Urgent help with enclosure, please help!!

[HoustonTarantula]

I work at a college as a biology lab assistant, a couple days ago I found out we had a few animals in one of the classrooms. Which includes a tarantula, curiosity got the best of me so I started to research what care tarantulas needs, for what I read, I don't think she's being properly taken care of. I talked to the professor who's animals they are and she confessed she didn't know much about them (yet she's teaching students about animals), anyways, she said she'd let me make any changes I saw fit. I started to research what she needed but I didn't know her species, some lovely people on this site identified her as a Grammostola, most likely a G. rosea.

This is her tank as is, only thing I changed was adding water to her dish, adding sphagnum moss, tapping a bearded dragon mat around her tank (I read it might make her feel more secure), an extra hide (for more security), and adding a hygrometer I took from my ball pythons home to see what temps and humidity she has. The humidity was seriously low, like in its 40s. from what I read, that's bad so I added the sphagnum moss to raise it (I use it for my ball python, please let me know if it's not safe for her. I brought it from my house).

ANY and ALL recommendations, explanations and comments are welcome. From what the other assistants told me was that she rarely eats, she's gone months without eating, not sure if that's normal, also that she's always like ..frozen, that's she's stiff and not moving. Her skin also looked really dry (probably from the low humidity), but I noticed she looks more active and .. moist since I've added the moss (raised the humidity), if that makes sense.

Sorry for the long explanation, just figured a backstory is good. Please help me, help this sweet girl, her name is Blossom!! (actually not sure if she's a girl or a boy)

 

[Smotzer]

Okay so first things first that thing can be a fall injury or death trap the way it is now, you will need to catch cup and remove it and fill it up at least but probably more than half way full with substrate. We recommend no more than 1.5x DLS (diagonal leg span) from substrate level to lid. urgent to correct.

and adding a hygrometer

You don’t need this, or to measure humidity, disregard that whole concept.

tapping a bearded dragon mat around her tank (I read it might make her feel more secure)

They have really poor eyesight so not sure if there’s any quantifiable proof most all us have them in 4aides see through.

The humidity was seriously low, like in its 40s. from what I read, that's bad so I added the sphagnum moss to raise it (I use it for my ball python, please let me know if it's not safe for her. I brought it from my house).

Ambient house humidity is fine.

From what the other assistants told me was that she rarely eats, she's gone months without eating, not sure if that's normal,

Adult NW (new world) tarantulas do not NEED to eat regularly and can go very long time if healthy and hydrated, like months and over a year or more without eating. The abdomen looks like a good size.

that she's always like ..frozen, that's she's stiff and not moving. Her skin also looked really dry (probably from the low humidity)

They don’t move a lot but not sure what you mean by skim looked dry. You adding a water dish likely increased activity and possibly look of abdomen of it was severally dehydrated.

 

[HoustonTarantula]

Okay so first things first that thing can be a fall injury or death trap the way it is now, you will need to catch cup and remove it and fill it up at least but probably more than half way full with substrate. We recommend no more than 1.5x DLS (diagonal leg span) from substrate level to lid. urgent to correct.




You don’t need this, or to measure humidity, disregard that whole concept.

They have really poor eyesight so not sure if there’s any quantifiable proof most all us have them in 4aides see through.

Ambient house humidity is fine.

Adult NW (new world) tarantulas do not NEED to eat regularly and can go very long time if healthy and hydrated, like months and over a year or more without eating. The abdomen looks like a good size.
They don’t move a lot but not sure what you mean by skim looked dry. You adding a water dish likely increased activity and possibly look of abdomen of it was severally dehydrated.

Okay, lots of questions.
1. moss has been moved, or .. should it just be removed? The classroom has very low humidity since it's so cold. It drops down to its 40s.
2. Is her substrate not enough? Any particular way it should be positioned? (I saw other people making like one side a hill and the other side flat. or does her species have flat land?
3. How often should her substrate be changed? And is eco earth a good substrate, I think that's they use.
4. Should her substrate be really compacted down? Or does her species like the burrow. Should I fluff it up here and there or leave it compacted?
5. Does direct sunlight bother them? I added the mat because she's directly in front of windows.
6. The basics, what should her temp/humidity stay at?

 

[Smotzer]

1. moss has been moved, or .. should it just be removed? The classroom has very low humidity since it's so cold. It drops down to its 40s.

