What plants are you guys using in your enclosures?

[DystruktoBoi1]

I'd like to add plants to some of my enclosures for aesthetics, not really super concerned with them actually being native to the T necessarily, just wondered if any of you have some easy plants that do ok in partial sunlight or shade and work in a 10 gallon aquarium tank? Anything to avoid? Any concerns? Pictures are welcome.

 

[Wolfram1]

i am a big fan of just sicking in plants to see if they do well in the conditions i provide for the spider.

Dracena (ex. Sansevieria) usually work, they are basically indestructible and if rooted the spider can rip them to shreds and they still keep going.

Pathos ( Epipremnum aureum) can be good too. There are many different cultivars to choose from.

but all these plants come from big commercial growers that do use pesticides in their greenhouses so i would go with cuttings from older plants rather than anything directly from a store.

it also depends on the needs of your spiders, i always pick drought-tolerant plants for arid species but for others your options are much more varied.

i would go for plants that do well in shady conditions in any case, since you would want to avoid direct sunlight.

 

[DystruktoBoi1]

i am a big fan of just sicking in plants to see if they do well in the conditions i provide for the spider.

Dracena (ex. Sansiveria) usually work, they are basically undestroyable and if rooted the spider can rip them to shreds and they still keep going.

Pathos ( Epipremnum aureum) can be good too.

but all thse plants come from big commercial growers that do use pesticides in their greenhouses so i would go with cuttings from older plants rather than anything directly from a store.

it also depends on the needs of your spiders, i allways pic drought tolerant plants for arid species but for others your options are much more varied.

i would go for plants that do well in shady conditions in any case, since you would want to avoid direct sunlight.

I put a succulent in with my Arizona Blonde and it just slowly withered away. I haven't tried since just looking for ideas. I would like to make little mini ecosystems eventually.

 

[Wolfram1]

succulents usually need too much light, look for plants that can do well in shade

I have had these in here without anything but indirect sunlight from a west faceing window for years, they dont thrive, but they persist with almost no maintenance. I could take care of them better, but i actually like that they basically slow to a crawl since it means less work for me. Plants are a constant upkeep if they start growing too much.

Sansevieria trifasciata
Beaucarnea recurvata
Hedera helix


there are shorter dwarf varieties of Sansevieria as well.

I mainly planted them in areas i saw as a potentiall fall risk giving the spider some much needed structures. These are in with my L. parahybana.

0.1 (MF) Lasiodora parahybana

• Wolfram1
• Jul 20, 2024
• 3
• adult female lasiodora lasiodora parahybana parahybana

always gets me how gorgeously black they are freshly molted

Ficus benjamina works just as well as other Ficus sp. though i find Ficus pumila leaves, the vining/climbing ficus, start molding too quickly for my taste. They also need more water and maintenance then the plants mentioned above.

0.1 (MF) Lasiodora parahybana

• Wolfram1
• Jul 2, 2024
• 3
• lasiodora lasiodora parahybana parahybana

old female, ~20 years

for species that like some moisture you can really experiment and grow almost anything that fits, though these do get some additional LED light. The plants grow so quickly it becomes a chore though. Its not easy/effortless to keep these looking good.

0.1 Poecilotheria subfusca 'lowland'

• Wolfram1
• Apr 15, 2025
• 4
• poecilotheria poecilotheria subfusca poecilotheria subfusca "lowland" subfusca subfusca "lowland"

very reclusive

0.1 Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli

• Wolfram1
• Nov 7, 2024
• 8
• poecilotheria poecilotheria tigrinawesseli tigrinawesseli

out for a stroll

0.1 Poecilotheria ornata

• Wolfram1
• Aug 7, 2024
• 5
• ornata poecilotheria poecilotheria ornata

waiting for prey

 

[DystruktoBoi1]

succulents usually need too much light, look for plants that can do well in shade

I thought about that after I was like "duh"

 

[DystruktoBoi1]

succulents usually need too much light, look for plants that can do well in shade

I have had these in her without anything but indirect sunlight from a west facing window for years, they dont thrive, but they persist with almost no maintenance. I could take care of them better but i actually like that they basically slow to a crawl since it means less work for me. Plants are a constant upkeep if they start growing too much.
View attachment 497109
Sansiveria trifasciata
Beaucarnea recurvata
Hedera helix


there are shorter dwarf varieties of Sansiveria as well.

I mainly planted them in areas i saw as a potentiall fall risk giving the spider some much needed structures. These are in with my L. parahybana.

0.1 (MF) Lasiodora parahybana

• Wolfram1
• Jul 20, 2024
• 3
• adult female lasiodora lasiodora parahybana parahybana

always gets me how gorgeously black they are freshly molted

Ficus benjamina works just as well as other Ficus sp. though i find Ficus pumila leaves, the vining/climbing ficus, start molding too quickly for my taste. They also need more water and maintenance then the plants mentioned above.

0.1 (MF) Lasiodora parahybana

• Wolfram1
• Jul 2, 2024
• 3
• lasiodora lasiodora parahybana parahybana

old female, ~20 years

for species that like some moisture you can really experiment and grow almost anything that fits, though these do get some additional LED light. The plants grow so quickly it becomes a chore though. Its not easy/effortless to keep these looking good.

