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Concerns about room

hoi_trance

New Member
Messages
2
Location
illinois
So as I put in my intro post, I plan on receiving my first three slings on the 28th.

After much discussion with the wife, we decided upon them not being in the bedroom or on the main floor (our bedroom isn’t air conditioned and it gets insanely hot in summer and we have four, exceptionally curious and mischievous huskies that we don’t want to find them)

This leaves the basement. It’s a 1940s house, so that means cinderblock walls down there. It stays relatively constant year round (I need to throw a digital thermometer and hydrometer down there to check ambients day and night) on the cooler side. As with most older conderblock basements, it has a few leaks as well when it heavily rains. Other mentions are it’s own collection of bugs and house spiders.

Does anyone use a space like this, and if so what challenges have you tackled? My biggest concern is keeping it warm enough and keeping the humidity at an acceptable level not to mention not having the stray house spider decide my T’s look tasty. The main non utility side would be perfect for a t room, especially as I already use it for my DJ gear.

Any help would be appreciated as the last thing I want is to make a critical error or overlook something.

Thanks!
 

Blackdog

Active Member
Messages
217
Location
Richmond
You can always box in the area and create a microclimate in a larger room. You could go to like Home Depot and get supplies to build or even assemble something like a glass shower enclosure. It all kind of depends on how big your T collection will get. Definitely smart to get accurate current temp and humidity reading so you know what you need to raise/lower it for safe housing. Anytime you use a sealed & insulated enclosure or room it will be much easier to dial in your heating and humidity.
 

ta122

Active Member
Messages
149
Location
US
Good call with the Huskies! They're clever little troublemakers. ;)

Unless you have a species that requires an arid environment, the humidity in your basement is probably a plus. Nothing specific to a basement, of any size worth worrying about, should be able to get into your enclosures. The holes have to be smaller than your tarantula's carapace. The only things I can imagine being problematic (if these even apply) are flooding, mice who chew an enclosure (a stretch)... tarantulas can be affected by cleaning products, fumes, etc. near their enclosures. Also, if you plan to breed your own feeders, most of them require higher temps for good growth and reproduction.
 

m0lsx

Moderator
Staff member
1,000+ Post Club
3 Year Member
Tarantula Club Member
Messages
2,007
Location
Norwich, UK
Have a look on sites that allow people to sell used items. As often, it is possible to pick up something like an unwanted fish tank or snake vivarium for less than the cost of materials to build something. A couple of sling pots, or couple of juvi enclosures would fit in a fish tank & you could then put a small & cheap to run, heat pad on the tanks side & heat the area,

You could even use a storage box, with a few air holes added.

When heating T's, do not EVER put heat under them. So if you ever use a heat pad on a T enclosure, use it on the side of the enclosure & preferably not along the whole side of the enclosure. Always give your T's the option of escaping the warmth, if they want to.

Something like a fish tank would also allow you to have your slings in the same space as your dogs. As the slings would have some extra protection.
 

DustyD

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
Tarantula Club Member
Messages
1,181
Location
Maine
Lots of options available for a more secure environment, depending on how creative you are and what you can afford. I use an Exo terra glass enclosure as well as a plastic reptile cage and a wood plant box that i put sliding doors on, as a way to keep my Ts warm in the winter.

Ideally heating the whole area would be better, but for me is not really the most feasible option.

I personally prefer low wattage reptile heat cable to heating pads as I can string the cable around the T enclosures and put it at different heights and distances as needed. The Ts are attracted yto heat so will sometimes find a location as close to the cables.

Keeping other bugs out may be another issue. I had considered a grow tent that has some vents and zips up, for my situation, but it was just a bit big for my room. Maybe in the future.
 
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