Gallon Jug Avic Enclosure

[octanejunkie]

I like the gallon jugs that Tom Moran and others are using for arboreals so I ordered a few.

Knowing Avics like to web up the top of their enclosures, and a top opener risks disturbing the T, I started experimenting with a lift-off setup that will leave the T undisturbed rather than the screw top the gallon jug comes with. I got an idea from Tom Moran's latest Avic sling housing video using deli cups.

I found that quart sized yogurt containers go about halfway into the mouth of the gallon jug before getting stuck, so it gave me an idea.

(ignore the painters tape in this pic, it's in the wrong spot)

I made sure the yogurt container was evenly inserted into the jug's mouth, not too tightly, and drew a line all around the yogurt container with a sharpie.

I measured the threaded lip of the jug from the inside of the next to the rim, it's about 1"

I wrapped 1" painters tape around the quart container inside of where I drew the line with the sharpie (tape between the line and bottom of the container) and cut the yogurt container with a razor blade.

I tucked the cut-off bottom into the top of the yogurt container UPSIDE down

Now the jug fits snugly on top of the upside down yogurt container, making an elevated base that can be filled with substrate and I can put any sort vertical stuff into the gallon jug, either gluing it in or resting against the inside neck.

The next step is to use a soldering iron to make vent holes in the gallon jug and drill a 1" hole in the top for watering and feeding that I will plug with a stopper.

Lastly, focusing back on the yogurt container base, I will glue the two pieces together from the inside, fill the remaining cavity with sand for weight and hot glue the lid on.
Then paint the base black and fill it with substrate.

The final product will look something like this

Anybody else make something like this?

 

[Yvonne G]

That's very inventive! Let us know how it works out.

 

[Arachnoclown]

Love the idea. How stable is it?

 

[octanejunkie]

Love the idea. How stable is it?

It's actually pretty stable, especially with the weighted base but I was considering a larger base pad about the same size as the gallon jug's dimensions

We shall see how 1.0 works out with my Avic in about a week!

 

[Jess S]

Extremely inventive. Nearest thing I've seen is those inverted amac boxes keepers use, but this involves a lot more creativity and tinkering.

Love the idea. Will look pretty when the base is painted.

If you glue the corkbark, have you thought about what difficulties would present in getting the t out if needed? How would you solve those challenges? Or would you just rest the piece rather than glue it?

 

[Soulman]

I just think it's going to be a difficult,removal of old bits of food ,may removal of the moult.and is the substrate only going to be in the cup.the base.and not cover the hole bottom.I hope you answer by showing your end product.hope it works

 

[menavodi]

Great idea and it looks good. The issue I had with something like this, it is very hard to get the spider out...like to rehouse or breeding.

 

[octanejunkie]

I just think it's going to be a difficult,removal of old bits of food ,may removal of the moult.and is the substrate only going to be in the cup.the base.and not cover the hole bottom.I hope you answer by showing your end product.hope it works

There are probably several aspects to it that are not ideal under every circumstance butI I'll try it with one spider and see how it goes.

 

[octanejunkie]

Prepped the Avic Jug today for re-housing our A. avic this weekend.

Melted holes all around and added a 5/8" feed/watering hole and bung to the top - I can always make this bigger if needed.

I glued the base halves together and spray painted the outside of the base black. I filled the cavity between the halves with sand. The base, empty of substrate, weighs 6.5oz.

The water dish will be placed on the substrate, as I plan to spray the enclosure fairly regularly, and that way I can swap out the water dish easily for cleaning vs. glueing it up high. I've seen my Avic crawl around her current enclosure enough to know it can go down to water as needed.

I positioned the cork bark and glued on leaves and some moss. I plugged the cork bark about mid way from the bottom to keep the spider from just living in the cork bark full time. I did the same thing at the top to keep critters out and filled the rest with moss.

Rather than glue the cork bark in, and have a hard time getting it and the spider out in the future as was suggested by @Jess S I came up with another solution. I cut and glued a golf tee on the inside, lower corner. The cork bark simply slides down on the tee, like a peg, and doesn't slip around. This way I can remove the entire cork bark by just lifting up about an inch and pulling it out.

I will fill the base with substrate tomorrow and let it sit for a day before transferring the spider.

 

[ilovebrachys]

It's a good idea how you have made it .. I hope it works well for you, do let us know how you find it once you start using it

 

[menavodi]

Great idea that you can move the entire bark out. Looks good. Let us know what your experiences are. Nice work!

 

[octanejunkie]

She has settled in and is using the hidey hole in the cork bark round during the day and is out at night

Fed her today, dropped a 2/4" B. lat with crushed head into her webbing... and now we wait

 

[octanejunkie]

She has settled in and is using the hidey hole in the cork bark round during the day and is out at night

Fed her today, dropped a 2/4" B. lat with crushed head into her webbing... and now we wait

Spoiler, she ate it

 

[octanejunkie]

This enclosure has been working rather well. Rehousing out of it will be interesting but I don't think I will ever need to.

I wish I had drilled the bung at the top larger but I have no problem using it to top water and feed so far, just have to stun the feeders a bit and they don't fight much going in lol

 

[shaun]

Looks great, what is the feeding bung? Looks like a pipe dust cap

 

[octanejunkie]

Thanks!
It basically is, it's a tapered plug that fits a 5/8" hole