What to do with OBT + 12x12 exoterra o_o

[Ariados]

So I asked for a "nano" exoterra tank for my OBT for Christmas from my partner. I only have that (about 3") and a 1.5" avic. The obt is in a Rubbermaid gallon jar currently.
Anyway, they didn't have 'nano' so he got me the 12x12x12 one. That's a lot of space for a pet web! I would like to make a really interesting display for it, incorporating live plants and anything else that is eye catching. Could an OBT deal with a small water feature in the tank or would that be too much humidity for it? Any inspirations or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Ghost56]

So I asked for a "nano" exoterra tank for my OBT for Christmas from my partner. I only have that (about 3") and a 1.5" avic. The obt is in a Rubbermaid gallon jar currently.
Anyway, they didn't have 'nano' so he got me the 12x12x12 one. That's a lot of space for a pet web! I would like to make a really interesting display for it, incorporating live plants and anything else that is eye catching. Could an OBT deal with a small water feature in the tank or would that be too much humidity for it? Any inspirations or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Not sure about the water feature, but size wise, it should be fine. Just give it plenty of anchor points for webbing.

 

[viper69]

I wouldn't provide a water feature considering where they are from. Also, plants are more hassle then they are worth, esp w/Ts that burrow. But it's your setup...

 

[Venom1080]

i wouldnt bother with live plants. but i guess its up to you.
a water feature probably would not be appreciated as these guys like it bone dry.

 

[TomKemp]

Venom1080 is right about the live plant idea. T's can care less about them and eventually they just kill them. Artificial greenery is the way to go especially with heavy webbers.

 

[Ariados]

well last night it moulted and now looks like an awful lot like a mature male already . maybe I should plan for another species in this tank, how long do male obt's last after their last moult?

 

[WeightedAbyss75]

well last night it moulted and now looks like an awful lot like a mature male already . maybe I should plan for another species in this tank, how long do male obt's last after their last moult?

Maybe a year or so. Many of the baboons that grow quickly also pass more quickly after maturity With that cage setup, you may want to think of flipping it on it's side, adding plastic where the mesh is, and make it home for a nice NW terrestrial Up to you, but you never know. Could be female still. Any pics of the T, or still hardening in it's burrow?

 

[loganhopeless]

That's a great size! I personally think it is a great idea to move them in there adult-sized enclosure as soon as you can. I usually do around 3", especially with "hot" T's. I get to look forward to rehousing an S. cal, and an H. mac this week...

 

[Python]

Sounds to me like you just need a new T or 10. I've never had an exoterra since most of my animals are set up for space conservation rather than display but if I had something like that I would have to put something in it with a quickness. That said, I agree with everyone else that live plants won't last long and a water feature is a bad idea for T's. Running water inside an enclosure will pretty much turn into a liquid cricket collection feature, that is if you feed crickets. Add to that the fact that it will keep the substrate soaked from splashes and it could cause mold to run rampant throughout the enclosure and might cause problems for whatever animal you choose to house in it. If you want it to be decorated, maybe consider a more arid species and you can arrange stones to create small caverns and maybe even plant some small succulents that are safe for inverts (cactus spines might have a negative impact on a soft bodied T). You might also just put the avic in it. I know that a lot of people have a problem with putting a small spider in a large enclosure but they have survived for millions of years outside so I don't see think it's as bad as some people think. Personally, if "get another T" is ever one of the options I have, that's the one I pick. It's why I always keep spare enclosures lying around the house.

 

[viper69]

I know that a lot of people have a problem with putting a small spider in a large enclosure but they have survived for millions of years outside so I don't see think it's as bad

I believe I understand where you are coming from, but comparing the outdoor wilderness with captivity life is a false equivalency.

The issue isn't the space per se. The issue is in the wild the T has a much greater probability of interacting with prey. Typically for captive animals, the average person doesn't think of this, drops a small animal in a LARGE container, and wonders why it hasn't eaten and finds dead crickets in the container.

Smaller setups increase prey/predator interactions, and allow the owner to check the animal's health.

