How do you regulate day/night cycle?

soundsmith · Oct 23, 2015

Just wondering how everyone goes about making sure their specimens are getting a solid day/night cycle. Right now I have them all on a rack that is getting indirect sunlight from a blinded window, and additionally I turn the ceiling fan light on at about 8am and turn it off at about 7-8pm, every day. I may be overthinking it but for whatever reason the idea of the ceiling fan light just popping on and then popping off so bluntly every day, I'm not sure if that is anything to be concerned with. How do you simulate day/night? Anyone using timers or dimmers?

cold blood · Oct 23, 2015

Ts do not require a day light cycle or light at all. Mine live in perpetual darkness.

Austin S. · Oct 23, 2015

Unless you are breeding a certain few species, (which I will not share).. heh... you do not need a light cycle. They will be just fine.

soundsmith · Oct 23, 2015

Oh wow... turning the light off then! I just assumed, circadian rhythm and all that. Should I block off the window completely then?

Austin S. · Oct 23, 2015

soundsmith said:
Oh wow... turning the light off then! I just assumed, circadian rhythm and all that. Should I block off the window completely then?

That is up to you. T's prefer the dark.

We has light blinds in our T room. It let a lot of light in. I decided to change that and purchased the anti uva/uvb curtains. Its nice, cozy, and dark in there now and the T's have become more active.

I am breeding a dozen t's at the moment though, so this is the only reason I did it.
If you're not breeding, I wouldn't worry about making it darker. It'll be fine.

Chris LXXIX · Oct 23, 2015

I use the normal size window i have in my room. T's prefer dark, yes, and they highly dislike artificial (or too much) light. But normal day/night light filtered trough the window, not directly directed of course to them or the enclosures, wouldn't harm them.

It's up to you and is a plus. I do that, i love to do that because i think is normal. Think about Psalmopoeus cambridgei, who lives in his/her Trinidad tall tree "estate", they obviously feel day/night.

But isn't essential, seriously.

soundsmith · Oct 23, 2015

Thanks guys, I'll just leave the light in the ceiling off.

awiec · Oct 23, 2015

I just open and close my shades, unless you're breeding it really doesn't matter what the day length is. I do have a spider who is very consistent, 2 hours after sundown she comes out and then hides by dawn, doesn't matter if the room is dark or not, she just knows.

soundsmith · Oct 23, 2015

awiec said:
I just open and close my shades, unless you're breeding it really doesn't matter what the day length is. I do have a spider who is very consistent, 2 hours after sundown she comes out and then hides by dawn, doesn't matter if the room is dark or not, she just knows.

That's really interesting, what species is she?

awiec · Oct 23, 2015

soundsmith said:
That's really interesting, what species is she?

Orphnaceus sp Blue, my specimen might just be a little odd though as I don't think I've heard of another one of the species doing that.

lalberts9310 · Oct 23, 2015

awiec said:
Orphnaceus sp Blue, my specimen might just be a little odd though as I don't think I've heard of another one of the species doing that.

Actually ours does that too, our T room is very dark throughout the whole day and have noticed more activity among my spiders when it stays dark than when I open the curtains. Except for our O. sp. "Blue". She will only be active and out on display after sundown and hide at dawn.

Angel Minkov · Oct 23, 2015

Austin S. said:
Unless you are breeding a certain few species, (which I will not share).. heh... you do not need a light cycle. They will be just fine.

Mind slipping me a PM of the genera whose members might need this. Nothing specific.

Austin S. · Oct 23, 2015

Angel Minkov said:
Mind slipping me a PM of the genera whose members might need this. Nothing specific.

Maybe...

If you clear out your PM's...

cold blood · Oct 23, 2015

awiec said:
I just open and close my shades, unless you're breeding it really doesn't matter what the day length is. I do have a spider who is very consistent, 2 hours after sundown she comes out and then hides by dawn, doesn't matter if the room is dark or not, she just knows.

The only light my room gets comes in through the sides of the shade, depending on time of day and weather, it may not be seen for days, even at its brightest I still need to use a light to actually get good looks into enclosures....but the ts always know when the sun goes down outside. This is when you see hunting begin. Last ones out to hunt every night are the LVs, they really like the darkness, or hate the light.

I even noticed this when I kept them in a basement for a year and a half, mind you, I only had a couple at the time, but despite being in a windowless room at a constant temp in the 60s year round, they always reacted to light schedules, season changes and fasting schedules like they knew exactly what was going on. I found this to be quite impressive.

TsunamiSpike · Oct 23, 2015

I regulate mine by opening and closing the curtains.

Formerphobe · Oct 23, 2015

I have a bunch of baskers. I recently moved my room from the south side of the house that got a lot of light to the north side that is heavily shaded by trees. The T room has become much less active. I only have a few species that are strictly night owls. They still only come out at night no matter how dark the room is throughout the day.

viper69 · Oct 24, 2015

Austin S. said:
Maybe...

If you clear out your PM's...

I'm equally as curious to read such a PM Austin

awiec · Oct 24, 2015

Formerphobe said:
I have a bunch of baskers. I recently moved my room from the south side of the house that got a lot of light to the north side that is heavily shaded by trees. The T room has become much less active. I only have a few species that are strictly night owls. They still only come out at night no matter how dark the room is throughout the day.

I've noted that my T.gigas always enjoyed some sun-bathing and some freshly molted spiders would come sit in the sun light to presumably help them harden up.

AphonopelmaTX · Oct 24, 2015

Austin S. said:
Unless you are breeding a certain few species, (which I will not share).. heh... you do not need a light cycle. They will be just fine.

I learned a long time ago to not take anyone seriously who publicly claims to have information but won't share it publicly.

As for simulating day and night, why simulate? Don't cover the window(s).

awiec · Oct 24, 2015

AphonopelmaTX said:
I learned a long time ago to not take anyone seriously who publicly claims to have information but won't share it publicly.

As for simulating day and night, why simulate? Don't cover the window(s).

I open and close my shades just because my boyfriend doesn't like the idea of the neighbors being able to look into the room at dark I guess?

How do you regulate day/night cycle?

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