GBB Exo Terra enclosure

markowolf

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 15, 2013
Messages
46
Hello!

I would like to show the enclosure that I started building for my GBB.

It is a 45x45x60cm enclosure.

I was very inspired by a member here on Arachnoboards with his enclosures built as root system hanging from the top mount on the enclosure!
It is the most original enclosure setup I have seen in a while...

I am using grape wood that was treated for use in terrarium and I will try to use live Tillandsia plants glued on the branches.

Coco substrate with drainage stones on the bottom.

I still haven't decided on the lighting system... custom LED or Exo Terra CFL...

Here are some pictures and I will post new ones as I progress...

This is my third instar sling




Preparing the wood...


trial mounted on a piece of board




 

vespers

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Messages
712
Hello!

I would like to show the enclosure that I started building for my GBB.

It is a 45x45x60cm enclosure.
That enclosure is very huge for a GBB, and extremely tall for a terrestrial spider. That set-up seems like an arboreal enclosure, and on the large side even for the largest pokies and lampropelmas.

I was very inspired by a member here on Arachnoboards with his enclosures built as root system hanging from the top mount on the enclosure!
It is the most original enclosure setup I have seen in a while....
Hydrophyte...he was selling similar ones here for a little while.


Coco substrate with drainage stones on the bottom.
Why would you need a drainage layer? Chromatopelma are desert/scrubland creatures, they require a dry enclosure and dry substrate.
 

loganhopeless

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 21, 2013
Messages
135
That enclosure is very huge for a GBB, and extremely tall for a terrestrial spider. That set-up seems like an arboreal enclosure, and on the large side even for the largest pokies and lampropelmas.


Hydrophyte...he was selling similar ones here for a little while.



Why would you need a drainage layer? Chromatopelma are desert/scrubland creatures, they require a dry enclosure and dry substrate.
But image how cool it will look with the webbing up in those branches!' Woah!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

markowolf

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 15, 2013
Messages
46
That enclosure is very huge for a GBB, and extremely tall for a terrestrial spider. That set-up seems like an arboreal enclosure, and on the large side even for the largest pokies and lampropelmas.


Hydrophyte...he was selling similar ones here for a little while.



Why would you need a drainage layer? Chromatopelma are desert/scrubland creatures, they require a dry enclosure and dry substrate.

I know that it is strange to keep spiders in big enclosures because of the food,stress,danger of fall,etc. issues BUT I have kept mine in very big enclosures all the time and never had problems!
As You can see from the picture the sling is really fat and it is actively hunting for grasshoppers,crickets and flies!I never had to drop the pray in front of him/her...
He roams around all the time and almost never climbs on the tank sides.
He webbed up a big shelter in the corner of the tank and he uses it often...
I don't see a reason to use small enclosure considering the natural "infinite terrarium" that they live in...
The sling is in huge 60x30x30 aquarium at the moment and I have no problems with him that everyone talks about.

Yes that was the guy!! I couldn't find his posts last night!

The humidity in my house is really low,sometimes dropping under 30% so I have to keep one small part of the substrate wet all the time(I don't mist my tank because it makes the glass dirty) so during the night the humidity rises to 60-70% and during the day it is in the 45-60% range.
The temps are in the 23-29 degC range.
 

markowolf

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 15, 2013
Messages
46
Today I have modified the enclosure top and I have made a top mount for the roots out of a 12mm Perspex plexiglass...

The color and bark texture of the roots are amazing... I can't wait to finish the lighting and put some green in it ;)







I apologize for the glare...










 

just1moreT

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 1, 2009
Messages
435
I think when that GBB grows up it will have always thought it was in the wild ,looks like a good set up to me, yeah big for a sling but he will find a patch of ground to call home in there
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
I don't see a reason to use small enclosure considering the natural "infinite terrarium" that they live in...

I think the pics are helpful- thanks!

Regarding infinite terrarium, I understand your reasoning as I think the same way on some level. However in the wild, scientific studies have shown in some NW terrestrial species that they really don't live too far from where they hatched from. At most maybe a few square meters, it's not a very large area at all. So all that natural space is not used up at all from any given group of hatchlings ESP by females.
 

markowolf

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 15, 2013
Messages
46
I think the pics are helpful- thanks!

Regarding infinite terrarium, I understand your reasoning as I think the same way on some level. However in the wild, scientific studies have shown in some NW terrestrial species that they really don't live too far from where they hatched from. At most maybe a few square meters, it's not a very large area at all. So all that natural space is not used up at all from any given group of hatchlings ESP by females.
I know what You mean... I read every possible text about T's that I could find online and I know all the reasons why most keep them in small enclosures...
I just like the idea and also a great challenge to simulate T's natural environment successfully!I never had problems...
I enjoy naturalistic display enclosures...
 

markowolf

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 15, 2013
Messages
46
This is my current setup for a GBB.
I just wanted to show the plants that I am planing to use.

The lighting will be CFL 2 bulbs 14w 6500K CRI 81 and 2 bulbs 14w 2700K CRI 81 . I am working on a high tech light hood with integrated fan,reflectors and a plastic grid for light spill control so I don't light the whole room but just the terrarium...

LED is at this moment too complicated to work with because there is no data of spectrum or CRI of the bulbs...



 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
LED is at this moment too complicated to work with because there is no data of spectrum or CRI of the bulbs...
As of only 2 yrs ago the LED industry has no manufacturing standards regarding what makes a white LED, white. So while they look white, their exact spectra is unknown because there is no standard!

