When should I rehouse my male P striata, who has a 4" dls?

[Whitelightning777]

My male Poecilotheria striata has molted and the size increase has taken me by surprise. He's in a Terra Blue professional enclosure that opens at the top sized 8x4x8. He can reach side to side but not yet top to bottom.

Of course, tarantulas don't really need huge cages but working around him is really too close and stresses both myself and the tarantula.

 

[Enn49]

I'd move him now. I have a P. ornata around the same size as your striata and he is in an 8x8x12" (not an ExoTerra Nano but same size) and he seems happy in it, using all the space.

 

[Metalman2004]

Well the enclosure in that video isn’t 8x8x4. Maybe 8x8x12? In any case I think it looks just fine for at least another molt.

 

[Whitelightning777]

The current enclosure is, in fact 8" wide 4" deep and 8" high. I measured it when I got it home. He was about 1" DLS when I put him in there & he's literally never been out, even when I'm doing the windows.

An ExoTerra nano is 8x8x12. That is what my C versicolor is in now. Only thing is that if he tops out at 7 or 8 inches, he'll have to be rehoused again, which I'd rather avoid.

I think the Nano is big enough for a versicolor but not for something bigger.

I think the mini is the next size up. The P vittata slings will probably get to big for a Nano because some of them are almost as big as P ornata, especially the female.

 

[Metalman2004]

Ah, it’s the 4 deep that confused me. I’ve not seen anything in that size before. In any case, in the video he still looks to have plenty of room to me. I’m sure others will chime in as well.

 

[MassExodus]

If you have a bigger enclosure, why not? Its now or later. When you have free time and get bored, I say do it. Arboreals, even daytime hiders like poecis, move around much more than terrestrials and fossorials. I could never keep them hot, mine are at room temp, but heres a tip: I once stepped into a breeders t room and he had several of the biggest, most magnificent poecis I've ever seen. Every single one of them were out, some actively moving around, others spread eagled on the glass. I didn't realize why until a few moments later when sweat was running into my eyes.

 

[Whitelightning777]

I'd move him now. I have a P. ornata around the same size as your striata and he is in an 8x8x12" (not an ExoTerra Nano but same size) and he seems happy in it, using all the space.

Doesn't P ornata have a 10 inch leg span?

 

[Enn49]

Mine is only a youngster still and in fact I was wrong when I said he was in an 8x8x12"', I put him straight into a 12x12x18" ExoTerra to save another move later.

 

[Whitelightning777]

Ah, it’s the 4 deep that confused me. I’ve not seen anything in that size before. In any case, in the video he still looks to have plenty of room to me. I’m sure others will chime in as well.

Well he didn't get out of the way when I was cleaning his enclosure, just stood his ground being defensive. If quarters are to cramped, that's the most likely explanation.

I'm sure he'd just love being in a Nano....for now. What I want to do is get him into his adult forever home so I'll never have to rehouse him again.

If he only got to 5 or 6 inches, a Nano would be fine. If he's gonna get to 7 or 8 inches, gotta step up.

I guess my question really is, without blarney coming into play, what is the maximum size of a male P striata?

I'm not worried about him being in to big of a cage. He's been in his current one since I got him at one inch in size, no problem hunting at all + super fast.

 

[Whitelightning777]

Mine is only a youngster still and in fact I was wrong when I said he was in an 8x8x12"', I put him straight into a 12x12x18" ExoTerra to save another move later.

Is that the mini tall or the one above that one? How much did the enclosure cost?

 

[Enn49]

Yes, it's the mini tall but I have no idea what I paid for it as I bought it many, many years ago when I 1st started keeping snakes. but I know I wouldn't pay the prices they charge nowadays.

 

[Metalman2004]

Well he didn't get out of the way when I was cleaning his enclosure, just stood his ground being defensive. If quarters are to cramped, that's the most likely explanation.

I’d say the most likely explanation is that he made that corner his home. After all that’s where all his webbing was that you took down. Just like a terrestrial will stick to its hide when someone pokes around and a burrower will stick to its burrow.

As for the original question, my guess is he’ll get to around the 6” range by the time he matures. He’ll need a rehouse at some point, but it’s not exactly necessary now. You can do it now or you can do it later, your call. I don’t think either way will matter too much.

 

[Whitelightning777]

Six inches is a little tight for that one but a Nano would be a good fit for a 6" spider that spends most of it's time in a vertical orientation.

After all, a Nano is 12 inches tall.