Tarantulas and display lighting

xirxes

Arachnosquire
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So this is not an appeal to the T's most natural environment, but more an issue for display lighting.

I want to prominently display my T's so that can experience their best color when they are out. I have enclosures basically like tarantulacages.com for my group, and I plan to light them with cool white LED strips from ikea, one 6 led strip per enclosure.

I am planning on ~12 hours light a day timed, and if I don't see them enough, I may find a way to have a small heat source outside the enclosures to draw them on out.

What lighting have you all tried and liked?

Is there any data on issues with LED vs fluorescent light affect on T's?

Any suggestions for how to see the T's more often?
 

cold blood

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The best lighting is a red light, leave it on at night when they're most active.

I don't have any enclosures lit, I just give natural light from a window. When I want a look, I use a small flashlight.
 

xirxes

Arachnosquire
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That's how they are now, one window shutters open to give natural indirect light, and I only ever use a red LED flashlight for viewing.

I will however want to artificially light these critters starting probably a year from now, when I move them into adult enclosures.
 

Oreo

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I imagine it shouldn't be an issue as long as the T has a good hide. I'd be interested in seeing your setups when you have them in place. :)
 

viper69

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I'm going to tell you the dirty little secret about LED lights, particularly white LED lights. In the LED industry there is no standard of manufacturing or quality control to demonstrate what generates white light. That means, one batch of LEDs may be different than the next. So, some are good, some are terrible. Like my LED flashlight, it's supposed to be white light, but it isn't, I can see a bluish tint to it. When I compare how my Ts look at night w/the LED flashlight and a normal flashlight with a bulb, the color of my Ts is VERY different.

So I'm not saying don't use LED lights, I'm telling you, don't expect consistency, because there isn't any. I know this for a FACT because I know a person who works at an engineering company that makes light filters. They do not make light filters for LED lights for mass consumption because there is no guarantee of what wavelengths of light are being emitted from white LED lights.
 

sezra

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Bear in mind, T's generally dont like bright light, and because of that I'm not really a big fan of providing artificial light in my T's enclosures. I did try it once before though and found that it actually discouraged my T's from being as active as they would have been without it.

I keep all of my T's on a shelf which doesnt get much light at all and they are always active! The only exception is my OBT who spends 90% of her time in her burrow. The only time I ever see her is at night.

Who knows though, you may have some success. Just dont over do it. Provide your little guys with plenty of places to hide and keep us informed.
 

viper69

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Bear in mind, T's generally dont like bright light, and because of that I'm not really a big fan of providing artificial light in my T's enclosures. I did try it once before though and found that it actually discouraged my T's from being as active as they would have been without it.

I keep all of my T's on a shelf which doesnt get much light at all and they are always active! The only exception is my OBT who spends 90% of her time in her burrow. The only time I ever see her is at night.

Who knows though, you may have some success. Just dont over do it. Provide your little guys with plenty of places to hide and keep us informed.

The light you tried....was it moon glow light, the ones that are bluish...details please.
 

sezra

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The light you tried....was it moon glow light, the ones that are bluish...details please.
I was really new to the hobby and used white LED strip lights. I didnt over do it either, but I found that direct light into the enclosures made my T's shy. As I said in my previous post, my T's are now kept in an area of the room that doesnt get direct light and they are super active. I'm sure its subjective though, and results will differ, but for me personally, I'd rather keep my animals in slightly darker conditions because I get to see them more.
 

xirxes

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I was really new to the hobby and used white LED strip lights. I didnt over do it either, but I found that direct light into the enclosures made my T's shy. As I said in my previous post, my T's are now kept in an area of the room that doesnt get direct light and they are super active. I'm sure its subjective though, and results will differ, but for me personally, I'd rather keep my animals in slightly darker conditions because I get to see them more.
I agree that in general T's will mill about and roam more with lower/ambient light only. I like that,unless molting or heavy premolt, my 4 T's are always out.

I have seen a well lit enclosure with communal P. ornatas all gathered out and in full glory with a simple, small heat source near the desired viewing area. To me , although not most pragmatic, is the best of both worlds.

---------- Post added 08-23-2014 at 11:49 PM ----------

Here is a test of the type of light that i will be using. It is a bit on the yellow side of the spectrum for my liking, but it was a great value. This is shown for brightness test over enclosures for my 2.5-3.5" slings.

