Trying my hand at a Bioactive Planted enclosure

[Mirandarachnid]

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?

Depends on how big the spider is when you add it. General rule of thumb for terrestrials is you want no more than 1.5xdls from the top of the substrate to the top of the enclosure. So if your spider has a dls of 4” you don’t want more than 6” of space. More is more with substrate, especially with moisture dependent species. And I’m not sure what kind of top the enclosure has, but if it’s woven mesh I would suggest swapping it out with acrylic or welded mesh.

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?

It still looks a little fluffy for my personal taste, but it does look like it would be easier for the spider to move around!

 

[Dayners666]

Depends on how big the spider is when you add it. General rule of thumb for terrestrials is you want no more than 1.5xdls from the top of the substrate to the top of the enclosure. So if your spider has a dls of 4” you don’t want more than 6” of space. More is more with substrate, especially with moisture dependent species. And I’m not sure what kind of top the enclosure has, but if it’s woven mesh I would suggest swapping it out with acrylic or welded mesh.



It still looks a little fluffy for my personal taste, but it does look like it would be easier for the spider to move around!

This species grows to 12" dls and upon measuring its exactly 12" between the top and the surface layer of substrate

 

[Mirandarachnid]

This species grows to 12" dls and upon measuring its exactly 12" between the top and the surface layer of substrate

A max of 10” dls is more realistic for this species. But as long as you wait until it is 8” dls to put it in that enclosure (if you don’t change the substrate level) you’re good.

 

[Dayners666]

A max of 10” dls is more realistic for this species. But as long as you wait until it is 8” dls to put it in that enclosure (if you don’t change the substrate level) you’re good.

Oh yeah I wasn't gonna house it in there until it goes through at least 3 or 4 molts

 

[Poffypoffa]

If you have 12" of airspace, you're talking about a bare minimum tarantula size of 8". Even after 3 or 4 molts you are unlikely to have an 8" T. stirmi. They're fast growers, but they will slow down as they approach that 8-12 range. I just took a spin on Morph Market and the biggest ones I saw for sale, stirmi or blondi, were around 4-6". So even assuming you buy one that big, it could be a while before you can put it in that enclosure (depends male/female and lots of other factors, but just keep that in mind if this is your long term plan).

Honestly, you're probably better off with more substrate anyway, if only for the plants. There's really no negative.

 

[Dayners666]

Updates to my planted bioactive enclosure for T. stirmi

I made some recommended updates to my planted bioactive enclosure for when my T. stirmi grows larger. It is now completed with hides, burrows, and plants. I just want to add live moss on top of the cork hide and along the mopani wood

 

[catboyeuthanasia]

Looks great!

I wouldnt worry too too much about making everything 100% habitat accurate. Animals can be weird sometimes when it comes to where they live. I've seen salamanders choose to stay on watering mats over perfectly good old growth forests. As long as there is nothing in there hurting the tarantula and all its needs are met, the enclosure will work great.

For the moss, I would soak a piece in some water for a few days to see if it is dyed. Some reptile moss is dyed green, and that can leach in moist enclosures.

 

[Dayners666]

Looks great!

I wouldnt worry too too much about making everything 100% habitat accurate. Animals can be weird sometimes when it comes to where they live. I've seen salamanders choose to stay on watering mats over perfectly good old growth forests. As long as there is nothing in there hurting the tarantula and all its needs are met, the enclosure will work great.

For the moss, I would soak a piece in some water for a few days to see if it is dyed. Some reptile moss is dyed green, and that can leach in moist enclosures.

Thank you so much

 

[Dayners666]

Officially completed and all ready for move in day for my T. stirmi!! I'm so eager and half tempted to move "her" in now because I know she would thrive

 

[Dayners666]

My completely bioactive terrarium is finally all done and ready for when my T. stirmi is bigger!! I am so happy with the way it came out

 

[SpookySpooder]

I like the layout. Seems a shame you have to wait so long before using it!

