What would you put a 7 inch long p.Rufilata in?

[BrazenHussy87]

I'm adopting one soon and I suck at making arboreal enclosures and have come to you all again for answers. I've gone back and forth on enclosures and each one not really meeting my expectations and I'm running out time.

 

[l4nsky]

My 8.5" DLS female is in a Sterilite 1934, which is a ~13 gallon enclosure IIRC.

 

[Stiverson]

Just make a 10 gallon tank into an aboreal if you are breeding, I have a giant p cambridgei almost 7 inches in a 5 gallon aboreal tank works just fine.

 

[Tarantuland]

12x12x12 or 12x12x18

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

10 gal excuse franken tank haha …it’s seen better days.

 

[ArynAlba]

I'm adopting one soon and I suck at making arboreal enclosures and have come to you all again for answers. I've gone back and forth on enclosures and each one not really meeting my expectations and I'm running out time.

Which enclosures are you going back and forth on, out of curiosity?

I agree with the sizing that Tarantuland suggested--the 12"x12"x12" or the 12"x12"x18"--though I'd personally avoid enclosures such as Exo Terras within that size range, purely since I don't think they have enough cross ventilation (some people make them work, but I just don't like to take the risk with the lack of cross ventilation, is all!)

Something like the 12" Cube from Tarantula Cribs should be perfect--but anything with similar dimensions and a similar amount of ventilation should be just fine as well (since the Cube is on a waitlist, and that might eat into your time.) Or, you should be able to find a clear plastic container with the same dimensions and drill holes into it for ventilation! Just make sure it has a secure lid (with positive locks, if you're going the tub route--these guys can be pretty strong and persistent when they want to be, haha.)

 

[Wolfram1]

if i had all the money and choice of terraria and materials in the world i would put it in a 30x30x60cm Terrarium (or larger), with a siliconed-in (pressed) piece of cork flat covering the back and a large, slanted, miss-schapen cork-tube leaned against the back in such a way that a large opening is at the top facing a cork/glass corner, the lower, thicker end burried and a second hollow branch angled-back to create a second entrance at the bottom, were cork-flat and the dirt meet.

or if you prefer easier access an angled cork flat/half-round instead of a full cork-round


basically a bigger, better version of these:


they are 20x30x40cm in LxDxH


Sadly i have to agree with you, finding a quick fit is always a challenge, i think @l4nsky 's post is your best bet if you are stressed for time and dont want to break the bank.

My 8.5" DLS female is in a Sterilite 1934, which is a ~13 gallon enclosure IIRC.
View attachment 456259
View attachment 456260

whats the pvc pipe for? watering?

 

[Wolfram1]

d

 

[BrazenHussy87]

Well yesterday I found that petsmart is having a sale on the aqueon 20g tank instead of it being 57 its 27 right now. So now I'm looking at 20g arboreal tank conversion kits and for cork bark flats because I do that idea of siliconing that in to the back. Might also take a page out Richard's book from tc and spread silicone down on the side walls and throw dirt over it.
If anyone would like to show me their set up for their rufilatas for me to gain some inspiration would also be greatly appreciated
When I posted yesterday all I knew is that I wasn't about to stick this girl in anything less than 14inches tall and with most arboreal enclosures I've found they've been irritatingly too small or the biggest being a 12×12 and the person I'm getting her from says she's not done growing and still has a ways to go so I'm keeping that in mind as well. Thank you to those who have responded to my post. I appreciate it.

 

[Wolfram1]

Might also take a page out Richard's book from tc and spread silicone down on the side walls and throw dirt over it.

its probably fine to use that. sadly i have nop personal experience with that...

i never tried using silicone + substrate surfaces for arboreal spiders because i am worried that they, unlike a mantid for example that relies on their tarsal claws to climb, might damage or interfere with their microscopic setae on their tarsal-pads.

i know they can loose their functionallity if they get dusty and a smooth vertical surface is perfectly fine for them to walk on, with exeption maybe just while in premolt, hence the back wall for when they might need it

in general i gave them the back wall more for security and texture to web to, it also doesnt change temperature as quickly if i ever need to air out the room in winter

 

[Smotzer]

Might also take a page out Richard's book from tc

Honestly dont take what he says as truly reliable, he is first and foremost an entertainment channel on youtube and all about generating views (money) through clickbate videos. I dont have anything against him personally but his videos are not for education purposes they're his business to make money by getting views. Tom Moran is the only one on youtube I know of who truly does it for education purposes and not money, his channel has never been monetized. His podcast has been going for many years now and hes truly does it out of love for theraphosidae and trying to spread acurate information.

