everything viper writes as an attack on you. Viper gave you helpful insight , AND delivered it tactfully, and you decided you didn't like him questioning your design choice and took it as an attack.

The problem is his attitude about it. There's ways of speaking to people so that it reads more helpful and not condescending. It's called bedside manner and tact.
And if any of my responses are sarcastic, it's because I'm mirroring his sarcasm. But I'm not gonna go back n forth with people about Viper and how he's the god of spider keeping lol I'd rather just come to learn and get some constructive criticism not get ridiculed and read condescending responses

 

[moricollins]

Also I'm being told in another group that I have dangerously too much space between substrate and the top and that there isn't enough substrate in there for it to burrow. Is that true?

Can the tarantula reach comfortably from the substrate to the lid? If not, then there's a risk that it climbs up and gets a leg stuck in the lid. How high of a risk that is, no one can tell you as it depends on a ton of variables.

 

[Dayners666]

Don’t take it personally. Viper doesn’t target anyone in particular. It can seem like he’s singling you out, but I promise, he's blunt with everyone. He’s here for the T’s, not people’s feelings.



The difference is, you have a carpet of sphagnum moss (which by the way, I’m pretty sure does not naturally grow in South America). Most of the time people have small clumps of moss, or, like you said, mix it into the substrate. Tarantulas (especially terrestrials) generally seem more comfortable on compacted substrate. The moss in your enclosure looks loose and stringy, and frankly uncomfortable to move around in.

It’s a lovely looking enclosure, but if I were you I’d use the moss a little more sparingly. Maybe around the corners and back of the enclosure, and maybe over the hide when it is added. Then add leaf litter to the main central part for visual interest and pat it down so it’s comfortable for the spider to move around on.

But that’s just what I would do. I try to set up enclosures as comfortable as possible for each tarantula so that “redecorating” is not as necessary, and my enclosures tend to stay fairly close to the way I set them up when I put a great deal of thought into them. You could also try a carpet of moss on another enclosure your t grows into. See if they hate it or not, then adjust this one accordingly.

I removed the stringy moss (in truth I didn't really like it anyway. It dried up rather quickly and was gonna replace it anyway) as well as a bunch of leaf litter. Does that look better?

 

[8 legged]

It only matters that you like it (but it's great)!

 

[Dayners666]

It only matters that you like it!

Well....no. I'm not the one living in it (unfortunately lol) my t has to like it lol

 

[8 legged]

Well....no. I'm not the one living in it (unfortunately lol) my t has to like it lol

Sorry, but you'll never know what your T likes...
They don't care about human nonsense

 

[Dayners666]

Sorry, but you'll never know what your T likes...
They don't care about human nonsense

This is very true! We all wanna act like we know what's best for these animals and there's so much debate about it when in fact the only thing that really knows is the animal itself. Unfortunately our technology and research isn't advanced enough to learn how to communicate with animals

 

[8 legged]

This is very true! We all wanna act like we know what's best for these animals and there's so much debate about it when in fact the only thing that really knows is the animal itself. Unfortunately our technology and research isn't advanced enough to learn how to communicate with animals

Best for the animals: don´t keep them - set them free... or am I wrong?

 

[Dayners666]

Best for the animals: don´t keep them - set them free... or am I wrong?

Oof right in the logic!! Lol but on the other hand the benefit of the pet trade is repopulating endangered animals. As well as animals thriving and surviving longer and better in captivity than in the wild. No predators to worry about and no migrating in search for food which puts the animal at risk of illness and death

 

[moricollins]

but on the other hand the benefit of the pet trade is repopulating endangered animals

This is a widely held, but inaccurate, belief. None of our hobby tarantulas are going to be used to repopulate the wild.

 

[8 legged]

So we vo

Oof right in the logic!! Lol but on the other hand the benefit of the pet trade is repopulating endangered animals. As well as animals thriving and surviving longer and better in captivity than in the wild. No predators to worry about and no migrating in search for food which puts the animal at risk of illness and death

...just interpretation. When it comes to reality: we know nothing!

 

[Dayners666]

So we vo

...just interpretation. When it comes to reality: we know nothing!

This is true