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Proud new vagans... papa? :)

kormath

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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?
 

Thistles

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Grats on the incoming addition!

How large is the arboreal enclosure? I suspect it's probably too big. I start my baby Brachys in condiment cups half full of substrate. Adults are opportunistic burrowers, so when he's bigger give him a hide and deep substrate and he'll probably excavate a little hollow under his hide. As a baby he'll either just sit on top of the substrate or dig quite deeply. Just use a pencil to make a little starter burrow for him. No need to get too elaborate for a little guy. I think I posted a pic of how I have another Brachypelma set up in another thread. Lemme see if I can take some photos for you.

Don't feed him fruit flies exclusively. For whatever reason they aren't good nutrition for tarantulas. You can use them occasionally, but don't rely on them. Half a cricket, roach or mealworm will be just fine for him. Slings are great scavengers. Twice a week sounds perfect for such a little guy.

They also settle in much faster than adults. Ken typically ships his spiders pretty lean, so I'd feed right away. I doubt you'll have any issue getting him to eat. Adults need more time to settle in and you should put off feeding, but a sling will generally just jump on the food. They also have smaller reserves and need to be fed more often.
 

Thistles

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Here are 2 enclosures. One is a tiny condiment cup (3 oz I think) and the other is a 16oz deli cup. I wouldn't go much bigger than that.
image.jpeg
image.jpeg
 

kormath

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Good point, I'll mix up the flies with half crickets and roaches. I didn't know the flies weren't a good food source. I've learned something new already :)

The Arboreal enclosure he's in now is too big, it's 4x4x5". The one I'm waiting on arriving is 2.5x2.5x4" I plan on housing him in that until he's 1.5" or so then moving him back to the 4x4x5" until he's about 2.5-3". By then both the GBB and Boehmei should be in the small critter keepers that were given to us 4x5x7 I think is the size. Once they reach full size I've been drooling over the enclosures on tarantulacages.
 

Thistles

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Sounds good! If you're going to keep them in 7" tall enclosures just add a lot of substrate so they don't have far to fall if they try to climb.
 

kormath

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that's the plan. it will also give them plenty of room to burrow down. I figure 2 inches or so from the top of the enclosure should be fine, that will also give me time to react if they try and bolt up the side.

What's the best way to keep the coconut fiber substrate moist to allow them to burrow? Should I mix it with vermiculite or something else? Or should I change substrate for burrowing?
 

Thistles

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I have used straight cocofiber in the past without issue. Get it wet and pack it down really firmly and it will hold shape as it dries and they burrow. I don't mist generally. I just drip or pour water straight on it and it will absorb the water. 2" sounds good for the Brachys but I'd do half and half for the GBB. They're versatile and will use some vertical space.
 

kormath

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I'm so stoked! My little vagans ate last night for the first time. Sorry for the bad pic, I didn't want to disturb his dinner too much.
vagans.jpg
 

kormath

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Hi, My nme is Kormath and i have a problem... I seem to have caught the fever :)

A week after ordering the terrestrial sling enclosure from Jamies it finally arrived. Luckily the roaches that sat in the post office in California for 3 days with the enclosure came through just fine. I wasn't too worried about them, you can't really kill a roach unless you try hard.

I've rehoused my little vagans in his new enclosure. I'm quite happy with it and he appears to be also. I misted one side for moisture and got to watch him drink from a water droplet. Very cool to see, too me a few minutes to realize that's what we has doing. He's since eaten 2 pinhead roaches and seems to be adapting well to his new home.
 

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Thistles

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Very pretty enclosure! It's a little high, so keep an eye out for the sling climbing. He probably won't, but if he does he could hurt himself in a fall.
 

kormath

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Thanks! He seems content so far just chilling out under the silk leaves where I mist the side. If he starts climbing I'll adjust to compensate.
 
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