Taj Mahal of tarantula enclosures

[dmattenski]

So my 5yo Brachypelma boehmei (Mexican fire leg) got to a point where she would sit in the same place for days on end; I worried that she was going downhill even though they can live to 20+. So I spent an absurd number of hours, and an even more ridiculous about of money to build a new home, twice. The first time it fell apart, but I am now an expert on acrylic bonding, drilling, and bracketing. Octavia now spends her days cruising back and forth and up and down, making use of her new burrow and her two crystal water bowls. For the love of a spider, I give you my Arachnid Taj Mahal.

 

[rock]

Nice I bet you find her impersonating a rock again soon enough
Careful with that big drop, too, she looks like an engorged tick and would probably explode if she fell.

 

[dmattenski]

Nice I bet you find her impersonating a rock again soon enough
Careful with that big drop, too, she looks like an engorged tick and would probably explode if she fell.

Only 14" top to bottom, she learned quick to walk on the branch, and discovered she can walk on walls!

 

[rock]

Only 14" top to bottom, she learned quick to walk on the branch, and discovered she can walk on walls!

Right on, I just get concerned when they’re big like that. My B hamorii has some junk in the trunk and I keep enough substrate in her tank so the fall from the lid is only about 7”.
I’m probably just being paranoid...

 

[Wolfram1]

I will be honest, i don't think this is a suitable habitat and i would not house a spider in it as it is, but at the same time i am amazed by it. A weird combination. Certainly a sparkly palace and great building skills indeed.

My main concern here is that despite all the space you have created, it is all loose coco-fibre and i see no real burrow or proper hide anywhere. No real hiding places to be safely tucked away ether, nor enough substrate to burrow.
The wood looks more ornamental than like a functional hide and i can't tell what you would designate as the second hide? That cylinder certainly is not a functional one.

I do think if you arranged and set it up differently you could make it work. For example you could slope the substrate in the left part up to the lip on the right part mimicking an embankment, were it could create a burrow if you filled it up to the top with substrate.
Just like a cutout of a roadside embankment.



Anyway it all seems too convoluted to use over a normal enclosure for me. Even if you set it up differently. edit: seems like a problem for you to work out @Dorifto
Regards,
Wolfram

 

[me and my Ts]

I agree with @Wolfram1 this is an unsuitable enclosure, there is no hide and not enough substrate, however I think it could be pretty cool to make a dart frog vivarium out of this

 

[viper69]

seems like there is fall death potential.

reminds me of a snake box I saw once.


Does the cylinder on the right get used?

 

[The Snark]

I will be honest, i don't think this is a suitable habitat and i would not house a spider in it as it is,

Be great for a rattler or two. Always be able to see where they are.

 

[dmattenski]

I will be honest, i don't think this is a suitable habitat and i would not house a spider in it as it is, but at the same time i am amazed by it. A weird combination. Certainly a sparkly palace and great building skills indeed.

My main concern here is that despite all the space you have created, it is all loose coco-fibre and i see no real burrow or proper hide anywhere. No real hiding places to be safely tucked away ether, nor enough substrate to burrow.
The wood looks more ornamental than like a functional hide and i can't tell what you would designate as the second hide? That cylinder certainly is not a functional one.

I do think if you arranged and set it up differently you could make it work. For example you could slope the substrate in the left part up to the lip on the right part mimicking an embankment, were it could create a burrow if you filled it up to the top with substrate.
Just like a cutout of a roadside embankment.



Anyway it all seems too convoluted to use over a normal enclosure for me. Even if you set it up differently. edit: seems like a problem for you to work out @Dorifto
Regards,
Wolfram

It's a work in progress and has been modified since. The "burrow" is now covered on the top and light into the sides is blocked. She uses it often. She also has a second hiding spot behind the wood. The wood was put in there for her to have a way to traverse across and up and down. It's a bit wonky as it was designed to hang on the wall where her previous enclosure was, working around some stationary elements, but then we decided to put it in a different place. I wanted something multi-level. I'm still working on what else I can use to enhance it, like live or fake plants. She tends to move them around - but it's her enclosure, so that's fine, just doesn't look to cool. Anyway, appreciate your comments, but I love it.

 

[Smotzer]

I commend you for the work you put into this but it is in no way set up for a tarantula, no depth to burrow, nowhere to hide, fall risk- not enough substrate in bottom section, etc. you want no more than 1.5x dls from substrate to lid in the top to low bottom section, you probably need a good 5-6 more inches to make that fall risk safe. We should never be encouraging climbing on terrestrial/fossorial tarantula, and leave things like this for arboreals.

 

[dmattenski]

Wow, folks sure are critical. But I will take it as constructive criticism. It's a work in progress. I've put in more substrate. She has several hiding places now, including the burrow. Working on plants. Not sure I agree about the climbing thing, terrestrial animals crawl all over things, and I've set it up so she has lots to climb on and over. She is much more active, particularly at night, so I'm gonna believe that this is a much more stimulating environment than the straight box she was in. Thanks for your input.

