Temperature of enclosure

[PinkT]

So I've taken over taking care of my daughter's T since December. She has always had a night red reptile lamp on the enclosure 24/7. With summer I started turning it off completely. With temps dropping I now have it on a timer and have raised the level where is is higher from the glass.Temps since I got a thermometer go up to 78 degrees. She seems to comes out on her ledge to bask in it's warmth.

Last night I had the timer go off at 4 am. This morning her enclosure was down to 68 degrees. It was 41 outside. I found her for the first time on the glass almost trying to go up to the lamp. I put the heat on in the house and it raised up to 72. Leaving for work, heat is off. Hope with the temps going up she will be fine.

From what I have been reading, 68 should be fine but I think she is spoiled with the lamp. She is always on her ledge soaking in the heat.

2nd pic is after the enclosure warmed up a bit. 3rd pic is how the tank looks with the lamp. She is on her ledge. This was a few days after her molt.

 

[Venom2090]

It's more important to have good ventilation. Stuffy cages are the bane of the genus.

 

[kormath]

if you're comfy in a t-shirt in the room they'll be fine. i keep mine from 72-82 year round, summer time they're on the upper end, winter on the lower. occasional drops below 70 won't hurt them.

Like @Venom2090 said ventilation is key for avics (and what where formerly known as avics). Many think SAD (Sudden Avic Death) syndrome was caused by poor ventilation.

 

[Whitelightning777]

I keep mine at 80. They love it, not to hot or cold. They are growing like weeds. The versicolor might even be going into premolt AGAIN!! It seems like she just molted yesterday.

Others have had good luck with room temps like 75 etc.

 

[Miss Moxie]

I keep ten C. versicolor at 70F on mostly dry substrate. I overfill the water dish once a week. Lamps can be very detrimental to tarantulas, and one of the best known and educated keepers in our hobby (Tom Moran of Tom's Big Spiders) says that using a heat lamp is a HUGE no-no. I've never used a heat lamp, and never will. I've kept over 100 Ts in my time, and currently care for over 50.

 

[PinkT]

So my new A. versicolor is a sling in a very small container there is no room for a water dish yet. I do place a few drops on their web a few times a week. Actually caught him/her drinking off the web twice yesterday. Now I'm thinking maybe I should do this more often.

Any thoughts on this? Slings can be more of a challenge. Hope he/she molts soon.

 

[Venom2090]

So my new A. versicolor is a sling in a very small container there is no room for a water dish yet. I do place a few drops on their web a few times a week. Actually caught him/her drinking off the web twice yesterday. Now I'm thinking maybe I should do this more often.

Any thoughts on this? Slings can be more of a challenge. Hope he/she molts soon.

I'd just rehouse into a bigger cage. I've raised half inch avics in 16oz deli cups.

 

[Miss Moxie]

I am actually raising all 10 of mine in a 20 oz. plastic jar set I bought from Amazon. Certainly, keep misting the web to provide them water. Or you could get something so you could drip a few droplets onto the substrate if you find that it bolts. A lot of Ts bolt when you mist close to them, I think this is likely because it might feel awful close to a predator's breath.

 

[Venom2090]

I am actually raising all 10 of mine in a 20 oz. plastic jar set I bought from Amazon. Certainly, keep misting the web to provide them water. Or you could get something so you could drip a few droplets onto the substrate if you find that it bolts. A lot of Ts bolt when you mist close to them, I think this is likely because it might feel awful close to a predator's breath.

I don't think so. I think it's because their primary sensory organ is being basically completely overwhelmed by all the tiny water droplets.

 

[Miss Moxie]

I don't think so. I think it's because their primary sensory organ is being basically completely overwhelmed by all the tiny water droplets.

Okay fine.

It's like a predator's sneeze then.

 

[Whitelightning777]

My Versicolor is like a walking thermostat. If it's 80 degrees, she's there. When I point the thermometer at her it's practically right on the money. It's actually spooky!!

If I turn the light up, she goes down and vice versa. The only thing that gets her to deviate is a gentle breeze, which gets a happy dance each time.

It's adorable!!

Here's the device I use. Hold it as course to the tarantula as possible pointing directly at it and let her rip!!

I have a sneaky suspicion that she's in premolt again but probably too soon...I think...

Of course, each animal is an individual and stereotypes are seldom totally accurate. I think my Versicolor is a weirdo, not sure why just a gut feeling.

It's pointed at my hand not the sling. Eg. The joke is it my hand!!

 

[Miss Moxie]

I'd disregard WL777's advice, if I were you. Just read this page.

