Worried about happiness of new Tarantula

[SarahAntula]

Hi Just bought a Pink Toed Tarantula.
My husband has experience with the Chilean Rose Hair.
The lady at the pet shop told me their care was easy and the same. :/
They had My Spidey in a teeny pet carrier. I Guess it had just arrived (yesterday)
I know the poor Tarantula has been tossed around from getting shipped to the pet shop.
I have been reading up on this kind. Books, & Internet.

I am worried if our tank setup is appropriate, I have heard so much conflicting information.

I was thinking about upgrading the enclosure to a taller glass reptile terrarium.
Not sure if I need a heater I do not want it getting cold.

He/she is also going to be moved to a shelf away from the window/Heat. ?
I am posting a picture of what I started our new little guy/girl In.

We have been misting to try and maintain humidity.

Also the lady at the pet shop told me to buy calcium powder and shake the crickets up in it before feeding. Is this true?:?
I bought the powder Hoping to take the very best care of our new addition.:worship:

Any Ideas on keeping crickets securely housed? they are escaping the small pet carrier I bought for them. I woke up screaming Last night several times terrified they were going to be crawling on me.:8o
I Just want to make sure her/hims enclosure is proper and it has everything it needs to be a happy Tarantula.:wall:
Thank you for your time on this matter in advance.
Sincerly,
SarahAntula & our new pink toed T.

 

[aquaArachnid]

That setup it's in now will do just fine..

 

[Protectyaaaneck]

Avicularia are arboreal. They need a vertically oriented enclosure. You can set the KK up on its end to make it more comfortable for the little guy. Place something in there that is tall so it has something to anchor its webbing to. As for the crickets, buy larger crickets, they shouldn't be able to escape the enclosure. Also, 1-2 prey items a week is plenty. The calcium powder is a no-no and might lead to molting problems down the road. Calcium powder is used for vertabrates such as lizards and geckos. Room temperature should be fine as well. I keep all of my tarantulas in 70ish degree temps and they're all doing fine. I'd mist the sides of the enclosure a couple times a week as well. Get the sponge outta there. All it does is mold up.

You should also check this thread out.

That setup it's in now will do just fine..

Not really.

 

[aquaArachnid]

I guess that's why I'm still a squire and you're a prince..

 

[Protectyaaaneck]

I guess that's why I'm still a squire and you're a prince..

Just correcting you on your misinformation. Post count has nothing to do with this.

 

[curiousme]

Hi Just bought a Pink Toed Tarantula.
My husband has experience with the Chilean Rose Hair.
The lady at the pet shop told me their care was easy and the same. :/

Very incorrect, lol, but not out of the ordinary for pet shop advice. G. rosea like it dry and more horizontal space, because they are terrestrial. Avicularia like it humid with more vertical space, because they are arboreal.

I have been reading up on this kind. Books, & Internet.

That's definitely a good start. The Tarantula Keeper's Guide is a wonderful resource and the link for common questions in my signature is another, but here on this forum.

I am worried if our tank setup is appropriate, I have heard so much conflicting information. I was thinking about upgrading the enclosure to a taller glass reptile terrarium.

I would say it needs to be in a larger enclosure and oriented to be standing tall and not long. However, there are keepers that house their Ts in similar enclosures.(though still set-up vertically) You will need a couple inches of substrate in the bottom(which requires a retaining wall to be made) and something that will reach from the bottom to the top, in order for the T to anchor web on.

Not sure if I need a heater I do not want it getting cold.

If the house is comfortable enough for you, it is fine for the tarantula.

He/she is also going to be moved to a shelf away from the window/Heat. ?

Keep the enclosure out of the direct sunlight. In that little enclosure it could have a greenhouse effect and essentially cook the T. House lights are fine, but the sunlight is not.

We have been misting to try and maintain humidity.

Misting is pretty much useless, the fine mist that is sprayed in there will give a short spike to the humidity, but it will evaporate off quickly. To maintain your humidity more effectively, wet a portion of the substrate(not swampy, or flooded) about once a week, maybe less and it should be just fine on humidity. There really is no reason to worry about exact humidity, unless you are breeding.

Also the lady at the pet shop told me to buy calcium powder and shake the crickets up in it before feeding. Is this true?:?
I bought the powder Hoping to take the very best care of our new addition.:worship:

Wow, take it back if you can a get a refund. Plain old crickets will do just fine, there is no need to dust them. There are some ideas floating around here that calcium can actually cause problems during molting, but as of yet, I don't think there is evidence to support it. If you want to feel like you are feeding healthier crickets, then let the crickets feed off some carrots for a day before feeding them to the T.

Any Ideas on keeping crickets securely housed? they are escaping the small pet carrier I bought for them. I woke up screaming Last night several times terrified they were going to be crawling on me.

An old margarine tub with holes poked in the lid. Pretty escape proof!(and smell proof, at least until you open it up!)

Thank you for your time on this matter in advance.
Sincerly,
SarahAntula & our new pink toed T.

Welcome to the forum, the hobby and the addiction! Do check out the sticky linked in my signature, it will have many of the questions that new owners have covered.

 

[bholmes]

Does it look really leggy to anyone else?

 

[Protectyaaaneck]

Avicularia like it humid

It's actually quite dry high up in trees.

You will need a couple inches of substrate in the bottom(which requires a retaining wall to be made) and something that will reach from the bottom to the top, in order for the T to anchor web on.

Not necessarily, true arboreals don't really use substrate. I keep a few of my avics without substrate and they do just fine because they web up high and have no need for it. It's more for aesthetics. Now pokies and psalmos on the other hand need it because they like to make substrate curtains. The only avic I've ever had that made use of substrate at all was Avicularia diversipes.

