Hello everyone!
I just ordered my first T, a .25" vagan (acutally closer to 1/2") and expect my enclosure to arrive today or tomorrow from Jamies Tarantulas (sling came from Ken the Bug Guy). Being a new owner and extreme beginner I had a few questions I was hopping I could get some advice on.
As my enclosure hasn't arrived yet, I've got the vagans (named Redrum) in an Arboreal enclosure temporarily from Jaime's Tarantulas that my son's GBB came with. When my enclosure arrives I'll be using the coconut fiber substrate as we have pounds of that on hand already.
As this is a burrowing spider what's the best way to pack the substrate? Should I add a layer at a time and dampen it, or add it all and moisten the top layer?
Another thought is to build it a burrow. My son did this for his boehmei using an unused small pill bottle, cut the end off so it had a dirt "end", angled it slightly down into the substrate and covered the "bottom" with substrate so the tube has a flat floor and domed roof. The boehmei loves it, so I was thinking of doing that for my vagans also. That would make it easier to set up the container. Then I'd just mist the far side and portion of the substrate to provide the moisture needed. I've been doing that in his temp enclosure now, and it's really cool to watch him crawl up the wall to drink from the water droplets.
For feeding, I plan on feeding twice a week, like many have mentioned here, but the crickets I have at the smallest are about the same body size as Redrum. I should be ok cutting one in half and leaving it outside the burrow, right? And tossing the other half of course.
I have a culture of wingless fruit flies on order that should be here next week. Halving the crickets, or pinhead roaches we feed to the boehmei should work until they arrive correct? Or can I just incapacitate the cricket and (hopefully) Redrum will eat it?
Last and maybe least. When should I start feeding? should I wait until his container arrives or feed him before and then let him settle for a few days after it arrives?
I just ordered my first T, a .25" vagan (acutally closer to 1/2") and expect my enclosure to arrive today or tomorrow from Jamies Tarantulas (sling came from Ken the Bug Guy). Being a new owner and extreme beginner I had a few questions I was hopping I could get some advice on.
As my enclosure hasn't arrived yet, I've got the vagans (named Redrum) in an Arboreal enclosure temporarily from Jaime's Tarantulas that my son's GBB came with. When my enclosure arrives I'll be using the coconut fiber substrate as we have pounds of that on hand already.
As this is a burrowing spider what's the best way to pack the substrate? Should I add a layer at a time and dampen it, or add it all and moisten the top layer?
Another thought is to build it a burrow. My son did this for his boehmei using an unused small pill bottle, cut the end off so it had a dirt "end", angled it slightly down into the substrate and covered the "bottom" with substrate so the tube has a flat floor and domed roof. The boehmei loves it, so I was thinking of doing that for my vagans also. That would make it easier to set up the container. Then I'd just mist the far side and portion of the substrate to provide the moisture needed. I've been doing that in his temp enclosure now, and it's really cool to watch him crawl up the wall to drink from the water droplets.
For feeding, I plan on feeding twice a week, like many have mentioned here, but the crickets I have at the smallest are about the same body size as Redrum. I should be ok cutting one in half and leaving it outside the burrow, right? And tossing the other half of course.
I have a culture of wingless fruit flies on order that should be here next week. Halving the crickets, or pinhead roaches we feed to the boehmei should work until they arrive correct? Or can I just incapacitate the cricket and (hopefully) Redrum will eat it?
Last and maybe least. When should I start feeding? should I wait until his container arrives or feed him before and then let him settle for a few days after it arrives?