If you should decide that you need supplementary heat…
I’ve read posts by hobbyist who live in drafty houses where the temps consistently get lower than would be appropriate. Or, there are folks like myself who have a room dedicated to raising these animals, and they purposely want to keep temperatures higher to promote growth or breeding. In these instances, it is always best to control the overall temperature of the room and not the individual enclosures.

The best heating option for situations like these is a space heater. There are many types available on the market, including oscillating heating fans and oil-filled electric space heaters. Most also come with built in digital thermostats and timers, allowing for you to create an optimal day/night cycle. If you do go this route, be sure to do your research and look up reviews to get the best, safest heater for your money.

And if you do decide to go with supplementary heating, please remember the following:

• No heat mats!
• No heat pads!
• No heat rocks!
• Absolutely NO Heat lamps!

Most pet store heat mats, heat pads, and heat rocks are not appropriate heating sources for tarantulas. All three can create hot spots that can injure, dehydrate, and kill a T.

That said, there are some folks that use heat mats combined with rheostats to heat their collections, but doing so takes some experimentation and finesse. If you absolutely can’t use a space heater and feel that heat mats might be a better fit, do some research and speak to keepers who have experience with these setups. Most who use them heat larger areas, like tanks or cabinets, then put the T enclosures into these. Heating individual tanks is much more tricky and risky.

Heat lamps are very dangerous and can dry out and kill a tarantula very quickly. I don’t care how many thermostats and temperature-regulating gadgets the pet industry sells, these heating sources are likely to do more harm than good.

 

[Whitelightning777]

I'd disregard WL777's advice, if I were you. Just read this page.

I agree but my roommate has severe fibromyalgia, making that a non starter. My heat lamps are at least 8" away from the top making hot spots impossible. They are NOT sitting on the roof!! It's impossible for the so

 

[Miss Moxie]

We've already had this discussion WL777. You eventually admitted you were just doing it that way for no reason other than you want to, and I provided you with a ton of evidence as to why it shouldn't be done. Unfortunately that thread got deleted.

OP, Tom Moran has a ton of experience with hundreds of tarantulas, and is a very nice guy. You can even contact him via his website and he'll talk to you one on one.

 

[Whitelightning777]

I'd love to do the room!! It just can't be done sadly enough. The power is set by rheostat switch which is very very gentle.

I can put my hand on the lid and it's just slightly warm, utterly impossible to do any damage. It would still be too cold for me to take a shower!!

I have a point and shoot thermometer and I can get it from every angle to to bottom. They always have a full water dish and name shaded locations, which are never used.

I'd love to have a green house, some land and a garage but condo living nixes that.

Electric heaters are extremely dangerous in a bathroom and I don't wanna die anytime soon.

 

[Miss Moxie]

Then stop giving your advice to others when you keep saying "My situation is so unique!! I am exempt because those ways won't work for me, my situation is UNIQUE." because if it's so unique then that means it's not good general advice. OP's situation is likely NOT the exact same as yours, so stop telling them to do what you do.

 

[Whitelightning777]

That's true. It depends on how your living space is set up. I can't be the only one with that floor plan or special needs person.

 

[Miss Moxie]

That's true. It depends on how your living space is set up. I can't be the only one with that floor plan or special needs person.

I'm personally disabled and suffer from arthritis and chronic pain. I keep my Ts at 70F because I like it colder too. I still don't use it as a reason to do something pretty much every T-keeper worth their salt say not to.

 

[PinkT]

I'd disregard WL777's advice, if I were you. Just read this page.

I do have a microthermic space heater I have used on those nights it was in the 40's. I keep it on the lowest setting. Our house is older and the heater so far has been fine. Winter temps the room will be cooler. My supplier said room temps should be fine without any supplemental heating. Hope my A.versicolor sling goes through a molt before the temps drop for good in late fall/winter.

She drank the lower drop of water overnight in the pic. Hope to rehouse soon when I find the right enclosure to add a water bowl and space to work in.

 

[Miss Moxie]

I do have a microthermic space heater I have used on those nights it was in the 40's. I keep it on the lowest setting. Our house is older and the heater so far has been fine. Winter temps the room will be cooler. My supplier said room temps should be fine without any supplemental heating. Hope my A.versicolor sling goes through a molt before the temps drop for good in late fall/winter.

She drank the lower drop of water overnight in the pic. Hope to rehouse soon when I find the right enclosure to add a water bowl and space to work in.

Perfect. Ambient room temperature is the best way of providing heat for our eight-legged friends. I live in an older house as well, it really can get cold quickly. In the winter I use an infrared heater. Just be aware that with any supplemental heat, you'll have to keep an eye on the water dish more as it can dry up quickly.