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Faunariums?
- Thread starter shaun
- Start date
- Messages
- 2,032
- Location
- Norwich, UK
I currently have about 10 of them in use. I have a few Adult's in the flat ones. And a few Juvi's of varying sizes in the standard versions. I have seen no issue with ventilation. I also use the Komodo & some other plastic enclosures that use similar ventilation & have had no issuesat all.
If I have a problem with these enclosures, it that you need to use appropriately sized crickets in them. A few smaller crickets, is no good with these, as the ventilation allows them to escape. You also need to be aware that the lids are a tight fit, especially when new. So can at times need to be fitted & left in place for 24 hours, before use.
My own personal opinion is, these Exo Terra's are good value for money.
If I have a problem with these enclosures, it that you need to use appropriately sized crickets in them. A few smaller crickets, is no good with these, as the ventilation allows them to escape. You also need to be aware that the lids are a tight fit, especially when new. So can at times need to be fitted & left in place for 24 hours, before use.
My own personal opinion is, these Exo Terra's are good value for money.
I'm 99.9% sure the Faunarium is a Lee's Kritter Keeper with different color lids. That said, I've got both, all large and love them. I have an easier time pulling the whole lid off rather than using that little window at the top. It is worth noting that replacement lids are not available should you break one. I even tried to get clever and order one by getting ahold of the part number for the lid and ordering it directly from the compnay. That was a no-go.
As far as ventilation goes, I've seen videos on youtube where people would tape off portions of the lid to increase the amount of humidity they hold. I keep mostly Aphonopelmas and Brachypelmas, so no humidity worries for me.
As far as ventilation goes, I've seen videos on youtube where people would tape off portions of the lid to increase the amount of humidity they hold. I keep mostly Aphonopelmas and Brachypelmas, so no humidity worries for me.
Jenniferinfl
Active Member
- Messages
- 113
- Location
- Florida
I don't hate them, I've used them and critter keepers and the other one, Imagitarium is the Petco version.
The only things I don't like about them is that middle feeding opening is hard to open and so you typically startle any fossorial tarantula back underground when you try to open it AND it can feel like you've closed it when you haven't. If you haven't had the pleasure of a C. lividum standing on the lid of a critter keeper, you truly haven't lived... lol
Similarly, as they get older they seem to warp a little bit and the entire lid can sometimes be lifted right off easily which gets to be a problem with a 6" tarantula that wants to explore.
But, really, those issues are easily dealt with for a great priced enclosure that is otherwise decent. It's really nothing duct tape or masking tape can't fix. I have a couple of them and just use a few pieces of masking tape for added assurance.
The only things I don't like about them is that middle feeding opening is hard to open and so you typically startle any fossorial tarantula back underground when you try to open it AND it can feel like you've closed it when you haven't. If you haven't had the pleasure of a C. lividum standing on the lid of a critter keeper, you truly haven't lived... lol
Similarly, as they get older they seem to warp a little bit and the entire lid can sometimes be lifted right off easily which gets to be a problem with a 6" tarantula that wants to explore.
But, really, those issues are easily dealt with for a great priced enclosure that is otherwise decent. It's really nothing duct tape or masking tape can't fix. I have a couple of them and just use a few pieces of masking tape for added assurance.
prince charmless
Active Member
- Messages
- 144
- Location
- 37043
I like them for terrestrials and fossorials. For arboreals, I favor the exo-terras
- Messages
- 2,032
- Location
- Norwich, UK
Keep an eye on preloved & gumtree. I have a search on both for exo terra & terrarium & have had some good buys off them. I give everything a good wash in miltons sterilising fluid, a really good rinse & then do not use it for a few weeks.
Other options are. I have some Tarantula Room acrylic terrariums I brought from The Spider Shop for a reasonable price for a few of my arboreals. They are 17 X 17 X 25 & cost about £20 each. We also have a large female arboreal in a plastic cylinder of unknown origin. It came with the T. I also brought some large (3kg) used sweet jars off ebay. I removed the labels & melted holes in the sides & lid for good air circulation & they make good enclosures, but with limited access, if you ever need to change the T to another enclosure. Currently ebay has 6 used jars for £8.99 including postage.
sweet jars on ebay.
Other options are. I have some Tarantula Room acrylic terrariums I brought from The Spider Shop for a reasonable price for a few of my arboreals. They are 17 X 17 X 25 & cost about £20 each. We also have a large female arboreal in a plastic cylinder of unknown origin. It came with the T. I also brought some large (3kg) used sweet jars off ebay. I removed the labels & melted holes in the sides & lid for good air circulation & they make good enclosures, but with limited access, if you ever need to change the T to another enclosure. Currently ebay has 6 used jars for £8.99 including postage.
sweet jars on ebay.
- Messages
- 6,382
- Location
- The Oregon rain forest
I use them for all my male terrestrial spiders. You can tape up the vents on the inside to hold in moisture so the substrate doesn’t dry out so fast.
I have quite a few exo terra plastic faunariums. I second the above point about the only real problem being crickets and red runners escaping. So I prefer them for my adult tarantulas who can take bigger dubia roaches. The ventilation seems good.
The exo terra ones seem to vary in price across time on amazon so sometimes I find the following cheaper and prefer them in some ways. They are slightly shorter in length but a bit deeper > https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301054844145?var=600188818434
For the arboreals, I'm not sure how big you are needing but I have some 20x20x30cm ones from tropical factory ones which I really like for the price. I only have ones with the sliding glass piece as a door which isn't the most ideal however they are starting to make hinged door ones if you want to pay a bit extra. They also don't have mesh lids (but do have some extra ventilation under the bottom lip), so I actually prefer them to the exo terra nano ones. I would be concerned with a mesh lid of e.g. a pokie biting its way out which I've heard of happening.
https://tfuk.ltd/product-category/terrariums/glass/
I have got my eye on the 35 x 35 x 50 one for when my biggest arboreals get towards full sized, however it always seems to be out of stock so far.
The exo terra ones seem to vary in price across time on amazon so sometimes I find the following cheaper and prefer them in some ways. They are slightly shorter in length but a bit deeper > https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301054844145?var=600188818434
For the arboreals, I'm not sure how big you are needing but I have some 20x20x30cm ones from tropical factory ones which I really like for the price. I only have ones with the sliding glass piece as a door which isn't the most ideal however they are starting to make hinged door ones if you want to pay a bit extra. They also don't have mesh lids (but do have some extra ventilation under the bottom lip), so I actually prefer them to the exo terra nano ones. I would be concerned with a mesh lid of e.g. a pokie biting its way out which I've heard of happening.
https://tfuk.ltd/product-category/terrariums/glass/
I have got my eye on the 35 x 35 x 50 one for when my biggest arboreals get towards full sized, however it always seems to be out of stock so far.
P.s. This is the same heritage pets one on amazon, if you want to see reviews/more pictures. It's just cheaper on ebay and also amazon is evil apparently so I'm trying to cut down my purchases from there 
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B015OD9OSQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B015OD9OSQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Messages
- 2,032
- Location
- Norwich, UK
I order either from Swell @
https://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/exo-terra-faunariums/
Or from Kettering Koi via ebay @
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252592251668?var=551503827434
https://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/exo-terra-faunariums/
Or from Kettering Koi via ebay @
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252592251668?var=551503827434
