Newb

[JGood]

Hello,

I am new to this site and trantulas. I have had snakes and reptiles for quite some time so i have a fair amount of experience with makeing display cages and controling humidity and temps. I have an extra 12" x 12" x 12" exo-terra and was wondering what would be a good T that would not out grow the tank? from looking around here noticed that the screen should be replaced with something a with bigger holes. my assumtion would be that if i started with a small T (a S'ling, i think is the term) would the screen work till it got larger then replace it later on? or should i change it immediately? Also i know exo-terras have openings for vents how big of a S'ling should i get so that i can not climb through them? they are small but i don't know if T's can squeeze through things or not. I would prefer a colorful species, aggressiveness is not a problem (i don't intend on ever handleing it, i just want if for display purposes only). Also are there any sites that have lists of T's species and pictures to go along with it?
I am not intending to get the T untill i have done my research and have the enclosure all set up. I have only done a little research and am just starting. these are only a few of the questions that have come up so far.

sorry for all the rambleing questions and thanks in advance for the advice and information.

I really like the way these look

Avicularia versicolor
Brachypelma annitha
Brachypelma boehmei
Cyriocosmus elegans
Cyriopagopus spec blue 2 Malaysie
Haplopelma lividum
Megaphobema robustum
Nhandu vulpinus
Poecilotheria fasciata
Xenesthis immanis
Pterinochilus murinus
Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens

to name a few

[Rochelle]

Wellll, if the sling is so small that it could possibly fit through the vent holes in an exoterra ~ then it's just too small for the exoterra and you should wait until it's a few inches in size. For a 12x12x12 I wouldn't put anything smaller than 3 inches in it.
Avicularia and pokies are your best bets in this container. Terrestrials have too much of a fall risk in these.

[radicaldementia]

If you're planning on buying a sling, then the enclosure you have is way too big. Usually you keep small slings (under 1" legspan) in vials or small deli cups. a 12" enclosure is good for most adults, except for really big ones like T Blondi.

I would recommend the Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens, they are brilliantly colored, very active, and voracious eaters. They are quite skittish and will kick hairs without hesitation, but since you mentioned no plans to handle, that shouldn't be a problem. This is my little sling, you can see I'm keeping him in a little sauce cup that originally came with some Chinese take-out. He's actually webbed it up so much since I took this picture that I can't even take off the lid anymore.


Also, I would recommend P. Murinus, but be aware that they are very fast and defensive.

[Rochelle]

....and due to the door configuration; deep burrows are not an option in these containers, either......

[Mushroom Spore]

Haplopelma lividum
H.Lividium

This is the worst display species ever, they dig a deep hole and you're lucky if you see their feet a couple times in a year. (Also that IS the same species, I don't know if you knew or if it was an accidental repeat.)

Also like the others said, no terrestrials in a tank that tall, they can be seriously hurt or killed if they climb and fall from more than about 1.5x their legspan in height. So no Brachypelma or Nhandu, again no Haplos, I'm not familiar with a couple of the other species you mentioned so I don't know if they're also terrestrials.

And you shouldn't put a sling in a huge enclosure, you're going to be using deli cups and little critter keepers for a while.

[JGood]

Thanks for the help, sorry about such basic questions.
Upon closer inspection the vent holes on the exo-terra are approximately ¼” x 1/8”, if that matters. Would you still only put a 3+” T in there? Of the ones you mentioned I prefer the way the Avicularia versicolor looks to the Pokie. If I understand correctly the Avicularia versicolor is a arboreal spider so it would not be burrow much, correct? How about Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens or Pterinochilus murinus or are they both terrestrial and would not do well in a 12” x 12” x 12” due to height and substrate depth? Also the 12” tall exo-terra, which is really only 11 ¼”, I could put 3 ¼” of substrate leaving only 8” would this be too tall for a Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens or Pterinochilus murinus? Also I would prefer a T that is relatively active and can be seen, it would be great if I also did a fair amount of webbing, not sure if that is asking too much… From what I have read the Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens are fairly active and can often be seen unlike the Haplopelma lividum who seem to be VERY shy, how are Avicularia versicolor and Pterinochilus murinus (which I really like because it orange and the name OBT, gotta love that).
Again sorry for rambling and thanks for the help.

P.S. - yeah i just noticed i listed it twice, sorry...doh.

[Rochelle]

12x12x12 is too tall for anything terrestrial.
Period.
Perfect for arboreal ~ but only if it's big enough to BE arboreal and actually find it's food.
Young arboreals tend to burrow and stay put until they are around the 3" mark.

[hairmetalspider]

After reading through your list, I think you should do some research on the behavioral patterns of those specific species. For example, Pokies (Poecilotheria fasciata) would probably not be a good beginner T.

More than a couple you mentioned, as previously stated, are not at all show T's and will be more of a pet hole.

Screen tops are fine. Obviously, there is better cages the more you spend but more than a few of us have screen tops as well. The cage you have would be appropriate for an adult T, but if you're looking at a sling, your going to want to use a (ventilated) vile, deli cup, etc, etc. See examples others have left you above. This obviously depends on the size of your sling as well.

Have you looked into substrate? And whatever 'info' you read on the interner or hear otherwise, a T does NOT need a heating pad, and very rarely a heating lamp. Room temp, around 72-78 degrees is fine and they do not require any other heat source.

[Rochelle]

If you do your homework and do NOT intend to handle; then pokies are fine beginner T's.
Any pokie of sufficient size will be comfortable in a 12x12x12 Exoterra.
Avics are sweeter tempered and often just as beautiful as pokies though.
IMHO

[JGood]

So it sounds like Avicularia versicolor is my best bet. I will start looking into them specifically now that I have it narrowed down.
The reason I want to use this cage is that it is left over from a young green tree python that I have since moved into a larger cage. I can always remove the screen and replace with plexiglass that has been siliconed into place, and drill small holes in it for ventilation or possibly screen for half and plexi for the other half. Also for the cage I was thinking of using expanding foam to build a backdrop with two hides, one at ground level and one closer to the top. Then putting either tile grout or silicone with ecoearth pressed into it. I have made several enclosures for reptiles and used both. Any advice on which of the two would be better for Ts?
Harimetalspider: Which ones on the list (or other colorful species) are not considered “pet holes”? Yeah I know a lot of caresheets are just plain wrong. I have had snakes and reptiles for many many years and figured that one out a long time ago.
Again any and all input is appreciated.

[froggyman]

a.versi is colorful and not a big hiding species

[hairmetalspider]

If you do your homework and do NOT intend to handle; then pokies are fine beginner T's.
Any pokie of sufficient size will be comfortable in a 12x12x12 Exoterra.
Avics are sweeter tempered and often just as beautiful as pokies though.
IMHO

Ok I'll give you the 'not handling' part.
:-p

[Moltar]

I think between the tank you have and your experience level a large avicularia is your best bet. You can probably get your hands on an A metallica for $60 to $100, A avicularia for a little less but they don't get as big. A versicolor will be pricier.

I find that the 12x12x12 exo's have more ventilation than necessary for an avic so i cover half of the screen top with a piece of cardboard.

[fishwithoutabik]

I vote Avicularia versicolor! They don't hide much, are readily visible, and quite gorgeous. They are a little pricier than a few of the other avics, but the price is well worth it. They are also not as quick as P murinas or Pokies. I like to feed mine with chopsticks, which is not generally a good idea with more defensive species. Should your A versicolor attempt to wander out, it's also nice to know that they are not generally quick to bite.