Terrarium.
First question, which any beginner tarantula keeper faced with – where it can be kept?
There`re determined requirements are presented to the terrarium for keeping tarantulas. First, it must be enough ample, vertical type for arboreal species or horizontal - for terrestrial, moreover the corresponding "dwelling" surface (terrarium walls for arboreals, bottom – for terrestrials) not less two lengths of tarantula legspan. On the other hand, it is inadvisable to keep tarantulas in large terrariums, since additional problems appear with maintenance of constant moisture and temperature mode so and with finding by spiders of food objects.
Very important moment, which necessary to take into account when equipping a terrarium, is concluded in its safety as for tarantula itself as so for a keeper. Special attention is necessary to pay for exclusion the possibility of escaping tarantula from terrarium and accordingly exclude also the probability of escaping of food objects.
Follows to remember that under keeping the terrestrial species it is restricted to use high boxes since heavy spider being climbing high to terrarium wall, can fall and get hurt! Tarantula abdomen is exceedingly vulnerable and its breakup is one of the wide-spread reasons of death of tarantula in captivity. Also for species of genuses Avicularia, Poecilotheria, Psalmopoeus and other arboreal tarantulas, on the contrary, the terrarium height is one of the defining factor for successful keeping and breeding.
On specified above reason is not recommended to put in terrarium with arboreal tarantulas a greater stones since jumping tarantula can hit of it, beside it is also can occuring the breakup of his body tissues.
For terrariums of all types is necessary to provide a good ventilations. Particularly it is important under keeping the species referring to group 1 and 3.
It is necessary to install vertically in one of the back corners or back wall of the terrarium with arboreal species a piece of wood cortex (cork, oak, amur velvet, dead pine etc) for retreat. For terrestrials the retreat must be install directly on substratum. This can be crossover a half of flowerpot of approaching size, a piece of wood cortex, or any other coverture from artificial neutral material.
As a whole, some special type of terrarium for tarantulas does not exist. They can be kept in any boxes, food containers or standard glass or plastic boxes for reptiles, if they correspond to stated above requirements. It is wide-spread that newborn spiders have been kept in photo-cassettes, in which in lid and on lateral sides are done several small holes.
Author and its colleagues on hobby is developped the special type of terrarium, in principal not diversified from such as for small lizards. It presents itself cubic, horizontal (for terrestrial species) or vertical (for arboreals) box, made by organic or silicate glass, with ventilation holes made on length of cover and back wall from small metallic net. Withdrawable door inheres frontal, tightly adjoining to lateral sides of terrarium. lower its part is fixed in slots and upper is fixed on special magnets or on furniture lock (also is possible to use the reliable lock of any type).
They are practical in keeping tarantulas and care for them, decorative looking, can be united in two-three per sections, as well as easy fixed in specially made sets in several pieces.
In conclusion of this section lets note that place of location of trerrarium at home can be chosen in dependencies from interior.
But necessary to remember that it is not advisable to allow direct sunlight hits on terrarium, avoid draughts, as well as that some species need any factors of enxiety to be excluded .
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