The moss isnt going to hurt anything but its not essential. The low humidity isnt a problem but temps into the 40's are. Generally they can be kept at room temps that are comfortable for you around 68-80. You may need additional heat, but you dont want to put a heat mat under it or directly on it, this can be dangerous as they are drawn to it. You will need to heat a larger enclosure with a heat mat on the side or so (there are some threads on this) and then put the enclosure thhe Tarantula is in, inside the larger one. The enclosure it is in now doesnt really need to be as large as it is, they dont use/need a lot of space. So you could acheive this easier if you down size its current enclosure a bit, they dont really need 10 or 20gal whatever that size is now.

2. Is her substrate not enough? Any particular way it should be positioned? (I saw other people making like one side a hill and the other side flat. or does her species have flat land?

Yes you need way more substrate. I would say at least half way completely across, and then any other terrain after that is dealers choice as well as fake plant decorations. Take one of those half log hides and burry it partially into the substrate at an angle, they like small secure places, it may or may not burrow as an adult.

3. How often should her substrate be changed? And is eco earth a good substrate, I think that's they use.

You really never need to change it ever. They are fairly clean creatures, and then you just need to do normal maintenance like removing boli and uneaten prey items. Even if you get fungi reproductive structures, its not going to harm your it.
You can use that, or any soil that is additive free: peat moss, plain top soil, coco fiber, or any combination of the three or four.

4. Should her substrate be really compacted down? Or does her species like the burrow. Should I fluff it up here and there or leave it compacted?

Yes it should be compact, they dont like walking on fluffy ground.

5. Does direct sunlight bother them? I added the mat because she's directly in front of windows.

Then that is good, cause direct sunlight on an enclosure can cause a greenhohuse effect. Id personally recommend moving it away from direct light.

6. The basics, what should her temp/humidity stay at?

Humidity disregard that. Temps I said before are good ranges to be within.

 

[HoustonTarantula]

The moss isnt going to hurt anything but its not essential. The low humidity isnt a problem but temps into the 40's are. Generally they can be kept at room temps that are comfortable for you around 68-80. You may need additional heat, but you dont want to put a heat mat under it or directly on it, this can be dangerous as they are drawn to it. You will need to heat a larger enclosure with a heat mat on the side or so (there are some threads on this) and then put the enclosure thhe Tarantula is in, inside the larger one. The enclosure it is in now doesnt really need to be as large as it is, they dont use/need a lot of space. So you could acheive this easier if you down size its current enclosure a bit, they dont really need 10 or 20gal whatever that size is now.

Yes you need way more substrate. I would say at least half way completely across, and then any other terrain after that is dealers choice as well as fake plant decorations. Take one of those half log hides and burry it partially into the substrate at an angle, they like small secure places, it may or may not burrow as an adult.

You really never need to change it ever. They are fairly clean creatures, and then you just need to do normal maintenance like removing boli and uneaten prey items. Even if you get fungi reproductive structures, its not going to harm your it.
You can use that, or any soil that is additive free: peat moss, plain top soil, coco fiber, or any combination of the three or four.

Yes it should be compact, they dont like walking on fluffy ground.

Then that is good, cause direct sunlight on an enclosure can cause a greenhohuse effect. Id personally recommend moving it away from direct light.

Humidity disregard that. Temps I said before are good ranges to be within.

Okay that helps a ton, is there maybe a video that you could reference to me? So I can get a visual on how much and how to posture the logs/substrate. Or links to what it should look like?

 

[Tarantulafeets]

Tom Moran has some great videos on enclosures and husbandry, and you can also search around the forums using the search function, lots of great information around here.

 

[Smotzer]

Okay that helps a ton, is there maybe a video that you could reference to me? So I can get a visual on how much and how to posture the logs/substrate. Or links to what it should look like?