 

[rock]

It's a work in progress and has been modified since. The "burrow" is now covered on the top and light into the sides is blocked. She uses it often.

Good idea, if you pack the substrate more firmly in there she will scrape it out and make it her own.

The wood was put in there for her to have a way to traverse across and up and down

Maybe an earthen ramp would be better, it will cushion any falls and you can place decorations on it to create more hiding places.

I wanted something multi-level.

It is different than what we usually see around here, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong lol.

I'm still working on what else I can use to enhance it, like live or fake plants.

Fake plants would be great as they don’t require any care, but if you want live plants maybe you could grow tillandsia on strings hanging from the lid to keep them out of the way.

 

[Wolfram1]

Yea, don't take it personally.

What you will find is that on this forum at least, the focus is on helping people create enclosures with the least risk for their animals. Yours does give them a wider range of options/movement but increases the risk in equal measure.

For example spiders have been known to be less nimble during premolt and while i do think it most likely won't fall under normal circumstances it just takes one bad fall to end the life of your prized spider.

Also i strongly question whether they need a

more stimulating environment

as you put it, i would say if housed properly they do not.

Anyway, i wish you and your animal the best.

 

[rock]

Wow, folks sure are critical. But I will take it as constructive criticism. It's a work in progress. I've put in more substrate. She has several hiding places now, including the burrow. Working on plants. Not sure I agree about the climbing thing, terrestrial animals crawl all over things, and I've set it up so she has lots to climb on and over. She is much more active, particularly at night, so I'm gonna believe that this is a much more stimulating environment than the straight box she was in. Thanks for your input.

I’m just spitballing’ here. You can obviously make it however you want to. She will climb, you just want to minimize the risk of injury if she falls somehow

 

[dmattenski]

seems like there is fall death potential.

reminds me of a snake box I saw once.


Does the cylinder on the right get used?

yes the cylinder has been modified so she uses it as a burrow.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Regarding substrate, can I use cypress forest bedding in addition to coco fiber? When I first got her I heard lots about not using it as it was too big, and they could get tangled during molting. Any of that a real concern?

 

[Smotzer]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Regarding substrate, can I use cypress forest bedding in addition to coco fiber? When I first got her I heard lots about not using it as it was too big, and they could get tangled during molting. Any of that a real concern?
View attachment 414543

Could you? Yeah, but it’s not exactly anything that is appropriate for burrowing it’s mulch and that’s not suitable. Coco-fiber, topsoil for filling holes, or peat moss, are much better suited.

 

[rock]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Regarding substrate, can I use cypress forest bedding in addition to coco fiber? When I first got her I heard lots about not using it as it was too big, and they could get tangled during molting. Any of that a real concern?
View attachment 414543

I use coco coir, sphagnum or peat moss , sometimes organic topsoil , I use a little bit of shredded coconut sometimes

Here’s one of my spiders with a bit of mulch just for texture. It’s mostly coco coir. The mulch isn’t good at holding it’s shape

 

[Wolfram1]

In general you want to avoid using this kind rough reptile bedding, it is not suitable for them.

will they survive it, yes, heck people used to keep spiders on pebbles or sand, they are hardy creatures and a little rough coco-husk sprinkled over the top, like the @rock showed is no issue, but that doesn't make it a good substrate to use

personally i have been using less and less store bought substrate and tend to collect and mix the dirt i use myself, however that kind of dirt is much heavier, which would be a problem for an enclosure like this



how did you modify the enclosure and cylinder after the initial picture? It is hard to help if we are not working with current information ...

 

[goonius]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Regarding substrate, can I use cypress forest bedding in addition to coco fiber? When I first got her I heard lots about not using it as it was too big, and they could get tangled during molting. Any of that a real concern?
View attachment 414543

The possibility of damage from a higher than 1.5” DLS fall is increased the more sharp things there are on the ground to land on. That said, those heights plus a bark-like substrate don’t seem like a good idea.

I would stick to the substrate options rock listed. If you want more texture you could add a little sphagnum or lichen, some oak leaves from a guaranteed safe pesticide-free area — things to add to the aesthetic, but allow for a soft landing.

I’m impressed by the design of the enclosure. I wish I had the skill to design my own rather than just modifying existing AMAC and other acrylic boxes. Like others, as it is set up, I do think it poses some risks, but there have been some really good suggestions on here about revisions that could make it safer.

I’ll be curious to see if, after setting in, your tarantula becomes something of a rock again. It’s my observation from my own spiders and from things I’ve read that tarantulas are most active when settling into a new environment. Once they are settled, they become less active. Not out of boredom or lack of stimulation, it’s just their innate nature.

 

[Frogdaddy]

While I admire your handiwork, you've created a habitrail for spiders.