New at this

[TVinny218]

Picked up our first T on Thursday and joined the forum today to get guidance and learn more about these kicka$$ creatures.

Please let me know your thoughts on our set up. The light came with it , but we don't use it. We live in MN and its cold and dry right now. We have a heating pad under just in case. Temp is around 70 inside and humidity ranges between 60-80%.

Is it normal for these pink toes to hang out on the glass the first couple days? Kinda worried. Please and thank you.

 

[Enn49]

HI and welcome
It can take a while for a T to settle into a new home so the arboreals will often hang out on the glass until they start webbing and make their home to their liking.

 

[TVinny218]

Thank you!

 

[Arachnoclown]

Welcome...first get ride of the sponge. They can harbor bacteria. Tarantulas can drink water just like you and me. They dont have sponges in the wild.
Secondly dont worry about humidity in your enclosure. Avics will die in a stuffy humid enclosure. Just overflow the water dish a little every week. For now just let it dry out and you'll be fine.

 

[TVinny218]

Awesome, thank you for the advice!

 

[PanzoN88]

Also getting the heat pad out from under the enclosure would be another thing I would do. Space heaters make for better heating.

If not possible to get a space heater and the heat mat is the only option, creating separation between the side of the enclosure is important.

 

[TVinny218]

Will do. How about ventilation I keep reading about. Should I have constant air flow as well?

 

[Enn49]

I'm guessing the strip across the front has ventilation holes in it, in which case with the mesh top it should be fine.

 

[TVinny218]

Your guess is correct. Thank you!

 

[MassExodus]

Most of my avics were on the glass most of the time. They only built web tubes for molting. But Ive only had like 6 of them. Avic avic, I mean, the others weren't as bold. Avic behavior differs enough from other spiders, even arboreal spiders, that I tended to ignore odd behavior. What other tarantula comes willingly out of its enclosure and crawls all over you with no real fear? They live like house spiders in Suriname. I still think of them as the more adaptive, intelligent arboreal. Probably flawed thinking. But maybe not.

 

[TVinny218]

Glad to hear. I appreciate the input!

 

[LC72uk]

Welcome to the Group

 

[RonC]

Welcome to the group. Ts are comfortable if you are is the general rule for temp.. Ts burrow to escape heat so if you must use the heat pad put it against the side and not the bottom.

 

[TVinny218]

Thank you and good to know. I tossed the heat pad and put a space heater in the room set at 72 degrees in case it drops below that.

 

[Whitelightning777]

Welcome to the group. Arboreal Ts hang out in high places. Provide webbing anchor points whether they use them or not plus an elevated water dish with water.

They should never have extra humidity beyond the water dish. The TFE method for keeping them warm is to turn your home thermostat up to about 75 instead of 72, no extra equipment required.

Any other heat source, if you do that, should be at least 8" above the enclosure and no more powerful then 25 watts controlled by a rheostat switch.

The T MUST come out until you get safe temps. The set up requires much attention to detail and mistakes can be fatal, usually hot spots that can injure the spider. You want a warm area & a heat gradient.

Unless you can't raise home temps, it's much easier to just do that. Seriously, just crank up the switch & be happy.

In my situation, I can't do that.