Sure Avics survive well in the Amazon Rainforest, but no Avic roams the entire forest

 

[Python]

I believe I understand where you are coming from, but comparing the outdoor wilderness with captivity life is a false equivalency.[/QOUTE]
I wasn't trying to equate the one with the other so much as just say space won't kill an animal

The issue isn't the space per se. The issue is in the wild the T has a much greater probability of interacting with prey. Typically for captive animals, the average person doesn't think of this, drops a small animal in a LARGE container, and wonders why it hasn't eaten and finds dead crickets in the container.[/QOUTE]
I would think that the probability of crossing paths would be greater if both predator and prey are restricted to a cubic foot area. In fact, I would almost go so far as to say it would be inevitable for the two to quickly cross paths. I've never had a problem with my animals not being able to find prey in a larger container. of course I'm not talking about putting a 1/4" sling in a 55 gallon aquarium either. I should have probably been more clear on that earlier. I don't go extreme. The 1.5" in a cubic foot would be about as big as I would go, maybe slightly bigger but not much.

Smaller setups increase prey/predator interactions, and allow the owner to check the animal's health.[/QOUTE]
100% agree with this.

Sure Avics survive well in the Amazon Rainforest, but no Avic roams the entire forest

Once the initial wandering around and settling in is done, they probably won't wander the entire enclosure either. Unused space is just more room for decorations though.

I've kept some pretty small spiders/scorpions/pedes in some pretty large enclosures, sometimes because it's all I had and sometimes because I wanted to decorate it and the extra room allowed for that. Right now, for example, I have a S. subspinipes in a 29 gallon aquarium and there is nothing I've thrown in there that it hasn't eaten. I don't always go big, most are in pretty small containers. but I do like to pretty up the occasional tank. Another consideration is that everything that goes into the enclosure takes up room and makes the livable space that much smaller so in effect, an animal is in a smaller space even though the walls are farther apart on the outside.

That said, I don't disagree with you, I just think that there is more than one way of looking at it.

 

[viper69]

@Python

I hear what you are saying

I've had Ts, in small setups (less than a 2.5 gallon) ignore crickets because the setup was "too big" hahah.

In point of fact, I used to say something like "it doesn't matter they live in the jungle, they will be fine in large setups", this was many years ago. Then I spoke to a world famous herpetoculturist who also owned Ts as well. He explained the container size issue. To be fair, he didn't say you can't put them in large setups, but he did mention the facts I wrote above and thus those are the main reasons he and many senior owners at the time recommend smaller setups.

The average user will kill their sling unintentionally if they drop it into a large setup generally speaking.

 

[Python]

@Python

I hear what you are saying

I've had Ts, in small setups (less than a 2.5 gallon) ignore crickets because the setup was "too big" hahah.

In point of fact, I used to say something like "it doesn't matter they live in the jungle, they will be fine in large setups", this was many years ago. Then I spoke to a world famous herpetoculturist who also owned Ts as well. He explained the container size issue. To be fair, he didn't say you can't put them in large setups, but he did mention the facts I wrote above and thus those are the main reasons he and many senior owners at the time recommend smaller setups.

The average user will kill their sling unintentionally if they drop it into a large setup generally speaking.

You are right, of course. Usually when I do a big setup, I keep prey in it at all times and I feed the prey items too. The smaller ones I don't worry about too much just because crickets wander enough that they usually get caught within a few minutes. I only setup large tanks for display purposes. most of my animals are in small enclosures with little or no decoration other than something to provide the animals with a place to hide or climb on. Really they don't need that much space anyway since they seem to only move about an inch or two a year lol. I think you could just about shrink wrap one and it would be ok lol

 

[darkness975]

I keep prey in it at all times and I feed the prey items too

This I would not do, unless you want to come home one day and see your molted spider being devoured by the prey items.

 

[viper69]

This I would not do, unless you want to come home one day and see your molted spider being devoured by the prey items.

Yeah I don't typically keep live prey in either for the reason above, but also some specimens get annoyed and end up killing the cricket and not eating, which is a waste of money.

 

[Python]

I've kept inverts and reptiles of every description for over 20 years and out of the thousands of animals I've kept, I've never lost one to a prey item attacking during a molt or otherwise. I do keep food and water for the prey items at all times and that almost certainly makes a difference. I would imagine that the size of the enclosure offers everyone plenty of room to find a comfortable spot to wait out the inevitable. I've actually started growing potatoes in the large pede tank and that not only adds some decoration, but also provides some food for some of the critters.
I think another thing might be the species I keep as well. I don't keep many things that just hang out in the open so much as things like arboreals or burrowers that stay hidden or at least not as easily accessible by the prey items. Heavy webbing can keep them safe as well. That said, I keep crickets in the big pede tank full time simply because I keep oak leaves in the tank for the cleaning crews to eat and the crickets disappear as soon as I put them in. There is pretty much no way of knowing if or when they are all gone so I just keep them in full time. It's just easier. Still, I've never had a bed experience keeping things this way and I've been doing it for more than two decades.