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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Stan Schultz" data-source="post: 223931" data-attributes="member: 28438">Just my personal opinions...Too much junk in the cage, especially all the foliage. The tarantula will only build its nest in or behind it, and may only be seen at 3:00 AM every second Thursday. (Well, not exactly. But you get the idea.) Also, because A. avicularia are among the most arboreal of the arboreal tarantulas, all that stuff on the cage floor is just going to be a good place for dead crickets and other detritus to accumulate. And it makes keeping the cage clean very difficult. It does nothing for the tarantula.Also, keep in mind that in the wild, they almost always move upward almost as far as they can to avoid predators and enjoy gentle breezes (i.e., lots of ventilation). Same in a cage. Since they normally prefer "up," they will usually persist in building their nests at the top of the cage, right under or even attached to the upper surface. That makes opening a cage with a removable, top cover for periodic servicing a pain in the fundament because there is little way to avoid damaging or destroying the attached nest so the cage can cleaned and the water dish filled. See the section on arboreal tarantulas in The Tarantula Keeper's Guide, beginning on page 246 for a more detailed discussion and a much better plan. (You don't have to buy the book. Your neighborhood, public library either already has a copy or can get one for you for check out.)Attached is a photo (Larry Loose, with permission) of an Avicularia nest under a thatched roof in Costa Rica. Note the complete lack of foliage, rocks, or other "scenic" paraphernalia. There's a shed skin tucked into the bottom of the tubular nest (a good place to get it out of the way!). And if you look carefully you might just barely discern the outline of the occupant (quite happy in spite of the austere, "Japanese" furnishings) inside the upper section. Most of the stuff in the photo you presented is there because of a misguided perception, instilled in the owner/designer by Hollywood, of what a jungle really looks like.Enjoy your little eight-legged buddy!Stan Schultz</blockquote>

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