- Messages
- 85
- Location
- suffolk, England
which size,which make ,in your opinion is the best display enclosure ?
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good and not so good display enclosures
- Thread starter corij
- Start date
I like these. [emoji3]
Make them myself, cheap, easy to build, any size and air holes wherever, dependant on the species its for. Just finished the first 2, H. maculata will be rehoused in them after their next molt.
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- Messages
- 85
- Location
- suffolk, England
hey those are really cool Therasoid !
I agree with Therasoid... If you have extra time you can make your own which will saves you some money, I also have some of my DIY enclosures which is good for slings and juvies... You can check it HERE if you want... Enjoy....
Thanks corij.
The biggest expense I encountered was the 180 tooth table saw blade to make smooth, clean cuts. Also experimenting with different epoxies to give adequate time to apply and set parts in a jig until cured. I found Locktite 20 min. plastic binder to work the best for me. The local DIY has acrylic sheets in many sizes and thicknesses at surprisingly low prices. I build long before I need to rehouse and larger than the T needs. Prefer to rehouse as few times as possible, helps eliminate possible stress, bites and escapes. [emoji3]
Top pic are 7X7X14 and cost $25 to build.
Center are 5X5X12 about same cost.
Bottom is 8X8X16 about $20.
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Unfortunately, I do not have the time (or probably the skills ) for DIY work. I believe that the correct answer depends on the species and the available space that you have in your spider room. I have a variety of different sized and makes but the most important thing for me is the the material is crystal clear so you can easily view the content (i.e. glass, acrylic, plastic, etc.). I also try to tie the enclosures together for same size/make in any particular viewing area to create a uniform look and feel. Let us know which way you decide to go.
) for DIY work. I believe that the correct answer depends on the species and the available space that you have in your spider room. I have a variety of different sized and makes but the most important thing for me is the the material is crystal clear so you can easily view the content (i.e. glass, acrylic, plastic, etc.). I also try to tie the enclosures together for same size/make in any particular viewing area to create a uniform look and feel. Let us know which way you decide to go.
- Messages
- 1,082
Also, acrylic is not the greatest material for high humidity species. Get a lot of warping and in time the screens can even fall out....
Unfortunately, I do not have the time (or probably the skills
Hello there Denny Dee... Can you share some pics of your enclosures for us to see and if possible to give some details likes the measurements as well the materials so that we have more idea... Your sharing will help us more to create better enclosures and to satisfy our T's... Thanks...
Can do, am building 3 more later this week. [emoji3]Awesome enclosures Therasoid. Do something like a step by step guide to make them?
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- 1,082
Will do. Can take some individual enclosure styles soon. I am very lazy with the camera. I also recently acquired a digital microscope for my birthday which has not been unpackaged as of late. Real life has been consuming my time. However, I have posted my displays on the site before. Here is a quick peak:
I am photo-lazy but will try to walk through my enclosure strategy. Your humidity and temperature strategy will drive the enclosure types. First of all, I would always recommend glass if you have the space and the proper set-ups. Glass holds water and does not bow or scratch. I am limited on space so moved from glass to acrylic/plastic because I have to move the enclosure for feeding and maintenance. Acrylic/plastic is much lighter weight than glass. So, the material is really more of a personal choice as the T's don't care. As I mentioned above, I display all my inverts so I like clear materials over plastics that are opaque.
Regarding size, there are good formulas on the forum for enclosure size = 2-3x leg span. There are two factors to consider. One, in the event a terrestrial spider falls when attempting to climb, you want to ensure she does not get injured. So the height is the risk. However, I have also seen a tank too large makes it difficult for the T to hunt. Every species and every spider is different with respect to this but generally I try to make it as easy as possible for the T to find its food. Most of my terrestrial T's are in 5 gallon glass tanks. I have a couple of 10 gallon tanks for the larger bird eaters and a 20 gallon long for my T.blondi. I find these are sufficient as I prefer the more aggressive spiders which tend to burrow and do not stray far from their home. My dwarves are fine in two gallon enclosures. If I had more room or less species, I would probably go larger. Although I find it is not necessary. Slings are reared using Jamies Tarantulas (https://www.jamiestarantulas.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1839) enclosures. I like the Exo Terra tanks for my arboreals but have some custom acrylic and some plastic enclosures (net-bug.net) for my juvies and slings.
Recently, I made a decision to keep my scorpions in 2 gallon enclosures. This is due to the fact that in the 5 gallon tanks, I rarely (and I mean rarely!) ever saw them.
My trap door spiders are in five gallon cylinder acrylic tanks with an acrylic rod mounted in the center to force the spiders to burrow on the outside. Most have not cooperated
but the concept is a good one. One of the great things about this hobby is that there is no right or wrong. Many will have opinions but really, as long as the T is healthy and you are pleased with the enclosure, it is all good.
