REMODEL of new enclosure for my B. smithi

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RickysReptiles

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(Video & Pics) redone B. smithi enclosure

I have remodeled my new B. Smithi enclosure; here are 4 pics. If you want more detail I've also posted a long winded video below with more detail and explaination.

Far left to far right:






Here is the video (Available in HD):

[YOUTUBE]jHD1qJYPiUU[/YOUTUBE]
 
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14pokies

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Poec54 said:
No, but it is too sparse and barren.
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I just watched the video finally I was getting an error msg before...of course my first comment was just a joke, I remembered the previous thread...

I have to agree with poec its pretty spartan and the soil looks too wet IMO... In an enclosure the big I would have multiple hides and some fake plants..
She needs cover or she's gonna stress... She also needs a water dish (or multiple water dishes) and stand to get her off of the floor...

I like to see people experimenting with cageing but... I'm sorry that just seems to big and the height of her enclosure will never be enough to afford s burrow...

She seems so small in there I feel it leaves her too exposed... You can fine tune it( add hides dishes plants drier sub) but that in itself is going to stress her out. Its what 3 rehouses in a week? Just my honest opinion not trying to bash you bro!

Ps...I noticed a cord running to the enclosure is that a heat pad? If it is be really careful.. Heat pads can kill Ts!
 
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RickysReptiles

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Think of this as the canvas, I still need to add more to it. I wanted to leave it barren and empty for now so that she will start to use the hide in there, and become more used to it.

She did find the hide that I put in there, and uses it. This morning I went to check on her and found her on the far end of the enclosure, but the moment I started to open the lid she bolted..ran straight towards and then into her hide. SUCCESS! Her happy place (so far) is the hide. Now, it's only day 1, so her comfort level is still very low. The last time I re-homed her she did the same thing. She hung out in her hide, but didn't do any digging till a few nights later. So I'll leave it as is for a week or 2 just to get some behavioral results, and then I'll add stuff.

The soil is barely damp, it just looks wet - it's not.

No cord in the enclosure, or heat for the T. There is a cord running behind it, that goes to the snake's enclosures.

Here she is in her hide....


EDIT: I should note that I have added 2 water "dishes". I took the video pretty much the moment I finished with the soil, and just hadn't added them in yet. There is one on either side of her tunnel.
 
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anarchaddict

anarchaddict

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I think you are using the space well by making 2 smaller areas connected by a tunnel. Less intimidating for her, perhaps. You are doing great with it, sorry others have been so hard on you, but they are making you think like a T so we should thank them.
 
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RickysReptiles

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anarchaddict said:
I think you are using the space well by making 2 smaller areas connected by a tunnel. Less intimidating for her, perhaps. You are doing great with it, sorry others have been so hard on you, but they are making you think like a T so we should thank them.
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Thanks for the compliment. I appreciate everyone feedback, both positive and negative. I'm not a T expert, so all the help I can get is good help :)
 
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fuzzyavics72

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Why don't you put a Theraphosa, Pamphobeteus, or Xenesthis species in that enclosure? You could make a really cool enclosure for a massive tarantula. And unlike most brachys they will actually move more than once per hour lol. That's a waste of a massive enclosure on a B. Smithi. I have my smithi in a 5.5 gallon tank.
 
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RickysReptiles

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fuzzyavics72 said:
Why don't you put a Theraphosa, Pamphobeteus, or Xenesthis species in that enclosure? You could make a really cool enclosure for a massive tarantula. And unlike most brachys they will actually move more than once per hour lol. That's a waste of a massive enclosure on a B. Smithi. I have my smithi in a 5.5 gallon tank.
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Because this is the T I chose; and myself and the rest of my family love her to bits! My son even has a toy B. Smithi to get used to until he's old enough to see the real one:

 
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fuzzyavics72

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I would use a different enclosure choice then. You can't have more than one tarantula?!

I love your choice of tarantula(since I have two girls myself). B smithi is one of tmy top favorites.
 
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RickysReptiles

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fuzzyavics72 said:
I would use a different enclosure choice then. You can't have more than one tarantula?!
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I can, but I don't want more than 1. If I'm going to get another animal, I'd rather get something different. I've got 2 cats, 2 snakes and a T at the moment. For now I'm satisfied with what I've got, and I'm not looking to replace any pets or add anymore.
 
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fuzzyavics72

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Oh okay. I give you credit, this hobby is my only addiction and it's bad lol. I can't ever just have only one lol. That's awesome you're getting your son into the hobby. One day when I have kids I hope they'll get into this amazing hobby!
 
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RickysReptiles

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This morning when I went to check on her she was in as far as the tunnel would allow her to go - but in the past few hours she has dug the tunnel a bit deeper. She now fits in all the way. You can see her from the front, but from a top view she's gone.

 
scott99

scott99

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she's trying to hide. her enclosure is still to big. your just wasting room. :embarrassed:
 
Austin S.

Austin S.

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All tarantulas will hide... especially towards the beginning after being put into a new container/tank.
Your tank isn't too big. You can also take a little dirt out if you want. I'd do that, add some fake plants, WATER BOWL, etc. They are from Mexico, make that sucker look straight out of Mexico.

I am working on a tank for my Megaphobema mesomelas adult female. She's 6", the tank is a 75 gal. It is HUGE, but will mimic their natural habitat of Costa Rica. Some one will always have something to complain about, but as long as you meet the tarantulas criteria, they by no means, have the right to. I always say this when people complain about a tank being too large, "I wonder how they make it in the wild". As long as that criteria is met(which you already have), and you feed it, you're set my friend.
 
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RickysReptiles

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Austin S. said:
All tarantulas will hide... especially towards the beginning after being put into a new container/tank.
Your tank isn't too big. You can also take a little dirt out if you want. I'd do that, add some fake plants, WATER BOWL, etc. They are from Mexico, make that sucker look straight out of Mexico.

I am working on a tank for my Megaphobema mesomelas adult female. She's 6", the tank is a 75 gal. It is HUGE, but will mimic their natural habitat of Costa Rica. Some one will always have something to complain about, but as long as you meet the tarantulas criteria, they by no means, have the right to. I always say this when people complain about a tank being too large, "I wonder how they make it in the wild". As long as that criteria is met(which you already have), and you feed it, you're set my friend.
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Thanks, I appreciate that.

I am waiting to see where she digs. I'll probably give it a few weeks to see where, or if, she starts to dig. Once I know that I'll add some plants. I'm not sure if I should add living moss, or plastic grasses. I may do a mix of the 2.

As far as the depth of the dirt, it's only very deep where it slopes on the ends and in the center. The rest is only about 2" thick.

What do you think about plants - suggestions? I've been looking everywhere for natural habitat photos for B. Smithi and can't find any! If I could get my hand on some then I could recreate it.
 
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