Misting is pretty much useless

:? Guess I've been doing it for nothing the past two years then.

 

[SarahAntula]

Thank you

Thank you so much for all the Advice
Yes you are right About an addicting hobby.
I feel so much better. I am going to go shopping for a new vertical terrarium for mr/mrs pink toe.
And yes My pink toe is verrrry Leggy She/he is all legs and a small body I think he/she needs some fattening up.
I am also going back to the pet store and trying to get money back towards the Calcium powder. :wall: While I am at the pet store I am thinking about Bringing home a beautiful Rose Hair T. that I saw there and letting her have the old enclosure (after it is cleaned and dried out). I cant waste the old enclosure and the abundance of crickets
Thanks Again!

 

[curiousme]

It's actually quite dry high up in trees.

I haven't ever been to their native area. Ours always seem happier with it a little more humid and definitely more humid than our G. rosea.

Not necessarily, true arboreals don't really use substrate. I keep a few of my avics without substrate and they do just fine because they web up high and have no need for it. It's more for aesthetics. Now pokies and psalmos on the other hand need it because they like to make substrate curtains. The only avic I've ever had that made use of substrate at all was Avicularia diversipes.

Agreed, but we use the substrate to maintain humidity.(and plants) It isn't necessary, but I recommend it.

:? Guess I've been doing it for nothing the past two years then.

If you just open up the enclosure spritz the air and then close it, then yes you were. (this is what I mean is useless)

If you essentially do what I recommended for upping the humidity, but call it misting; spraying the substrate to wet it, then no you haven't.
If you are spraying the sides to provide a drink, instead of just providing a water dish, then the answer is also no.

Honestly though, if you want to 'mist' your Ts, it doesn't hurt them and they are your Ts to do with what you wish.

 

[aquaArachnid]

Don't most pet shops sell those small hexagram aquariums?

 

[Musicwolf]

Don't most pet shops sell those small hexagram aquariums?

A lot of them do, and I've got two (from old betta fish) that I'm planning to clean up and use for a couple of Avics.

 

[curiousme]

A lot of them do, and I've got two (from old betta fish) that I'm planning to clean up and use for a couple of Avics.

We have 3 of them and have thought about using them, but haven't been able to arrive at a solution for the lid that we are happy with. Have you thought of one/ care to share if you have.

 

[aquaArachnid]

making a mesh screen wouldn't work right?

 

[Musicwolf]

We have 3 of them and have thought about using them, but haven't been able to arrive at a solution for the lid that we are happy with. Have you thought of one/ care to share if you have.

heh - - that's the one thing that has kept me from doing it so far - lol. After a lot of ideas (which I'm sure you've had too), I've narrowed it down to two.

Leaning toward: putting a hinge on the back and a clasp on the front so it opens like a big can or an oddly shaped treasure chest. Alternately, if your avic likes to web right at the top (mine seem to prefer the middle as they've been raised in containers that open at the top), you could split the lid in half and secure the back putting a hinge in the middle.

Also considering: turning it upside down and going completely no substrate - - could be unique and a fun little experiment to make it work.

 

[aquaArachnid]

heh - - that's the one thing that has kept me from doing it so far - lol. After a lot of ideas (which I'm sure you've had too), I've narrowed it down to two.

Leaning toward: putting a hinge on the back and a clasp on the front so it opens like a big can or an oddly shaped treasure chest. Alternately, if your avic likes to web right at the top (mine seem to prefer the middle as they've been raised in containers that open at the top), you could split the lid in half and secure the back putting a hinge in the middle.

Also considering: turning it upside down and going completely no substrate - - could be unique and a fun little experiment to make it work.

How would turning it upside down work?

 

[SarahAntula]

Aquarium Lids

We have 3 of them and have thought about using them, but haven't been able to arrive at a solution for the lid that we are happy with. Have you thought of one/ care to share if you have.

I know My husband and I would make Aquarium Lids out of the Egg Crate Plastic Light Panels you can buy at the hardware store for very cheap.
If done correctly you can have a nice tight custom fit
The Plastic panels cut easily into any shape with a pair of dyke's.
You can modify the edges of the plastic panel so if your tank has no lip it will recess into/sit in the tank.
Especially handy for fish that jump when they are spooked.
We also Used for keeping crabs from escaping their tanks.
I imagine it would work for larger T's.
You could also glue a plastic window screen material on top of the plastic egg crate to keep smaller items from escaping if an issue.
I love this stuff:worship:

 

[Musicwolf]

How would turning it upside down work?

See, I never got around to figuring out the details of that myself. General concept is that the only opening would be on the bottom - you could even set it on a paper plate if you wanted to - so, you'd lift the little tank and reach up to do maintenance. Water dish could sit on the bottom and would be easy to refill - crickets get tossed up and in. Like I said - an interesting experiment

But, as you could see - I'm already leaning toward the hinged top instead.

 

[Musicwolf]

I know My husband and I would make Aquarium Lids out of the Egg Crate Plastic Light Panels you can buy at the hardware store for very cheap.
If done correctly you can have a nice tight custom fit
The Plastic panels cut easily into any shape with a pair of dyke's.
You can modify the edges of the plastic panel so if your tank has no lip it will recess into/sit in the tank.
Especially handy for fish that jump when they are spooked.
We also Used for keeping crabs from escaping their tanks.
I imagine it would work for larger T's.
You could also glue a plastic window screen material on top of the plastic egg crate to keep smaller items from escaping if an issue.
I love this stuff:worship:

:clap: That's actually not a bad idea either.

 

[Crysta]

If that's plastic, test how strong it is with plyers...as big t's are little plyers...