0.1 Poecilotheria subfusca 'lowland'

• Wolfram1
• Apr 15, 2025
• 4
• poecilotheria poecilotheria subfusca poecilotheria subfusca "lowland" subfusca subfusca "lowland"

very reclusive

0.1 Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli

• Wolfram1
• Nov 7, 2024
• 8
• poecilotheria poecilotheria tigrinawesseli tigrinawesseli

out for a stroll

0.1 Poecilotheria ornata

• Wolfram1
• Aug 7, 2024
• 5
• ornata poecilotheria poecilotheria ornata

waiting for prey

Damn all these looks great. Were they all plants from the species you mentioned above?

 

[Wolfram1]

Damn all these looks great. Were they all plants from the species you mentioned above?

no, there are several plants i have not mentioned since they really only work for species that do well with some moisture and are not suitable for all spiders.
well except the Epipremnum aureum 'N-Joy', that one does well in any conditions, like any pathos cultivar really, but still needs more water than Sansevieria for example.

if you supplement light you also get a much wider range of options

 

[DystruktoBoi1]

no, there are several plants i have not mentioned since they really only work for species that do well with some moisture and are not suitable for all spiders.
well except the Epipremnum aureum 'N-Joy', that one does well in any conditions, like any pathos cultivar really, but still needs more water than Sansiveria for example.

if you supplement light you also get a much wider range of options

I do get a little bit of sunlight as the sun sets in the afternoons through the windows, but it's not what I would call "direct" and the T's actually seem to like sunbathing in it for the few hours it does come through in the evenings.

 

[Wolfram1]

you can use LED strips, like the ones used in kitchen furniture, high lumen, cold white light works best and LEDs don't heat up much like older Lamps used to.
Indirect sunlight works as well but if you really want any plant to grow well its best to add some light.

the 3 in my Lasiodora enclosure have done fine for almost 4 years with no additional lighting or any direct sunlight. Sansevieria especially. Just search for dwarf varieties they will grow even in enclosures meant for arid species.

 

[Requiem4aSpleen]

Silk plants from hobby lobby lol. The 40% off sale ones

 

[kingshockey]

none since i only keep terrestrial ts adding plants only offer hiding spots for prey and make it harder to dig out uneaten food out

 

[DystruktoBoi1]

none since i only keep terrestrial ts adding plants only offer hiding spots for prey and make it harder to dig out uneaten food out

Meh, that's boring

 

[viper69]

not really super concerned with them actually being native to the T necessarily

To an extent this is a mistake of your thinking as not all plants are suitable for all Ts.

Plants are a PITA for me, they get dug out, webbed over and die. But some are successful with them.

Good luck!

 

[DystruktoBoi1]

To an extent this is a mistake of your thinking as not all plants are suitable for all Ts.

Plants are a PITA for me, they get dug out, webbed over and die. But some are successful with them.

Good luck!

No I understand that and I certainly don't want anything potentially harmful I just mean I don't necessarily want specifically an amazonian fern for my birdeater, it might be hard to find near me even in stores.

 

[viper69]

No I understand that and I certainly don't want anything potentially harmful I just mean I don't necessarily want specifically an amazonian fern for my birdeater, it might be hard to find near me even in stores.

Gotcha- yes

 

[Introvertebrate]

I'm starting to question the value of artificial plants as well. Everything eventually gets webbed over. Even by "non-webbers".

 

[Wolfram1]

live plants are over-hyped, as are fake plants. Simple but effective setups will provide conditions that are just as good and easier to accomplish.

i keep a large collection of tropical houseplants so these are just some random cuttings or seedlings i rooted and planted into my tanks not something the spiders need.

if you really want to start planting your enclosures your best bet is actually starting with one of the plants mentioned above as a regular potted plant, get a feel for the care and once you understand their needs you can transplant them or add in cuttings to your enclosures.

in any case your checklist for choosing a plant should be:
what plants will survive shade, drought and getting ripped apart?
Anything that does not fit that category or that you are not OK with dying are not a good fit anyway.

 

[DystruktoBoi1]

live plants are over-hyped, as are fake plants. Simple but effective setups will provide conditions that are just as good and easier to accomplish.

i keep a large collection of tropical houseplants so these are just some random cuttings or seedlings i rooted and planted into my tanks not something the spiders need.

if you really want to start planting your enclosures your best best is actually starting with one of the plants mentioned above as a regular potted plant, get a feel for the care and once you understand their needs you can transplant them or add in cuttings to your enclosures.

in any case your checklist for choosing a plant should be:
what plants will survive shade, drought and getting ripped apart?
Anything that does not fit that category or that you are not OK with dying are not a good fit anyway.

I'm doing it more for aesthetics than anything else. Like the decorations in a fish tank. The fish don't really need the lil fake treasure chest but it looks appealing to the humans lol

 

[Introvertebrate]

...............The fish don't really need the lil fake treasure chest but it looks appealing to the humans lol

.............the same humans that have a Velvet Elvis hanging above the fireplace.

 

[viper69]

I'm starting to question the value of artificial plants as well. Everything eventually gets webbed over. Even by "non-webbers".

For some species they are useful, and for some specimens. I made a hide, and the T didnt use it, but uses the plastic plants instead, another the opposite.

They are also useful in providing cover for arboreal species like Avics and Pokis IME.