Nice looking setup! Be curious to see where the GBB takes up residence.
 

vespers

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Messages
712
There are LED lights appropriate for vivs and aquariums. 'Jungle Dawn' LED "bulbs" have been in use for a few years now. The dart frog guys have been using them with good results. Current-USA has some capable systems out too...mostly directed at aquarium keepers. There are others too.

The humidity in my house is really low,sometimes dropping under 30% so I have to keep one small part of the substrate wet all the time(I don't mist my tank because it makes the glass dirty) so during the night the humidity rises to 60-70% and during the day it is in the 45-60% range.
The temps are in the 23-29 degC range.
Under 30%/really low is fine and desired...Rick West apparently noted a daytime humidity of 29% in their natural habitat while he was there. I'd be trying to keep humidity down more if I were you, at least once its out of the sling stage.
 

fuzzyavics72

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 3, 2011
Messages
494
Hanging the wood is a cleaver ideab but what if the gbb falls? They arent aboreals and they wont be able to take a fall from that height..
 
Last edited:

markowolf

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 15, 2013
Messages
46
As of only 2 yrs ago the LED industry has no manufacturing standards regarding what makes a white LED, white. So while they look white, their exact spectra is unknown because there is no standard!

Nice looking setup! Be curious to see where the GBB takes up residence.
Thanks! I read a lot about lighting these days and there are solutions with LED lighting but it is too expensive...

GBB has made her web/substrate burrow in the right corner under the hygro/thermo meter! I am curious to see where will she web in her new enclosure!!

---------- Post added 05-04-2014 at 04:23 PM ----------

There are LED lights appropriate for vivs and aquariums. 'Jungle Dawn' LED "bulbs" have been in use for a few years now. The dart frog guys have been using them with good results. Current-USA has some capable systems out too...mostly directed at aquarium keepers. There are others too.

Under 30%/really low is fine and desired...Rick West apparently noted a daytime humidity of 29% in their natural habitat while he was there. I'd be trying to keep humidity down more if I were you, at least once its out of the sling stage.
I found a lot of LED lights that are suitable for use in terrarium but the price is still to big for me... CFL is much simpler to work with...
Those cheaper LED's don't have any tech data about them available...

I have to say that I am surprised to hear that under 30% RH is fine for a GBB... I know everyone says they like it bone dry but no one mentioned any numbers...
My GBB has molted few days ago into 4th instar so when she gets her adult colors I'll lower the humidity to under 40%...

---------- Post added 05-04-2014 at 04:27 PM ----------

Hanging the wood is a cleaver ideab but what if the gbb falls? They arent aboreals and they wont be able to take a fall from that height..
I am worried about that too but I've seen a lot of arboreal setups in Germany for a GBB.I'll keep a 4" substrate on the bottom...
Also I have seen her climb the walls only the first day when I got her and never again!!
 

Bipolar Spider

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 18, 2013
Messages
47
Hanging the wood is a cleaver ideab but what if the gbb falls? They arent aboreals and they wont be able to take a fall from that height..
Can you please post the thread where that happened? A terrestrial died from falling in an exo, still trying to find that thread and just keep running into opinions instead of actual proof
 

markowolf

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 15, 2013
Messages
46
Today I have made a trial honeycomb grid from A LOT of black plastic straws! I will use it to control light spill out of the terrarium all over my room...

I will loose some light but I would loose it anyway trough the glass... without the filter it is uncomfortably bright all around the terrarium...

 

markowolf

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 15, 2013
Messages
46
A little update... It is really hard to take quality photos with a phone...









---------- Post added 08-20-2014 at 07:22 PM ----------

 

pyro fiend

Arachnoprince
Joined
Dec 29, 2013
Messages
1,216
to me this just doesnt look comfortable for a T. maybe im basing it off of my fish tanks. but you have single lights beaming in specific places.. if you was to use a led strip like from a hardwear store and filter it i think its be more apeasing to you and the T. as 4 bright spots instead of one nice light bar would make me think a T more willing to come out and display... also iv got to agree with it just being way to big for an adult gbb. and based off your pics it looks like even your current enclosures way to big based off the hole you can kinda see looks maybe 2-3in? and in a 10g? which also could use alot more sub..

i mean this is a great idea. even the current settup is nice. heck i even thought of doing similar with a 30x30x45 but on its side for a gbb once its adult. but id never do it with a 45x45x60 thats just way too tall on its side filled 1/2 way on the sides with a dipping middle so it can burrow under the roots.. that would be great. kinda how mine was planned. but i think this would be better for another species just my $0.02 tho..

imo seasonal lighting [the christmas style lights in the plastic/ruber hose] are pretty nice for brightness. or even something ment for under cabnet lighting would work but just feel like that light is like a 8500K bulb and thats a little bright for any nocturnal animal especially to be turned on for many hours at a time
 

markowolf

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 15, 2013
Messages
46
Well... I measured the light with a PAR meter and compared it with the full sun at noon here where I live and it has a lower intensity then the sun.
There is plenty of sun in Venezuela,GBB natural habitat and in my terrarium there is also a lot of shade and dark spots(where she spun her burrow) so it is very close natural habitat.
If I used any other lighting I wouldn't get the result that I wanted!!I tried Fluo,CFL,LED and LED stripes.This turned out to be the best.

The light cycle is 8h.

The size of the terrarium is in MY opinion far too small compared to natural terrarium and I never really had ANY problems with feeding,falls or anything else with wolfs and a GBB.

I don't handle my spiders or disturb them in any way except when feeding and plant watering at the same time.

In fact!! I have a really,really bad opinion about keepers that keep their animals in a yogurt cup(sized) terrariums!!!
Many should learn from my examples that not all that everybody says online is the truth!!

In MY opinion,my terrariums are as close as it can get to natural habitat for wolf spiders and a GBB.
 
Top