Too much decoration?

[Incompletegeek]

Hi all,
I got a bit concerned when my G. pulchra disappeared into a hiding spot shortly after being rehomed into what I’ll admit is too big of an enclosure.

However, she (unsexed but ) has recently reappeared, freshly molted and looking beautiful. She’s drinking from her new bowl and has eaten a few crickets so she seems comfortable in there but I’m worried there’s too much fake foliage at the back of the enclosure. Will crickets hide in there and die or will they always make an effort to find water and give her a chance to get them?

Thanks,
Max

 

[timc]

Looks alright to me. If you’re worried about it being too big and crickets running amok just feed one at a time and drop it near her. If she’s hungry she’ll take it, if not you only have one cricket to track down.

 

[octanejunkie]

Only feed 1 at a time and do as @timc said, drop it close. If the T is hungry it will grab it.

If the cricket gets away, no worries. Crickets are stupid and it will probably wander around eventually and either you or the T can snag it.

FWIW, that enclosure looks like a place I once visited in Tibet, nicely done albeit a touch large

 

[Incompletegeek]

Thanks guys, will go down this route - feeding 1 cricket at a time. Annoyingly (scarily?) the foliage is at the back and you have to slide the whole lid off to get the wooden tweezers in there to extract the crickets...

With regards to the enclosure being too big I’ve had an idea but would really appreciate your thoughts as I’m not sure how good an idea it is. I’m thinking of splitting it in two, down the middle, with some Perspex glued in place and then sawing the lid into two to allow both sides to be opened independently. I could then use it to house both my G pulchra and B Smithi.

I would use three sheets of Perspex for the divider. The one in the middle would be taller to stop the two halves of the lid sliding over one another (act as a horizontal guide) and the lids would sit on the two sandwiching side pieces (cut lower to act as a rail).

Is it an issue if the two tarantulas can see each other? If the divider was opaque are they still able to detect each other with another sense? Might as well use this lockdown constructively to make sure they’re as comfortable as possible!

Thanks,
Max

 

[Josh]

Looks good to me. I like the enclosure!
It might be an issue to have them right next to each other with only clear plastic between. But why not just put in a black divider or an opaque one

 

[octanejunkie]

just use two enclosures, it's easier in every way. you'll see

 

[Incompletegeek]

Thanks @octanejunkie & @Josh. Both good points!

Joshx, if I use a black divider, T’s aren’t able to sense the other another way are they? I don’t want to cause them unnecessary stress.

I really like the enclosure @octanejunkie but it is too big as it is I think. Can’t currently find anything similar but half the size and if I can repurpose it with minimal effort and low cost then that would help. I’m a mechanical engineer and have Solidworks to model the parts and friendly suppliers who would cut the acrylic to size. It also allows me to glue the lid back together (or replace), remove the divider and buy another enclosure once they are big enough.

Alternative plan is to glue a divider in but not use the other side for another T if it will make the G pulchra happier.

 

[Josh]

Nah they won't be able to sense each other. Don't put vent holes in the divider as there'd be no point. I think it's a solid plan if it's done properly!