 

[BrazenHussy87]

if i had all the money and choice of terraria and materials in the world i would put it in a 30x30x60cm Terrarium (or larger), with a siliconed-in (pressed) piece of cork flat covering the back and a large, slanted, miss-schapen cork-tube leaned against the back in such a way that a large opening is at the top facing a cork/glass corner, the lower, thicker end burried and a second hollow branch angled-back to create a second entrance at the bottom, were cork-flat and the dirt meet.

or if you prefer easier access an angled cork flat/half-round instead of a full cork-round


basically a bigger, better version of these:
View attachment 456318

they are 20x30x40cm in LxDxH


Sadly i have to agree with you, finding a quick fit is always a challenge, i think @l4nsky 's post is your best bet if you are stressed for time and dont want to break the bank.



whats the pvc pipe for? watering?

lol as much as i am trying to not break the bank, the bank broke the minute i paid for her and well thankfully the awesome and wonderful people at webbed obsessions is willing to hold off sending her to me for another week so i can buy the cork bark flat piece from joshs frogs cause its measurements seemed to the right size to go on the back wall. i looked at the zoo meds cork bark tiles and i would have just ended up paying the same if not more if i had gone with that route or others as well as the arboreal conversion kit online next week. i think by the time im done creating its enclosure ill have paid equal amounts in the equipment and my little lovely p.rufilata whom will be given the moniker Stigmata. i did also get the bonsai hide tree from petsmart to use in the enclosure

could i use the aquarium silicone to glue cork rounds and other cork bark pieces to the cork bark flat

p.s. the bank was totally fugged once the decision to get this girl happened... MAUAHAHHAHA...evil laughter continues

 

[l4nsky]

whats the pvc pipe for? watering?

It's part of the "broodchamber" system that I've been developing for the past few years that allows me to basically turn a female's burrow into a temp/humidity controlled incubator. They seem to work as I get atleast one eggsack from every paired female that goes into one of these enclosures .

 

[BrazenHussy87]

It's part of the "broodchamber" system that I've been developing for the past few years that allows me to basically turn a female's burrow into a temp/humidity controlled incubator. They seem to work as I get atleast one eggsack from every paired female that goes into one of these enclosures .

i just read something you wrote on a different rufilata related thread being -


Outside of the specifics on rufilata, there are some general tendencies of the Poecilotheria genus and some tips you should be aware of.

• You should have no problem feeding them. They're absolute monsters and amazing predators, regardless of size.
• They're very hardy and tolerant of periods of dry conditions. They shouldn't be kept as dry as a bone, but just overflowing the water bowl from time to time with an occasional larger soak will keep them happy.
• When Poecilotheria bolt, they tend to bolt horizontally along the walls of the enclosure, doing laps. This is in pretty stark comparison to a lot of other arboreals that tend to bolt up and out. For this reason, top opening enclosures are a good choice.

i can not express to you how much i appreciate this bit of knowledge as youve now helped me determine which conversion kit to get for this 20g tank for Stigmata

 

[TarantulaMan138]

I'm adopting one soon and I suck at making arboreal enclosures and have come to you all again for answers. I've gone back and forth on enclosures and each one not really meeting my expectations and I'm running out time.

I'm adopting one soon and I suck at making arboreal enclosures and have come to you all again for answers. I've gone back and forth on enclosures and each one not really meeting my expectations and I'm running out time.

I would stick with something obviously taller than wide and also you're going to want large cork bark in my personal preference based on enclosures that I have seen and personal experience is to find a cork round and cut it in half so that you can attach it towards the back so that it has a nice hide as if it were in the middle of a rotted out branch. These are pictures of my terrariums for a pink toe and my baby peocilotheria metallica. Jose these help. The smaller enclosure by the way I put together myself and although you won't be able to see my baby P Metallica she is in her corkground that is covered with her beautiful web and this of course is a beginner terrarium for her because she will get much larger. Also I put my P metallicas water dish higher-up in her tararium as they are tree spiders and usually get their water from puddles in between branches or on leaves and things like that. Also on the second to last picture you can see my P. Metallicas butt in her hide so you can see she is very comfortable in the hide that I made for her. I hope this helps.

 

[TarantulaMan138]

My 8.5" DLS female is in a Sterilite 1934, which is a ~13 gallon enclosure IIRC.
View attachment 456259
View attachment 456260

Is that a male or a female? And also what is the specific species?I'm not familiar with DLS he or she reminds me of a peocilotheria species.

 

[l4nsky]

Is that a male or a female?

Female

he or she reminds me of a peocilotheria species

what is the specific species

Poecilotheria rufilata

I'm not familiar with DLS

Abbreviation for Diagonal Leg Span, a common measurement method for tarantulas.

 

[TarantulaMan138]

Female



Poecilotheria rufilata


Abbreviation for Diagonal Leg Span, a common measurement method for tarantulas.

Well he or she's beautiful, I can't wait till my P. Metallica is that size right now she has a leg span of 1-1/2 -1-3/4 inch.

 

[l4nsky]

Well he or she's beautiful, I can't wait till my P. Metallica is that size right now she has a leg span of 1-1/2 -1-3/4 inch.

Agreed in so far as she's a gorgeous spider and P. metallica is a drop dead stunner as well, but unfortunately you're P. met won't get close to the size that P. rufi averages or can reach .

They're one of the smaller if not the smallest member of the genus and IMHO, a P. met around 6" DLS is very large for the species.

 

[curtisgiganteus]

Agreed in so far as she's a gorgeous spider and P. metallica is a drop dead stunner as well, but unfortunately you're P. met won't get close to the size that P. rufi averages or can reach .

They're one of the smaller if not the smallest member of the genus and IMHO, a P. met around 6" DLS is very large for the species.

IIRC miranda, metallica, and subfusca highland are the smallest in the genus. Miranda and metallica occasionally hit 7 but most of my females have slowed down exponentially around 6.5". My Highland Subfusca on the other hand is an old lady at 6"