• 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!

Tliltocatl Albopilosum enclosure size?

Messages
71
Location
Devon
Hi.

I have my Tliltocatl Albopilosum in a terrestrial Faunarium the largest one they do, she doesn't tend to use half of it.

So would a 15x15x15 be more suitable for her?

As I would love to give her a planted enclosure.

What kind of moss can I add? The kind you "paint" the spores onto or what living moss can I get that will grow in the enclosure?

As I was thinking of doing this with a nice plant included.
This is her current set up. Will be getting her molt sexed as I baught this T as a possible female.
She's sub adult and maybe 4.5-5 Inch DSL.

Thanks
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20210205_173611~2.jpg
    IMG_20210205_173611~2.jpg
    2 MB · Views: 25
  • IMG_20210205_173636~4.jpg
    IMG_20210205_173636~4.jpg
    1 MB · Views: 24

Coradams

Member
Messages
55
Location
Illinois
Hi A good rule of thumb for a terrestrial enclosure is 3X2 the leg span of the tarantula. So a t that has a leg span of 5 inches would need an enclosure that is 15 inches long by 10 inches wide. The distance between the top of the substrate and the top of the enclosure should be 1.5 times the leg span or 7.5 inches in our example.

I have experimented with plants and moss in a few of my enclosures. Most of my ts are kept fairly dry so I just put a small plant and some moss around the water dish. The thought was that when the moss looks dry, it's time to overflow the water dish. Sounds good, right? What I didn't expect was my ts taking up amateur gardening. The A. seemanni dug straight down along the stem of the plant down to the roots, the B. boehmei tore the plant out entirely and the B. hamorii keeps pushing the moss into the water dish. My T. albo is such a digger, I can't imagine how long a live plant would last. Just be aware that your plans for their enclosure may not be their plans for their enclosure.

But to answer your question as to what kind of moss to use, I have had the best luck with hypnum oss but I am here in the U.S.

Just remember, the more the enclosure is decorated, the more places prey can hide. Good luck and let us know how it turns out! :)
 
Messages
71
Location
Devon
Hi A good rule of thumb for a terrestrial enclosure is 3X2 the leg span of the tarantula. So a t that has a leg span of 5 inches would need an enclosure that is 15 inches long by 10 inches wide. The distance between the top of the substrate and the top of the enclosure should be 1.5 times the leg span or 7.5 inches in our example.

I have experimented with plants and moss in a few of my enclosures. Most of my ts are kept fairly dry so I just put a small plant and some moss around the water dish. The thought was that when the moss looks dry, it's time to overflow the water dish. Sounds good, right? What I didn't expect was my ts taking up amateur gardening. The A. seemanni dug straight down along the stem of the plant down to the roots, the B. boehmei tore the plant out entirely and the B. hamorii keeps pushing the moss into the water dish. My T. albo is such a digger, I can't imagine how long a live plant would last. Just be aware that your plans for their enclosure may not be their plans for their enclosure.

But to answer your question as to what kind of moss to use, I have had the best luck with hypnum oss but I am here in the U.S.

Just remember, the more the enclosure is decorated, the more places prey can hide. Good luck and let us know how it turns out! :)
@Coradams ah, so this enclosure I am thinking on getting, would be ideal for her, my understanding is they do not usually (including females) get over 6 inches?
As, ideally, this would be her adult enclosure, with the intention of not increasing the size. It seems the one she is in now, needs to be taller and wider... I think I should get this bigger enclosure for her. This one she is n now was only temporary till she molted a couple more times and hit her adult size.
Just measured her molt an seems to be 4inch DSL although she looks maybe at most about an inch bigger now. I would be surprised if she's over 5.5inch. I've had her about 6 months and she's molted recently, and before I got her, she molted I would say a from this molt about 7 months ago. An she was a juvi-sub adult. So I would geuss se is about sub adult size now. I am not certain as I am new to Teranchular keeping.

I have the loose spagnum moss in their, currently. Really referring to potted moss plants over loose moss.

I was hoping too have a few hides in place to keep them entertained, if they get dug up, I will just stick with fake plants. Although really would be benifital too their health and hopefully the spider to not dig them up.

It seems some species are more prone to digging up plants and doing more renovation?

Yeah, that is also why I was going to get a bigger enclosure and have many more hides for her at difrent levels.
Just an idea, would it be possible to say have a potted plant suspension in place or fixed to a wall in a raised elevation l, would that Determine the plant to be less likely to be dug up?
I suppose its just finding a plant they like enough to not dig up, maybe they have a preference for a certain plant ‍♀️
Failing that, I can just have a Planted globe or something.

I find they tend to burry their water bowls... And hat send the hairs flying Aller the place and I end up super itchy!
Hence wanting to get a larger enclosure where I have a wall mounted dish or something that they can't burry.

I find my Albo spends a lot of time in her burrow and has attached the leaves aorunfd the entire entrance in an almost archway formation, looks rather nice and will probably have that transplanted as her main/starter burrow. She seems to dig the burrow and not much else, apart from her runway entrances.
 

Coradams

Member
Messages
55
Location
Illinois
I believe many keepers use the large Faunarium (the deep style, not the flat style) for their tarantulas. It should be fine. In the wild tarantulas do not tend to go very far from their burrows. Just make sure you can give it enough substrate if she wants to dig.

I have never tried to put a plant on the back of the enclosure. It is an interesting idea. I would try a plant that hangs down as there should not be much room between the top of the substrate and the top of the enclosure.

Another thing about store bought plants: they tend to be grown in potting soil with fertilizers and pesticides that can be harmful to you tarantula. I always wash all the potting soil off the roots and soaking them before transplanting into an enclosure.
 
Messages
71
Location
Devon
I believe many keepers use the large Faunarium (the deep style, not the flat style) for their tarantulas. It should be fine. In the wild tarantulas do not tend to go very far from their burrows. Just make sure you can give it enough substrate if she wants to dig.

I have never tried to put a plant on the back of the enclosure. It is an interesting idea. I would try a plant that hangs down as there should not be much room between the top of the substrate and the top of the enclosure.

Another thing about store bought plants: they tend to be grown in potting soil with fertilizers and pesticides that can be harmful to you tarantula. I always wash all the potting soil off the roots and soaking them before transplanting into an enclosure.
The plant I baught was the exo Trerra range, should I dig it up and wash it?

OK, so the tank I am thinking of getting, would be suitable for either by the sounds of it.

Yeah I was thinking along the idea of a hanging or something.
 

Coradams

Member
Messages
55
Location
Illinois
I would definitely wash the roots of the plant before planting it. If you have already planted it (and do not know id the soil was pesticide free), I would remove it and make sure to remove the potting soil it came with and surrounding substrate just to be safe.
 

octanejunkie

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
3 Year Member
Tarantula Club Member
Messages
4,163
Sling enclosures are like tupperware, use the next smaller size than what your gut tells you
 
Top