Two things:
- Do stirmi climb at all? That seems to be very high up... I'd be slightly worried as it got bigger and heavier.
- moar plants

 

[Dayners666]

I like the layout. Seems a shame you have to wait so long before using it!

Two things:
- Do stirmi climb at all? That seems to be very high up... I'd be slightly worried as it got big and heavier.
- moar plants

I have not seen my stirmi climbing. In fact it barely moves lol. But even so, with it growing to 12 inches there should be enough substrate in there to cushion the fall if it does feel inclines to climb. Plus I have a lot more substrate in the back so there's a slope

The tank is only 18 inches high. If I switch to a lower tank it won't leave me enough room for enough substrate to allow it to burrow and there would be no room for plants. I think it just looks a lot higher than it is. Plus with the substrate being in there that leaves only a foot drop which in that case the stirmi can just reach the bottom with its legs lol

 

[viper69]

That seems to be very high up

They come with parachutes

curious to see how long those plants survive

 

[SpookySpooder]

They come with parachutes

curious to see how long those plants survive

You can still snap your leg landing with a parachute! I'm still worried TBH,

I have not seen my stirmi climbing. In fact it barely moves lol. But even so, with it growing to 12 inches there should be enough substrate in there to cushion the fall if it does feel inclines to climb. Plus I have a lot more substrate in the back so there's a slope

The tank is only 18 inches high. If I switch to a lower tank it won't leave me enough room for enough substrate to allow it to burrow and there would be no room for plants. I think it just looks a lot higher than it is. Plus with the substrate being in there that leaves only a foot drop which in that case the stirmi can just reach the bottom with its legs lol

I have zero experience with massive T's falling so I'm merely echoing wisdom from members who have witnessed it. I believe unless you're monitoring the T 24/7 via remote camera like some creeps here (lookin at you, you know who you is) then you can't really be sure whether it drinks, climbs, eats, sits in one spot, or walks full circles before settling in the same exact spot and position. My point is--simply don't know for sure.

I hope it is as safe as you say it is.

 

[Dayners666]

You can still snap your leg landing with a parachute! I'm still worried TBH,


I have zero experience with massive T's falling so I'm merely echoing wisdom from members who have witnessed it. I believe unless you're monitoring the T 24/7 via remote camera like some creeps here (lookin at you, you know who you is) then you can't really be sure whether it drinks, climbs, eats, sits in one spot, or walks full circles before settling in the same exact spot and position. My point is--simply don't know for sure.

I hope it is as safe as you say it is.

Well then with that logic it doesn't matter how high or low the enclosure is, it can get hurt regardless. But that stands true with anything really. Like I said though, based on the mass of this genus I really don't have an option to go much lower tbh

 

[SpookySpooder]

Yeah my philosophy is "better safe than sorry" so I'm very adverse to "risk without rewards."

Like I said, I have no experience with falling T's. My biggest T is ~4in and even it has shocked me by climbing. I thought burrowing fossorial species rarely showed themselves above ground, let alone climb like an arboreal, but mine has done it several times now. (that I have seen, imagine how many times it had done it before?)

Anyway I don't like it. I feel a type of way about it. That's all. If you're fine with it then I respect that.

Here is my FOSSORIAL Ornithoctoninae sp. Vietnam Silver, climbing despite it being a burrower who spends 98% of it's time underground.

 

[viper69]

You can still snap your leg landing with a parachute! I'm still worried TBH,


I have zero experience with massive T's falling so I'm merely echoing wisdom from members who have witnessed it. I believe unless you're monitoring the T 24/7 via remote camera like some creeps here (lookin at you, you know who you is) then you can't really be sure whether it drinks, climbs, eats, sits in one spot, or walks full circles before settling in the same exact spot and position. My point is--simply don't know for sure.

I hope it is as safe as you say it is.

You’re pessimistic, they have 8!

 

[SpookySpooder]

Alright I'm convinced...

"Break a leg!"

 

[Dayners666]

Alright I'm convinced...

"Break a leg!"

Hardy har har

 

[SpookySpooder]

Hardy har har

Sorry I can't help myself sometimes and today is one of those days