Tarantula Enclosure Construction: Brachypelma smithi
It goes without saying that every species needs an enclosure suitable to its needs and habits. After Drusus trashed his enclosure last week, I decided to speed up his rehousing schedule and made this pictorial while I was working. Each point corresponds to one picture.
1). I used a conveniently-sized plastic bin that had originally been the home of really delicious Danish cookies. I cleaned and de-stickered it, then drilled holes along the top and the sides for cross-ventilation.
2). The box has a flip lid, which is a nice bonus: anything that helps you control or restrain a very fast, predatory animal is usually a plus.
3). I filled in a thin layer of substrate first, and then used a spray bottle to get it really soaked through. Then I add more substrate on top. The advantage of doing this is that a layer of moisture is trapped beneath the substrate and evaporates up, keeping the enclosure humid without keeping the surface of the substrate wet, which scrub tarantulas like B. smithi don't particularly enjoy walking on. To "refill" this layer, I just dig a small hole in a corner of the enclosure, pour water down it, and cover it back up. The water will spread.
4). I used a small piece of wood to create a hide for the spider. First I saw it to the desired size. I found this piece of wood by the river on a walk a few weeks ago and thought it might be useful for a T enclosure. I always bake pieces of wood that I find on a high temperature for a few minutes (protip: if the wood is smoking, it's been in there too long) in order to kill any mold, fungus, or parasite it might have on it. Gotta keep the Ts healthy.
5). The box from the side, with the wet lower level of sediment clearly visible.
6). I placed the piece of wood on a small mount of dirt along the side of the enclosure, lining up the flat sawed-off part with the side of the box (obviously) and then piling more dirt on top of it. The advantage of the flip lid is that I can pile dirt all the way up to the top in the back, making the hide steadier, but still have access to the enclosure without disturbing the sediment and causing an avalanche, which my smithis really don't like.
7). I use a wide, shallow bottle cap as a water dish (that's where the spilled water came from; let that dry out before putting the spider in), and I put a nice triangle of moss in the corner. First, it gives a little color and texture to the enclosure and gives the T a softer surface to lie flat on (useful before and after molts). More importantly, both of my smithis tear up little pieces of the moss and use it to reinforce the webbing around the entrance of the hide.
8). Ta-da! Finished enclosure with lid.
Next up - getting the little monster in there.
