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40 gallon tank for T. Stirmi (we think) (was supposed to be a Blondi)

Charlotte1

New Member
Messages
17
Location
Seattle, WA
We have a juvenile T. Stirmi, maybe Blondi but she's not dead yet so I'm thinking she's the sturdier cousin. Anyway. We just moved her into the 40 gallon tank that was foolishly purchased to be her forever home. It's too big. Hard to maintain humidity. Top ventilation. We're trying to make it work though. Side question: She's unusually active. Running around, climbing walls, hanging from the top. Is that weird? Anyway. She's not my girl but I'm trying to help keep her alive. We have a deep substrate (3 inches) With mesh and clay balls underneath that. We're using a small side-attached heat mat and a black light above. I've asked questions before regarding humidity/temperature and have been told that added heat sources are not usually necessary. My son (the owner) wants heat sources to help generate humidity. I'm just looking for input. We've put A LOT of water in there but I think it just simply needs more. ?? I know the top ventilation isn't ideal but we're trying to make use of what we already have. The room where she is is usually pretty warm. Her tank looks dry though. I'm worried about the welfare of this tarantula...We did put a towel on top of the tank to help trap moisture and heat. My son doesn't want to put more water in the tank. ??
 

Jess S

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
1,197
Location
South Wales
Hi there! First if all, please remove the towel immediately, it'll create a death trap. Also remove the heat mat and the black light, unless the room the enclosure is in, is colder than mid 70's, it isn't needed.

A 40 gallon tank is much too big for a juvenile. You will be constantly adding water, as you have found out, to maintain humidity, where you could just downgrade to a much smaller enclosure. I'm not a huge fan of limiting ventilation as you risk getting mould/stagnancy. However, if you are going to do it because your enclosure is drying too fast, I think the best way (this is my method) is to have one row of holes all around the sides (or 3 rows on just 2 opposing sides) and some widely spaced holes on the lid. Enclosures I have had set up like that, took ages to dry out. Obviously, you can't do this with your tank. I'm just getting to that! Lol

A lot of the reason the stirmi is so unsettled is because the enclosure is way too big and it can't find a suitable hide that it feels safe in. Also 3" of substrate in a 40 gallon for a juvi is going to leave so much height, it could fall and get injured, possibly even die.

Keep the 40 gallon though. It'll grow into it! Consider replacing the lid (which I'm assuming is mesh) with a fitted plexi glass one, with a grid of ventilation holes drilled. Roughly 2" apart. Include lockable hinges, as stirmi's are strong and you wouldn't want the lid pushed open!

I can't help further without having photos of it in the enclosure though.
 

Charlotte1

New Member
Messages
17
Location
Seattle, WA
Hi there! First if all, please remove the towel immediately, it'll create a death trap. Also remove the heat mat and the black light, unless the room the enclosure is in, is colder than mid 70's, it isn't needed.

A 40 gallon tank is much too big for a juvenile. You will be constantly adding water, as you have found out, to maintain humidity, where you could just downgrade to a much smaller enclosure. I'm not a huge fan of limiting ventilation as you risk getting mould/stagnancy. However, if you are going to do it because your enclosure is drying too fast, I think the best way (this is my method) is to have one row of holes all around the sides (or 3 rows on just 2 opposing sides) and some widely spaced holes on the lid. Enclosures I have had set up like that, took ages to dry out. Obviously, you can't do this with your tank. I'm just getting to that! Lol

A lot of the reason the stirmi is so unsettled is because the enclosure is way too big and it can't find a suitable hide that it feels safe in. Also 3" of substrate in a 40 gallon for a juvi is going to leave so much height, it could fall and get injured, possibly even die.

Keep the 40 gallon though. It'll grow into it! Consider replacing the lid (which I'm assuming is mesh) with a fitted plexi glass one, with a grid of ventilation holes drilled. Roughly 2" apart. Include lockable hinges, as stirmi's are strong and you wouldn't want the lid pushed open!

I can't help further without having photos of it in the enclosure though.
Thank you so much for the input!! I really appreciate your time. Will do!!
 

m0lsx

Moderator
Staff member
1,000+ Post Club
3 Year Member
Tarantula Club Member
Messages
2,009
Location
Norwich, UK
Stop worrying about supposed humidity. Humidity is not important. Good husbandry is & it will result in the right conditions for your stirmi. I currently have 3 stirmis. None of them have extra heat. None of them get the tanks humidity even thought about.

