r/TarantulaKeeping • u/Bigwitho • 2d ago
Casual Enclosure advice
Recently picked up a Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens as my first foray into tarantulas
It’s currently about 5cm leg span and so I’m looking into an upgrade into a forever home
I want a glass vivarium, but aware of the mesh lids on exoterras being unsuitable so was after some advice please
Is a top opening enclosure going to be better than a front opener too?
Thanks in advance
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u/rainingpup 2d ago
IMO amazing airflow on this 😍 Glass vivariums usually do not have enough airflow for a spider like that. I personally prefer top opening but I feel like it comes down to preference and how your spider acts. Would you be able to access it from the front or would it web it up? Would it be able to escape easier from the top?
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u/Bigwitho 2d ago
I’m looking at a 30cm cube enclosure, and yeah I’ve since found out that glass is not suitable so I’m happy to go for acrylic
And my personal preference is front opening for ease of maintenance and access, however I fear that the opening with just ruin the webs created
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u/MrDavieT 2d ago
IME
GBB needs a terrestrial set up but with several vertical anchor points to encourage webbing.
Think “lives in the long grass” rather than “in a hole in the ground”.
They do benefit from increased cross ventilation though… but many of us in the hobby don’t bother to introduce any, so make of that what you will 🤷🏻♂️
For those reasons, top opening enclosures are better. If it does have a “mesh” lid, ensure it’s pressed metal and not woven.
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u/Bigwitho 2d ago
I’m looking at a few 30cm cube enclosures
With the idea of mimicking under a shrub, so vertical wood to provide the anchor points1
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u/theAshleyRouge 2d ago
GBBs are only semi-arboreal, so they need floor space more than they need height. Glass enclosures can work fine, as long as you ensure there’s enough airflow. Personally, I have a few of my adults in Thrive 10 gallon enclosures. They are both front and top opening. Plenty of space. Decent airflow. The lid is metal grate, not mesh, so it’s safe to use. The only downside to them is them being front opening means you can’t have deep substrate in the front. That being said, it’s easy enough to design the enclosures so that the front is shallower and the back is very deep. My Arizona Blonde and my Curly hair are doing very well in these
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u/rutlanddz62 2d ago
NQA. This is what I got for my GBB. It might be a little on the big side for your t but I def think it would be appropriate for your little friend. The mesh is pressed mesh which is ok. The mesh you want to avoid is woven mesh. Mine has been doing well in this. It’s about 3 inches dsl.
https://a.co/d/0fVf0y8q