- Messages
- 117
I have cats in the house, and I'm worried they'll hurt the tarantula during the night. Peppermint oil would probably keep the the cats away, but would it bother the tarantula?
-
Are you a Tarantula hobbyist? If so, we invite you to join our community! Once you join you'll be able to post messages, upload pictures of your pets and enclosures and chat with other Tarantula enthusiasts. Sign up today!
Peppermint Oil?
- Thread starter Sonicookie
- Start date
- Messages
- 117
Update: currently cat-proofed for the night!
- Messages
- 150
Hmm, unsure on this one, as a lot of the general advice for T's is to keep them out the way of strong smells. I know in the days before my tarantula arrived I aired the room out that I was keeping him in (just to be on the safe side) as I usually use an essential oil burner, and while it was mainly advised against chemical smells, I just didn't want to risk it.
- Messages
- 5,547
- Location
- Outside San Antonio, TX
I would research it thoroughly before trying it. I'm lucky, I have a natural cat barrier that insures no kitties come into my room. It's called an English Bull Terrier. She don't take kindly to kittehs 'round here.
- Messages
- 396
If I remember right (and I could very well be wrong), pepper mint is toxic to many insect (and possibly arachnid) species.
- Messages
- 11,180
- Location
- Malton, UK
I have 4 cats and worried about them attacking my Ts although they seems to chase crickets more than the Ts. I solved the problem by keeping all my T containers inside vivariums and I shut the cats out of the room where my Ts are at night. I did have one accident recently when one of the cats pulled an ExoTerra off the dresser, smashing the viv, luckily the T lived to tell the tale. We think cat was after a cricket, got his claw caught in the mesh and pulled it over.
- Messages
- 150
I've heard this too, I think I actually remember this being a tip on some un-godly website to keep spiders out of your house in the summer.
- Messages
- 150
I have a little dog (I know this isn't the same as a cat) but he is indeed a little jumpy and excitable. After we got our T, I was a bit concerned that he might be bouncing around and knock stuff over, so when thinking of where I wanted to put the T viv, I placed him on a steady shelf in our bedroom, and put a small rail along it, about 3 inches up. This might be an idea to help keep the tank in place and safe from being knocked around.
- Messages
- 11,180
- Location
- Malton, UK
I have a little dog (I know this isn't the same as a cat) but he is indeed a little jumpy and excitable. After we got our T, I was a bit concerned that he might be bouncing around and knock stuff over, so when thinking of where I wanted to put the T viv, I placed him on a steady shelf in our bedroom, and put a small rail along it, about 3 inches up. This might be an idea to help keep the tank in place and safe from being knocked around.
The new containers that I'm buying now are much heavier and don't slide like the ExoTerra s do, plus they don't have mesh tops so I don't think it'll be a problem in the future. A great tip though.
- Spiders don’t like strong-smelling herbs like mint, lavender and orange. THEY HATE PEPPERMINT OIL.
http://www.stepin2mygreenworld.com/healthyliving/around-the-home/spider-repellent-recipe/
- Messages
- 150
Yeah, because my T is only a juvenile, I have a smaller, cheap-y kind of tank and I just didn't want to risk a fall during the night (as I am a push over and the dog sleeps at the bottom of the bed with us
). I probably wont need the rail when I get his permanent viv, but for the mean time it makes bedtime a hell of a lot less stressful 
- Messages
- 117
Thanks! I currently have some heavy things around the cage and a pillowcase over it to make sure the cats don't find it (I remove the cinderblock during the day). I heard you should give turantulas clues about what time of day it is, so woukd having a pillowcase over the cage all the time be bad? Removing the cinderblock lets a bit of light in, so would that be good enough?
They just need to be able to see the changes in the light for dusk and dawn.
My concern is the ventilation where you're burying the enclosure under pillows and cinderblocks and whatnot. And the cinderblock on top of the cage, i'd be scared of a squished T.
- Messages
- 117
I just have it against the wall on one side, a stack of books on one side, a cinderblock on one side, and a pillowcase on top (There's also a small water bottle on the door in the lid, to make sure it can't push it open). The stuff around it is to make sure cats can't push the cage. I posted some pictures in this thread so you can see how the ventilation is and stuff. http://www.tarantulaforum.com/threads/just-got-a-rose-hair-today.8470/#post-76495
Here's the picture of how it is when the cinderblock is there:
I can take more pictures if you want. I can also throw in a measuring tape.
should be fine the way you have it
- Messages
- 396
I highly doubt changes in light matter, honestly. I've kept Ts in completely dark closet and would open it at random times of the day for short durations, or not at all. Possibly for breeding, but otherwise they don't seem to care.
Second point is definitely a worry.
- Messages
- 117
All animals need a day/night schedule. Sure they can get along without one, but they'll be more active and confident with a day/night schedule. I read a number of articles on this and have since forced my son to do this as all the T's are in his room until mine is finished, they seem to eat better now that they have the day/night schedule. Before he'd keep all the blinds drawn and the doors shut, his room was dark 24/7 almost, unless he was in it playing xbox. The Ts we have that eat better at night ate like mad, the others didn't eat as well. Switching to a day/night schedule i've noticed all the Ts have better appetites, the few that only eat at night eat just as well as they did when it was always dim, and the ones that ate during the light time seem to eat better also, not as skittish with the prey.