I keep the substrate moist, but not wet. I use a slightly larger than normal water container. I never spray, unless it is on the live plants, in the tank of one of them, or on the moss I keep in a lot of my T enclosures. Moss holds moisture & gives even a desert species somewhere naturally moister under foot. And all of my stirmis are in top ventilation enclosures.

Currently, my biggest girl, Felicity, or flick for short, who is about 8.5 inches, DLS, is sitting out in full view. But it is unusual to see her. My Juvi stirmi, has been very inactive for several months, but he molted a few weeks ago & is now starting to become active again, but in general I find I do not see much of my stirmi's or blondi's as they get older & bigger.

Currently, I have my weather station, which shows indoor & outdoor temperature & humidity, plus 3 gauges that I have removed from T enclosures, that I acquired with the T, sitting togther on my mantle piece. All are showing different figures. Looking at them, humidity in that few square inches of room varies by 10% & Temperature by 4 degrees C, or as I susspect, they are a rough guide & not very accurate. The reality is, gauges are not very reliable & are far from as important as getting the husbandry correct. So stop chasing something you cannot see with your own eyes & start concentrating on what you can see.

I have found a good visual way of keeping the substrate right are springtails. If the substrate is sufficiently moist for them, then it is right for my stirmi's. I feed my springtails dry leaves, yeast & some occasional flaked fish food or a few grains of dried rice. The food creates mold for them to eat & the dry leaves gives them something to put the food under & adds to the natural appearance of the tank.
 
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Charlotte1

New Member
Messages
17
Location
Seattle, WA
Thank you so much for the input. I know you've helped me before and said the same thing about the humidity. I'm so glad you mentioned that you have top ventilation! That's encouraging. We had her in a plastic container that was much smaller for a while and drilled side holes for ventilation and since we're so inexperienced, it's hard to know which factors are most important for establishing an ideal environment. She was crawling out of the container much too easily for my comfort (I have several younger kids) (only when the lid was off of course, for feeding and such) so we moved her into the 40 gallon tank sooner than we had planned and I was hoping, with a deeper substrate and clay balls underneath, that it wouldn't dry out too easily. I'm trying to balance my kid's experience of making decisions for his animal, doing research on his own, and my desire for her to be healthy and thrive. I hate the suffering of animals! I'm trying to figure out how to post pictures on here so I can get further input. I really appreciate this resource for information! The internet is FULL of contradictory info and over zealous care takers that insist on automatic sprayers and heat lamps/mats, gauges and all that etc. I know better now....Thanks for your time.
 

Charlotte1

New Member
Messages
17
Location
Seattle, WA
Thank you so much for the input. I know you've helped me before and said the same thing about the humidity. I'm so glad you mentioned that you have top ventilation! That's encouraging. We had her in a plastic container that was much smaller for a while and drilled side holes for ventilation and since we're so inexperienced, it's hard to know which factors are most important for establishing an ideal environment. She was crawling out of the container much too easily for my comfort (I have several younger kids) (only when the lid was off of course, for feeding and such) so we moved her into the 40 gallon tank sooner than we had planned and I was hoping, with a deeper substrate and clay balls underneath, that it wouldn't dry out too easily. I'm trying to balance my kid's experience of making decisions for his animal, doing research on his own, and my desire for her to be healthy and thrive. I hate the suffering of animals! I'm trying to figure out how to post pictures on here so I can get further input. I really appreciate this resource for information! The internet is FULL of contradictory info and over zealous care takers that insist on automatic sprayers and heat lamps/mats, gauges and all that etc. I know better now....Thanks for your time.
 

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liquidfluidity

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
193
Location
USA
That's a ton of space! I'm currently bringing up an Apophysis. It is the most moisture dependent species I have and is kept bioactively. As for substrate moisture, I just watch the line between moist and dry. It's very easy to see and it lets me know when I need to add water. I use springtails and dwarf isopods. It is currently in a 5.5 gallon and in premolt. Next it will go into possibly a 20 gallon long aquarium. The final will be an Exo and set up in a display fassion.
I have had Stirmi also and kept the same. I'd downsize your 40 and maybe go a bit deeper on substrate. It'll be easier to maintain a consistent moisture parameter. Just don't over do the water.

Nice specimen by the way!
 

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