Over the last
seven years since I first began my journey into
maintaining tarantulas in captivity, I have
collected and maintained many species from around
the world. But, no matter how my
"fascination level" increased or
decreased, my main fascination has always been
for the tree-top denizens of the Genera
Avicularia, Iridopelma, Psalmopoeus, and
Tapinauchenius: the New World arboreal
Theraphosidae (exclusive of Pachistopelma).
Over the years, I have read many
differing accounts from many different keepers as
to the best way to house these magnificent
creatures to provide the perfect habitat for
their lifestyles and to provide a
"minimal" investment of time and upkeep
for those that maintain them. The following is in
no way the "definitive" guide to
housing arboreals, nor, is it in anyway meant to
present itself as such. However; to date, I have
had no problems with mites or phorid flies and
only need to clean my specimen's vivariums
thoroughly once per year (this does not include
next day clean up of prey remains, uneaten prey
items, or the rare mishap with a water bowl!).
I would also like to address a
current debate going on concerning which is more
important to the proper care of arboreals:
humidity or ventilation?
From my seven year experience
with NW arboreals, I would have to favour those
that believe ventilation is the primary factor
between the two, and that humidity and it's
importance to NW arboreals has been greatly
over-inflated.
Since I began maintaining
arboreals some five years ago, my specimen's only
source of humidity has been their water dishes
and a once a week light-misting with warm,
distilled water! I live in S.E. Michigan where
from mid-fall through mid-spring, my home is
warmed by a forced-air furnace that causes
humidity levels to fall well under 30%.
The temperature of my home varies
during this "cold-period" from 75
degrees f. to 88 degrees f. In this atmosphere,
my specimens have molted, grown, fed, and
thrived. The majority from fragile spiderlings
which do require light-mistings with warm,
distilled water 2 times per week. The following
information is directed towards housing specimens
that have attained at least a 3 inch/7.5 cm
legspan measured from tip of Leg I to tip of Leg
IV same side. This set-up can be used for even
the largest specimens of Avicularia and
Psalmopoeus, with more than enough room for
continued growth.
At 3 inch/7.5 cm, my specimens
are moved from smaller containers into permanent
5.5 gallon standard-size, glass vivariums. Each
vivarium is inverted (placed with the open top as
a side). To cover the opening, I use standard
screened-lids (available in most pet shops) that
snap and attach to the vivariums outer trim.
These lids are secure as they
must be pried out from the trim to be opened.A
problem that many keepers fear with this type of
lid is that a tarantulas "claws" may
become stuck in the screen thereby, trapping the
tarantula. I have not had this ever occur with
any arboreal or terrestrial species that I've
maintained over the years. This type of lid (now
a side) also provides full ventilation that can
be somewhat controlled by taping or gluing heavy
plastic over a portion of the screening thereby
restricting humidity loss. If you opt to do this,
cover the upper half of the screen with the
plastic always leaving a 1 inch/2.5 cm area at
the top of the screen uncovered to allow proper
air-flow throughout the vivarium.
As for shelter/retreat needs, I
do not normally use wood. As shelter, I use a
material called plastic canvas commonly sold in
craft stores by the number of square-holes per
inch. This is a heavy plastic version of window
screening. The best size to use for tube
construction is the 7 squares per inch/per 2.5
cm. It is available in white, blue, pink, and
green. I prefer the green. I buy it in a size to
create a rolled tube 10-12 inches long (25-30 cm)
x 3 inches (7.5 cm) in dia. The "tube"
is held together typically with monofilament
line.
After I construct the tube, I cut
a lid for it out of the same material and secure
it to one end of the tube allowing only one end
to be open. The open end will be placed downward
facing the floor of the vivarium. I've
experimented with leaving the "tube"
open at both ends but, the majority of arboreals
will web up the upper-open end seemingly
prefering to use the bottom end for entrance and
exit. The "tube" is then affixed to a
corner of the Vivarium using silicone aquarium
sealant and left to dry and air out 24 hours.
Another advantage of this type of material
"tube" is that when cleaning a
specimen's cage, one needs to only place an
appropriately sized cup over the bottom, tape it
to the tube, and clean the cage without any
unwanted intrusions from such visitors as
Psalmopoeus irminia!
The "tube" can also be
decorated with mosses and/or artificial plants. I
then place a large water dish on the floor of the
vivarium near the opening of the water dish. In a
standard size 5.5 gallon vivarium, the height is
16 inches/40 cm. I affix the tube with it's upper
end flush to the upper pane of the vivarium,
leaving a space from the lower "tube"
end to the floor of 4 inches/10 cm. Substrate: I
prefer to use green, rubber-backed astroturf as
it's easy to clean, easy to see prey remains
upon, and prey items cannot become lost down in
the substrate. Again, some keepers express using
this material as a substrate but, I have had no
problems to date, save my wife does not
appreciate me using the wash machine to clean
such!
As I mentioned previously, this
is not a "definitive" guide to housing
arboreals but, has worked very well for me for
the last 5 years and as long as I maintain NW
arboreals, it will be MY set up of choice!
Comments, suggestions, or heat?
Please email me at luc313@yahoo.com I welcome all
opinions as I may learn something new as well?
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