You can search on here for Terrestrial set up, but here’s a link to an enclosure thread https://arachnoboards.com/threads/enclosure-terrarium-pictures.48951/page-85

 

[Matt Man]

get a more dirt like, less fibrous substrate and a LOT of it. Coco Coir works, you can mix with a soil as long as it is chemical free. Use lots of substrate and angle the log down into it and make a starter burrow. It only needs one of the logs so you could save the other. You can mix the moss into the substrate, pitch the leaves and just have T, Burrow and Water dish. The biggest threat is a fall @ this juncture

 

[viper69]

The distance from sub to lid should be no more than 1.5x its diagonal leg span, or your T's new name is SPLAT, DEAD, RIP etc

 

[tincan1999]

more people who really know what they're doing already answered but i just wanted to reply to say that i think its so nice that you're trying to help out this poor tarantula. especially in classrooms i feel like animals get bought and taken care of incorrectly sooo often and its so frustrating to see. but yeah, i would say only one of those hides is necessary, but i guess two couldn't hurt. i agree that the biggest thing is adding more substrate so the ground is way higher altogether -- i've added substrate to an enclosure without even moving my tarantula out by filling one half of the tank up a bit one day, and the next day when she had moved to the other end i filled out the other side. otherwise you'll want to use a soft paintbrush or plastic straw or something to nudge her into a cup to remove her while you do construction lol. good luck!!!

 

[HoustonTarantula]

The distance from sub to lid should be no more than 1.5x its diagonal leg span, or your T's new name is SPLAT, DEAD, RIP etc

Okay, I'm asking the professor to buy more substrate now, however, why exactly do they need so much substrate? Why does it have to be so high? How can they die from a low amount? I'm trying to learn how I can better take care of her now

 

[Tarantulafeets]

Okay, I'm asking the professor to buy more substrate now, however, why exactly do they need so much substrate? Why does it have to be so high? How can they die from a low amount? I'm trying to learn how I can better take care of her now

If the enclosure is too tall, the t climbs up to the top and it might slip and fall, and that fall might injure or kill the t, same reason as why you shouldn't handle them.

This sp. is also known to move around substrate, so that extra sub gives them an opportunity to create a hide for itself.

 

[HoustonTarantula]

If the enclosure is too tall, the t climbs up to the top and it might slip and fall, and that fall might injure or kill the t, same reason as why you shouldn't handle them.

What's the ideal gallon sized tank for a tarantula? It seems her is way too big

 

[Matt Man]

Okay, I'm asking the professor to buy more substrate now, however, why exactly do they need so much substrate? Why does it have to be so high? How can they die from a low amount? I'm trying to learn how I can better take care of her now

even arboreal Ts will climb. It would not be unusual to find your T clung to the roof of the enclosure. If it falls from that height it can rupture them and be fatal. So a low ceiling is safest for a large bodied terrestrial T, so if they climb and fall, it is only from a short distance. All the more so given the number of hard objects (2 Logs and the water dish) it could land on.
Sorry for thumbing this photo and poor quality but this is a 'deep enclosure' with substrate. This is for a fossorial species that also likes to web. So A) Dish in corner B) Bark Ledge with started burrow on right C) Some branches for webbing attachment points. Your critter won't need the webbing points. When you use your log, as I said angle it down somewhat and then bury the top so it has a platform is can hang on. Sort of like a split level set up

 

[HoustonTarantula]

even arboreal Ts will climb. It would not be unusual to find your T clung to the roof of the enclosure. If it falls from that height it can rupture them and be fatal. So a low ceiling is safest for a large bodied terrestrial T, so if they climb and fall, it is only from a short distance. All the more so given the number of hard objects (2 Logs and the water dish) it could land on.
Sorry for thumbing this photo and poor quality but this is a 'deep enclosure' with substrate. This is for a fossorial species that also likes to web. So A) Dish in corner B) Bark Ledge with started burrow on right C) Some branches for webbing attachment points. Your critter won't need the webbing points. When you use your log, as I said angle it down somewhat and then bury the top so it has a platform is can hang on. Sort of like a split level set up

ohhhhhhh okay. that makes a lot of sense

 

[Matt Man]

if you search the forum here you can find many broken hearted stories about the subject

 

[DomGom TheFather]

even arboreal Ts will climb.

It's sort of their thing. Lol

 

[Matt Man]

It's sort of their thing. Lol

yup, either they think their arboreal or just really looking for a way out

 

[viper69]

Okay, I'm asking the professor to buy more substrate now, however, why exactly do they need so much substrate? Why does it have to be so high? How can they die from a low amount? I'm trying to learn how I can better take care of her now

You could put the T in a ExoTerra Breeder Box. Large. No fall injury there

 

[RoachCoach]

Tom Moran has some great videos on enclosures and husbandry, and you can also search around the forums using the search function, lots of great information around here.

Big Spiders Boi!