Brachypelma smithi re-housing

JamieLawrence wrote:

iitomodachi1 wrote:

How big is your T now? And how big is it's current enclosure? Lastly what enclosure are you thinking about moving it to?

If it is too big for it's current enclosure then yes, if not, it depends on the other things. Post some pix up if you gottem' Bro

Ok mate, give me until later today and I'll get a thread up with pics of my spider, current enclosure and the one I've got set-up and see what you think.

Right, so here they are. Been really busy so they're just quick snaps. Here's a picture of my B. smithi that moulted recently. The molt is still down the burrow but has been pushed up against the original entrance to the burrow that it closed off so I reckon it would have been put out by now, also fangs look black now.



These are the two tanks I've got set-up for both my spiders that will hopefully be big enough for them right through adulthood.





And now a few for comparison of the tank B. smithi is in at the moment infront of the new tanks.









My original question was how long should I wait to feed and re-house the T after a molt but seeing as the new tanks are taking longer to dry some than I thought It's more how much should I dry the new tank out and whether it's not too big to re-house as soon as it's dry enough. Also whether I'm good to feed it tonight.

Cheers and let me know what you think.

Duh I forgot measurement! The tank it's in at the moment is 8x6x6inch and the bigger ones are 12x8x8inch.

I know the tank it's in at the moment is probably fine I just sort of need the tank for something else

Awesome pics Jamie, do they have humidity problems? really dont know anything about T's i read that some burrow is yours one that does? Really like your setups those logs are cool... still debating on weather to get a T or not lol its my birthday soon could ask for one, im just worried i wont know what to do with it, they seem scarier than scorpions and i dont really have a fear of spiders so duno why im so iffy about them lol

Cheers!

No not humidity problems as such, they like it dry so I'm waiting for the new tanks to dry out some. I'm not really sure what I was getting at now lol now that I know feeding is fine and that I'll have to wait until it dries out to rehouse anyway.

Yeah both my T's burrow, I think most terrestrial's do. You can see it's burrow in a couple of pics, it's almost the size of the whole tank just one big cave rather than the tunnels of scorpions.

I was the same, hated spiders but since getting my first one I've fell in love. You can tell why they're so popular. I see my T's ALOT more than the scorps. They have such strange behaviour. They're so similar to scorps yet so different. The care is almost identical.

Any calm terrestrial T is a good start from what I've learnt, like mine above. If you can deal with all those scorpions you'd be fine with a T.

What would you recommend as a starter T then, and which size, spiderling or larger? Your T's burrow is like what our madras have done, it looks like a tunnel against the side of the tank but it goes way bk like a cave lol

Also where do you get yr moss from? So do all T's just have cocoa fibre? Is there a certain amount like the 4-6" with scorps?

**Edit just read this - *Please note that ALL tarantulas have a certain amount of venom. Although most people are not affected by this species, some people may be allergic to the venom, or just more sensitive, making it a dangerous situation. This is one of the reasons that people should not handle this tarantula. Also, New World species of tarantulas like this one can flick urticating hairs off of their abdomens, which can also cause a reaction, depending on the person. Affects of this tarantulas' natural defenses may vary between people. All tarantulas should be considered dangerous, so be careful, because you don't want to find out if you are allergic or more sensitive the HARD WAY!


*** do you handle yours? Are they likely to "bite" I've handle some scorps but T's seem more scary to me lol

Well I'm still new to them myself but my first T was a Grammostola pulchripes (chaco golden knee) and I loved it but since getting the T shown here, B. smithi (Mexican red knee) I've wished I got it first. The colour's are much more striking and it's over taken my other in size already. Both of these species are really calm, the B. smithi will flick hairs though whereas the G. pulchripes wont do anything.

I'd probably recommend medium/sub-adult sized so they've got a few molts behind them and some to go.

Yep just wetted compacted and dried coco fibre. They love burrowing in it and mines built walls from it and web to close up around the burrow.

The moss comes in slabs, dried and cleaned for use in tanks. You wet it and it comes back to life. It's completely dry in the pics above, that's how it comes out the box, because I'm drying these tanks out I didn't want to wet it.