[video=youtube;Syh18CUuJ_4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syh18CUuJ_4[/video]

let me know what you think of brightness. each enclosure will most likely have 2 lights over it, at 4-6" elevated above the enclosure.

as a side note, does the C.cyaneopubescens top right look like he is about to flip and molt or what? Defensive towards cricket yesterday, no attack, and super lethargic today.
 

viper69

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I agree that in general T's will mill about and roam more with lower/ambient light only. I like that,unless molting or heavy premolt, my 4 T's are always out.

I have seen a well lit enclosure with communal P. ornatas all gathered out and in full glory with a simple, small heat source near the desired viewing area. To me , although not most pragmatic, is the best of both worlds.

---------- Post added 08-23-2014 at 11:49 PM ----------

Here is a test of the type of light that i will be using. It is a bit on the yellow side of the spectrum for my liking, but it was a great value. This is shown for brightness test over enclosures for my 2.5-3.5" slings.

[video=youtube;Syh18CUuJ_4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syh18CUuJ_4[/video]

let me know what you think of brightness. each enclosure will most likely have 2 lights over it, at 4-6" elevated above the enclosure.

as a side note, does the C.cyaneopubescens top right look like he is about to flip and molt or what? Defensive towards cricket yesterday, no attack, and super lethargic today.

The GBB in the top right on the bottom needs a rehouse. That's basically a prison for that size T. However, if you really think it's going to molt, I wouldn't move it at all.


As for the light, the brightness is fine for daylight, but not for dusk or nighttime.
 

xirxes

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The GBB in the top right on the bottom needs a rehouse. That's basically a prison for that size T. However, if you really think it's going to molt, I wouldn't move it at all.


As for the light, the brightness is fine for daylight, but not for dusk or nighttime.
I'm all for rehousing, but this T has 3x legs pan in width and 2x leg span in height for enclosure. I am fairly sure that this is ideal for a terrestrial sling.

The only other housing I have for this T is it's adult enclosure, at 6"x12"x6". Will a 3" GBB sling/Juvie utilize this space?
 

vespers

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I'm all for rehousing, but this T has 3x legs pan in width and 2x leg span in height for enclosure. I am fairly sure that this is ideal for a terrestrial sling.

The only other housing I have for this T is it's adult enclosure, at 6"x12"x6". Will a 3" GBB sling/Juvie utilize this space?
So you're saying that GBB is currently in a 9 inch container in the video? Doubting it.

EDIT: A 6 x 12 enclosure should be ok for a 3 inch spider, but I wouldn't use an enclosure that small for an adult GBB (its too small).
 
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xirxes

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Sounds good!

New enclosure for the GBB, probably 5-8th of the month, following expected molt!
 

xirxes

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Well it was much more active than I imagined. Rehoused today: ImageUploadedByTapatalk1408998706.332903.jpg

Pothos should grow well with weekly water owl overfill. Can't wait to see the webs begin!
 

pyro fiend

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Well it was much more active than I imagined. Rehoused today: View attachment 129411

Pothos should grow well with weekly water owl overfill. Can't wait to see the webs begin!
iv been keeping pothos in my roseas and iv found its a lil better to have the potho in a pot under it as the subs too deep and soaks all up but also seeps deep in soil leaving potho lil dryer then youd like.. id say add a pot under it :) i myself have to wait as my girls in premolt and cant stress her by moving entire enclosure arond my plants are getting too little water and dieing =\
 
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vespers

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Well it was much more active than I imagined. Rehoused today: View attachment 129411

Pothos should grow well with weekly water owl overfill. Can't wait to see the webs begin!
GBB's are a xeric species, and should be kept that way. Pothos are tropical, you won't find pothos or damp mosses in Chromatopelma's native habitat. That kind of moisture and excessive humidity can be detrimental to your spider.
 

ratluvr76

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GBB's are a xeric species, and should be kept that way. Pothos are tropical, you won't find pothos or damp mosses in Chromatopelma's native habitat. That kind of moisture and excessive humidity can be detrimental to your spider.
see now this is why I love coming here. I had NO idea what "xeric" meant.. I love coming here, and I love google. ;)
 

Storm76

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I'd aim for a number of sticks leaned or glued against the sides for the T to achor webbing onto. Corkbark would work as well. As has been said, plants aren't really working for a GBB enclosure.
 

xirxes

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It turns out that the GBB has climbed and is webbing all over the leaves anyway, so this won't work either way.

Will remove and add some more wood after molt.
 
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