Heating my Aphonopelma chalcodes

[Zannee2000]

I feel like a horrible T owner I’m currently hiding my T from my parents and my house right now is only 65 in the day and gets down to sometimes 58 at night and I don’t know what to do please help

 

[Huntzman90]

Thats a tough one!

There are experts here that I'm sure will give you some good advice. Also check out some of the other threads here I believe a few T keepers have had this question although its obviously a little different in your situation.

Heres my advice..

First of all I am technically hiding my T's from my land lord as im not aloud pets however I don't have rent inspections so I have never been too worried. Don't beat yourself up about hiding your T's and you did the right thing coming here for advice on how to keep them warm. Preferably you never want to go below 65° when keeping a suitable environment for your tarantula.

Most keepers will tell you to not use heating pads especially under the enclosures as if the temperature is too high for the T they will burrow to try and cool down and can possibly die from over heating.

Its probably best to use a space heater to heat your room. I'm sure you can persuade your parents into letting you have one.

I have been in the hobby 10 months or so and have always kept my T's in an old cabinet i inherited. This way I have been able to keep a stable temperature in the cabinet using a small heating pad placed near the enclosures. I have central heating in my house although my room does fluctuate in temperature more than the main living area. My heating is set at 68° and I have noticed a decrease in temperature of around 5° or more on a cold night hence having the heat pad. Again this is a small heat pad and not placed under or directly on any of my enclosures. Its just to keep the area they are in warm on those cold nights.

This seems to work for me, I like my room on the cooler side so I use a cabinet to keep my tarantulas warm. Others may disagree with my technique however Ive yet to have any problems and all my tarantulas are happy.

I'd still recommend using a space heater if possible.

Anyway I hope this helps a little I am sure a more experienced keeper will give you some good advice soon enough.

What species of tarantula do you have and how long have you been in the hobby? Also it may be helpful if you can post a picture of your setup, enclosure, etc.

Heres mine..

 

[Jess S]

I think your chalcodes can survive those low temperatures though it will grow even slower than normal plus it won't feed or move about as often as it's metabolism will be slowed down. So it can survive but not thrive.
Why dont you tell your parents that you are finding your room a bit too cold especially in the night and ask if they can turn the heating up to the 70's?
Or could you come clean and admit to having your pet?
I've just checked your profile and apparently you're 19 so yes, buy a small space heater and give some cash to your parents towards the extra heating cost. Perfect solution!

 

[Zannee2000]

This is where I keep my T it’s a Arizona blonde I’m wondering if you guys think it would be safe for my T and myself to put a small small space heater at the back of the cabinet

 

[Zannee2000]

This is where I keep my T it’s a Arizona blonde I’m wondering if you guys think it would be safe for my T and myself to put a small small space heater at the back of the cabinet

I’m also changing her enclosure very soon to something more suited for a terrestrial

 

[Jess S]

I wouldn't put the space heater in the cabinet, rather put it in your room near the cabinet, to heat the air in the area. If you put it in the cabinet, you're risking overheating the enclosure and the heater itself, which could cause a fire.

Your enclosure would be fine for a terrestrial if the mesh was changed to an acrylic/plastic lid but you'd have to source that, cut it to size and add ventilation holes. It's up to you if you want to take on all that effort Vs buying a new en

 

[m0lsx]

This is where I keep my T it’s a Arizona blonde I’m wondering if you guys think it would be safe for my T and myself to put a small small space heater at the back of the cabinet

I am with Jess, personally I would not use a heater in such a small space. But a normal light bulb would provide some gentle heat. As although a bulb turns most of it's resistance into light, it also by default, produces heat too.

Something like this inside the cupboard would be essential, even if using a light bulb.

 

[Arachnoclown]

Heating my Alphonopelma chalcodes...this is all I can vision.

 

[m0lsx]

Heating my Alphonopelma chalcodes...this is all I can vision.

A simple ordinary house bulb will not provide too much heat, but it will provide some extra gentle warming.

 

[Arachnoclown]

A simple ordinary house bulb will not provide too much heat, but it will provide some extra gentle warming.

Being honest with your parents and you can heat your whole room...

 

[m0lsx]

Being honest with your parents and you can heat your whole room...

True, but if someone just wants to warm up a cupboard, a simple light bulb will do the job, safer than any heating mat or bulb will.

 

[Arachnoclown]

True, but if someone just wants to warm up a cupboard, a simple light bulb will do the job, safer than any heating mat or bulb will.

I'm not cool with that. A incandescent light bulb left on can cause a fire...especially inside a cupboard. I would never recommend anything like that.

 

[m0lsx]

I'm not cool with that. A incandescent light bulb left on can cause a fire...especially inside a cupboard. I would never recommend anything like that.

Lights specifically designed for cupboards are available & a properly wired lightbulb will not cause a fire within a cupboard, anymore than it would any where else. Plus all modern lightbulbs are now low wattage, although they do give off the same light as an older higher wattage light bulb. So the heat generated is now less than it use to be, as Ohms Law will confirm. Watts being a measurement of energy. I also did point out that a thermostat would be essential. Not that it is needed to stop fires. Just to guarantee the warmth is gentle & sensible.