I get it from a amphibian site I use, I was going to write a review about them but wasn't too happy with the last order so didn't bother but here's the link. They have alot of great stuff for making tanks on here like the cork tubes, just a shame they use such crappy delivery, took 10 days to come and some of my cork tube were broken.

Dartfrog

Thanx for The info, will deffo go for B.smithi then, what happens when they fflick hairs at you, do they get stuck in you?

There's alot of other species that get recommended for beginners too I just don't have experience with them.

These calm terrestrials are not defensive and would rather run away than confrontation, they won't bite. Mine has flicked hairs at me when I handled it into it's new enclosure but they didn't seem to do anything. I don't think handling T's is a good idea, they're so delicate it's more of a risk to them than you.

sweet! nice b.smithi! those tanks are awesome

Cheers fella, congrats on the B. Bohemi breeding.

I'd like someone's thought's on whether it's alright to let T's grow into their tank or should it slowly step up as it grows as the new tanks are probably slightly too big. Just thought I'd try and get away with only one re-housing.

Shawn, you out there bro?

Hi Jamie.The B. smilthi looks great and your tank set ups are looking very nice.You can put the spiders in there now and they will be fine even when they reach adult size so put them in their new homes and enjoy.

I'm so glad i clicked on this thread. Awesome pics and enclosure my friend!

Now seriously, i've to ask what DSLR and lens are you on? Nice shot at your b.Smithi hahaz

Gotta love those T's enclosures you made as well. Thumbs up!

Cheers JC50, that's what I've been waiting to hear. They're still drying out a little so going to put them in within this week, I'll get pics up when I do.

Thanks GS, I'm really happy with them and can't wait to get the T's in them.

I think I told you my camera before when I said you're doing just as good on your phone! haha but anyway the camera is a canon 500D and I have 3 lens's. For the close-ups I've got a canon ef-s 60mm macro, the shot at the top was a quick snap hand held on auto settings (you can see a few legs out of focus) but I have been getting some better results lately on manual with a tri-pod. The normal shot's of the tanks are with my 18-55mm kit lens, then I have a 55-250mm zoom lens.

ahh.. i recalled, my bad bro.
It was only recently after saving up (for a DSLR) for some time, i begin to read more about the models and such and finally the 60mm / 100mm figures actually means something to me now.. lolz
Really excited about getting a DSLR and might need pointers from you in future

Hey, I like those cages
Very simple, but nice looking and just cool overall

No worries mate, yeah it's all really confusing at first. You get more working distance from the 100mm which is why most people recommend them because they're most likely shooting insects outside but for our use on scorps and such inside I've found the 60mm just fine. Plus it's cheaper too lol

You're already taking mad photo's, think what you could do with a DSLR!

Cheers H. laoticus, they're going in tonight.

Well to finish up on here, a few pics of B. smithi in her new home and I got something new for the other tank. A sub-adult hopefully female Aphonopelma bicoloratum.

wow yr B. smithi is gorgeous!!

Great setups, I bet you took some time working on them.

Cheers Bex. Come on! When are you going to be tempted to go the T side?

Cheers Ecstasy, your forum looks promising mate.

JamieLawrence wrote:

Cheers Bex. Come on! When are you going to be tempted to go the T side?

Cheers Ecstasy, your forum looks promising mate.

Thanks, I just need to get more users there and actively posting, few reasons being the mod team here are never really around so if you ever need help you can pretty much wash that away. I won't really go into any other details as I don't like to bash sites or anything.

Did you make those enclosures yourself? I have some questions if you did, because they look really nice and I'd be particularly interested in doing some myself.

I'm afraid I didn't make the actual enclosures myself they're from an enclosure specialist here in the UK called House of Spiders. Wish I had the skills though, would save me some dough

I hear that, I'm just curious about the hinges and what type of glue to hold them together, and if you actually need to sand the sides to get them to stick or not.

There's actually not hinges on these, they do make ones with hinges but they're more money. These just have pieces of perspex rods that the lid section sits on.

Check out this site for ideas
House of Spiders

I remember reading a thread awhile ago on another forum when I was looking into getting these tanks. They said they use a type of liquid cement that melts the two pieces together.

Ah found it, he mentions the glue he uses and where he get's the perspex hinges from.
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/spiders-inverts/422378-making-own-acrylic-perspex-enclosures.html