Texas brown tarantulas temp

[stl314618]

Hi, my sister is getting a texas brown tarantula and I had a question about temperature. I don't have any experience on tarantulas more reptiles and I keep getting conflicting info on using a heat mat on the side of the tank, CHE with thermostat or nothing at all? She keeps her house in the 60s and it's going to be kept in the basement. In the winter, it also gets pretty cold here so I have that concern also.

 

[stl314618]

Thanks for any and all advice

 

[PanzoN88]

Hi, my sister is getting a texas brown tarantula and I had a question about temperature. I don't have any experience on tarantulas more reptiles and I keep getting conflicting info on using a heat mat on the side of the tank, CHE with thermostat or nothing at all? She keeps her house in the 60s and it's going to be kept in the basement. In the winter, it also gets pretty cold here so I have that concern also.

Thanks for any and all advice

For an Aphonopelma hentzi and really most tarantulas in general, 60’s will work, however temperatures in the 70s are recommended. You can use a heat mat, but don’t put it in direct contact with the enclosure. Since you say it’s going to be in a basement, I’d put its enclosure in a larger container and then put the heat mat on the side of the larger enclosure. You should definitely use a thermostat with the heat mat.

 

[stl314618]

For an Aphonopelma hentzi and really most tarantulas in general, 60’s will work, however temperatures in the 70s are recommended. You can use a heat mat, but don’t put it in direct contact with the enclosure. Since you say it’s going to be in a basement, I’d put its enclosure in a larger container and then put the heat mat on the side of the larger enclosure. You should definitely use a thermostat with the heat mat.

Thanks so much for the reply. I have reptiles and a scorpion and I breed dubias so I know care is different. I just read online and people had differing views. I just didn't want it to get too cold especially during the winter months. For my animals I have wifi temp/humidity gauges so if it's off I get a alert on my phone and I also use a temp gun.

 

[m0lsx]

I do not have Aphonopelma hentzi, but we do have several other Aphonopelma's & simply keep them at normal room temperatures. During the winter I keep our lounge at around 19.5C (67F) But prior to getting a radiator in here temperatures would drop to the lower 60's overnight with no issues.

 

[stl314618]

Thanks so much for the reply. I have reptiles and a scorpion and I breed dubias so I know care is different. I just read online and people had differing views. I just didn't want it to get too cold especially during the winter months. For my animals I have wifi temp/humidity gauges so if it's off I get a alert on my phone and I also use a temp gun.

I do not have Aphonopelma hentzi, but we do have several other Aphonopelma's & simply keep them at normal room temperatures. During the winter I keep our lounge at around 19.5C (67F) But prior to getting a radiator in here temperatures would drop to the lower 60's overnight with no issues.

Ok, so room temp is fine? I would say it's low to mid 60s in there? I was just at the petstore and they told me that if it isn't between 70-80 it'll need a heat pad and it'll also need a uvb light, which I never heard before. I just was worried about it getting too cold or sick.

 

[m0lsx]

Ok, so room temp is fine? I would say it's low to mid 60s in there? I was just at the petstore and they told me that if it isn't between 70-80 it'll need a heat pad and it'll also need a uvb light, which I never heard before. I just was worried about it getting too cold or sick.

Taking advice from a pet store is like listening to a politician. They all too often offer some very convincing sound bites, as long as you don't look beyond that sound bite.

Pet stores in general are very poor places to either buy tarantulas from, or take advice from, as they know next to nothing about Tarantulas. All they see is a profit margin.

Low 60's, as a permanent temperature, is low. But as an overnight minimum, it is not going to harm a T.

Aphonopelma hentzi has several common names. Two being Missouri tarantula & Oklahoma brown. So assuming the hentzi exists in those locations, do a google search of average temperatures.

St Louis, Missouri, October 2023. The average low was 51.5F & the average high was 71F. And for Oklahoma City average temperatures for October look to be very similar with average lows at 52 & average highs at 73. So low 60's is cool, but not as low as it gets. But as a preference, warm the air around the tank, rather than just the tank. A second larger tank, could be used to warm & provide a gentler, more stable temperature, rather than a heat mat. Also possibly think about a heated cable, rather than a mat. A cable will not cause a large area of heat. And if you do choose to use a heat mat, then never use it on the bottom of a tank, just across part of a side, so your T can escape the heat if it wants to. Also use a thermostat in the tank to stop the heat becoming oppressive, or even dangerous for your T.

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[GarField000]

Most shops (not all) will tell you anything to sell stuff.
Tarantula don't like lights .... don't use UV.

Low 60 is a bit cold for permanent. 65 is already much better.
In wintertime I have my heater on 68. Than the lower parts are 68/69 and the higher places are 73/74.
In the night I don't heat and it drops to 63/64.
Knowing this I keep the animals that need a bit higher temps on the top shelfs.

My girlfriend has a very small heatmat on the backside to heat it 3 degrees celcius more than without. It's a very small one off 10x10cm (3,5x3,5 or something). Realy small. It does not get very warm and it's not on the spot where the T usulaly hides.