 

[Arachnoclown]

Lights specifically designed for cupboards are available & a properly wired lightbulb will not cause a fire within a cupboard, anymore than it would any where else. Plus all modern lightbulbs are now low wattage, although they do give off the same light as an older higher wattage light bulb. So the heat generated is now less than it use to be, as Ohms Law will confirm. Watts being a measurement of energy. I also did point out that a thermostat would be essential. Not that it is needed to stop fires. Just to guarantee the warmth is gentle & sensible.

I think your missing the point. Any heat source inside a cupboard is dangerous. Do you think a 19 year old is going to have it properly wired by an electrician??? Even thermostats can fail. These devices are not meant to be operated inside a "confined" space on a "constant" basis.
The main Part your missing is the misleading of the original posters parents. Now your helping create a possible hazard in their home that they are unaware of.
What should be said is "if you cant properly take care of the spider maybe you should find it another home until you can care for one properly."
We are here to help people, not manipulate the situation so our ideas work for a certain situation. It's ok to tell people maybe your not ready...

 

[m0lsx]

I think your missing the point. Any heat source inside a cupboard is dangerous. Do you think a 19 year old is going to have it properly wired by an electrician??? Even thermostats can fail. These devices are not meant to be operated inside a "confined" space on a "constant" basis.
The main Part your missing is the misleading of the original posters parents. Now your helping create a possible hazard in their home that they are unaware of.
What should be said is "if you cant properly take care of the spider maybe you should find it another home until you can care for one properly."
We are here to help people, not manipulate the situation so our ideas work for a certain situation. It's ok to tell people maybe your not ready...

Plenty of commercial fittings are available which are designed to provide light inside of cupboards of various types & none are special designs beyond the way they fit discreetly within a cupboard. And personally by the time I was 19, I had been raided by the authorities as a result of building & running my own unlicensed broadcast transmitter &after that & still before I was 19, I then spent a year doing evening classes a 20 mile bus ride away, before taking a long & hard, two part City & guild exam to pursue radio as a hobby legally & I know plenty of other teenagers who did similar things when younger than me.

I know lots of teenagers who have spent a lot of time & effort self learning electronics & building things just for the hobby. For example, most years I now use my licence & what I have learnt, to help Scouts take part in a weekend event called Jamboree On The Air (JOTA.) Part of what I do is help them gain communication & electronic badges & the effort & commitment I see from these young teenagers is amazing to witness.

I do agree with you about it not being ideal & that he should tell his parents. But I never told my mother I had decided to take up the hobby of unlicensed broadcasting, partly because that put me in breech of the Marine Offences act, with a potential for big fines, raids etc etc & partly because it's what teenagers do.

A commercial lamp that is ready wired, should by any reasonable standard be safe to use. A low wattage bulb is normally all that can, or should be used within desk/bedside lamp for safety reasons & a desk or bedside light would be the simplest off the shelf answer. Plus running a light constantly is not going to be good for the T. It will need periods of darkness to provide it with a normal life cycle.

And yes I do agree with you, maybe if he is not going to tell his parents & care for it better, then maybe he should pass it on to someone who will. But personally I would rather see the T survive to that point, than die.

 

[NorseDad]

I heard somewhere before a guy put his router in the cupboard with his T's once because they get warm.

 

[Huntzman90]

I heard somewhere before a guy put his router in the cupboard with his T's once because they get warm.

Ive heard this one too. I would think this would be a safe alternative as it gives of very little heat.

@Zannee2000
I should mention my cabinet is open at the back so there is always a little air being circulated through to the enclosures and preventing the area from over heating.

Also the heat pad i use is the smallest pad on the market that i am aware of and is only turned on for those cold nights. Again i am not necessarily recommending this way of heating a cabinet I am just saying it has worked for me.

I still think a space heater (outside of your cabinet) would work fine. And to talk to your parents about either letting you have a space heater or having a tarantula in the first place is probably the way to go.

I am glad you came here for advice and recommendations on what to do rather than adding a heating source that may injure your T.

Keep us posted and good luck

 

[Hemolymph]

I feel like a horrible T owner I’m currently hiding my T from my parents and my house right now is only 65 in the day and gets down to sometimes 58 at night and I don’t know what to do please help

Your spider will be fine with deep substrate without adding any heat source. The Arizona deserts get down below freezing at night. Deep substrate is how these spiders survive in these conditions.
Please don’t put any type of lighting inside that cabinet to be used with the door closed. It’s a fire hazard and doesn’t meet building codes/fire marshall laws in the U.S. for continual use.

 

[AZTom]

Chalcodes thrive in areas that go below freezing during the Winter months, a kind of “hibernation”. Breeders tend to “winter” Aphonopelma spp. to keep them on their natural cycle, I do that as well. I can tell you from experience, they’re already hibernating. That said you should talk to your parents.

 

[Phil]

something I have used before for gentle non intrusive heat is a heat cable. very low wattage and power consumption. It's the type of cable that horticulturists use so gently heat soil to prevent frost.
Do not place directly in the tank but run a track of it under your bed or summat on the back wall and it will gently heat the surrounding air.
alternatively....they always say it easier to ask for forgiveness than it is for permission so just come clean and then you have a license to get even more! ha ha