Help with my Mexican RedKnee setup please.

[Steve Coe]

Hi folks.

I'm busy setting up an enclosure for my Mexican RedKnee and would like some advice. I have searched on the net but the advice is conflicting.

The enclosure is a Exo Terra PT-2600 30cm x 30cm x 30cm
and I intend heating it with a Habistat Mat 11x11 inch
and a Habistat Mat Stat Thermostat and keeping the temparature between 75 to 90° F.

I have been advised to use 2-3inches of steralized peat or coco bark as a substrate, which when kept moist should help me attain the humidty of 75-80%.

I have a small water bowl and a log arch for the litte fella to hide in....

Okay. my questions.

Will the 11" Habistat Mat be too big.
I'm still a bit lost as to how you maintain the humidity, is it just by spraying the substrate as needed?

Is the setup I have listed ok or could they be improved?

The only thing I have bought so far is the Exo terra.

Thanks in advance for any help

[Mark Pennell]

I'm busy setting up an enclosure for my Mexican RedKnee and would like some advice. I have searched on the net but the advice is conflicting.

Yes it is, but you must remember that people have different ideas on how to keep their tarantulas.

The enclosure is a Exo Terra PT-2600 30cm x 30cm x 30cm
and I intend heating it with a Habistat Mat 11x11 inch
and a Habistat Mat Stat Thermostat and keeping the temparature between 75 to 90° F.

This is fine, and best suited for a medium sized juvenile to adult.
as for temp 75 - 80 is fine 90 is to much.

I have been advised to use 2-3inches of steralized peat or coco bark as a substrate, which when kept moist should help me attain the humidty of 75-80%.

Yes seems OK but I would 3-5 inches, just keep a water bowl in one corner and keep full with fresh clean water, every other re-fill just over flow and keep this corner damp. The rest can stay a bit dryer, this will keep mites down.

I have a small water bowl and a log arch for the litte fella to hide in....

Fine!

Okay. my questions.

Will the 11" Habistat Mat be too big.

No that will be fine, just make sure it is on the back of the tank with an insulation on it to reflect the infra red heat back into the tank,

I'm still a bit lost as to how you maintain the humidity, is it just by spraying the substrate as needed?

Just do the overflow bit with the water bowl and the humidity will be fine for e red knee

Is the setup I have listed ok or could they be improved?

I think you have it all covered.

The only thing I have bought so far is the Exo terra.

Thanks in advance for any help

Well that's a start and if you have any questions just ask here, also have a read of our beginners guides, I have added links to them on this forum now.

All the best
Mark

[Kirk McNulty]

Hi Steve, First of all this is only my opinion on the matter. How big is your red knee ? the tank should relate to the size of your T, if the tank is too big he may struggle to find his food. I think the mat is too large for the tank as your T needs at least half of the tank to cool down if it needs to, saying that, if you keep the mat on the side of the tank he would have the other half of the tank to cool. I read you should never keep the mat on the bottom of the tank because tarantulas naturally will burrow to escape the heat - resulting in it being nearer to the mat ( possibly instinctive to escape the heat of the sun ) The rest of the setup seems similar to mine ! Hope this helps.

[Steve Coe]

Thanks for the speedy replies.

@ Mark - Exo Terra has a rock like background in, shall I remove it and put the mat on the back with the Reflective insulation on the outer of the mat?

And I still cant access the beginners guides..

@ Kirk - My spider is 4 months old and approx 2".

I was originaly sold it and advised to keep it in a small glass box, however there was no way of keeping the humidity right and the box was constantly soaking wet with condensation.

Is there a better way to heat the new cage, Heat cables, bulbs etc?

I really want to get this right first time.. and hopefully place my order in the morning.

thanks again for all your help

[Kirk McNulty]

Thats good you definatly dont want it in a tank with condensation, if anything it can be slightly on the drier side. As for bulbs I dont often hear of people using them ( i may be wrong ) but if i were you i would stick with the heat mat. I actually try to keep mine at a constant room temp without a heat mat. I have kept a cobalt blue, chilean rose, mexican red knee, king baboon and scarlet bird eater at room temp without the aid of a heat mat as long as humidity is good for the species and they have water.

[Peter Lacey]

I removed the poly background from my exo-terra, took up space and must absorb some of the heat.

Beginners guides:
http://www.thebts.co.uk/framset.htm and select from the beginners guides via the drop down menu.

A post from Stan Schultz on the American Tarantula Society's board:

http://atshq.org/forum/showpost.php?p=96780&postcount=9

Condensation is more important for spiderlings, seems yours has moved into the juvenile stage and so you should be moving to dryer conditions.

Heatmat is probably providing the T with a bit of luxury unless you live in a cold house. Many say not necessary others use probably because they've already bought one LOL (I include myself in that).

@Webmaster - you should try to remove frames from your site, that way you can easily provide better links as well as improve your browser search.

[Steve Coe]

Thanks for your help fellas,
@ Peter, My spider lives in my office, and I like it cold... and thanks for the link to the guides.

Ok fellas... here goes.

1. Exo terra tank 30x30x30 - Background removed
2. 11" Habistat Mat - fitted with a backing of reflective foam at the external rear of the tank
3. Habistat Mat Stat
4. 4" Irish Moss Peat substrate
5. humidity of 75-80%
6. Temp of 70-80° F
7. Small water dish
8. small hide,

Thanks for the speedy replies and your patience.

I'm ordering in the morning.... pheww...

[Peter Lacey]

That looks fine.

I'd suggest testing your enclosure first, before introducing the T, although there shouldn't be any probs if you're buying new. I gave mine a week, just to make sure the temps and humidity were right, and to let the substrate dry out a bit. Its probably unnecessary but I gained some reassurance from it by noting the readings at different times of the day/night.


Once its set up please post some pix.

[Mark Pennell]

@Webmaster - you should try to remove frames from your site, that way you can easily provide better links as well as improve your browser search.

Peter
This is all in progress has been for a while. in the meantime the beginners guides are linked on the side of this forum.

Trouble is a lot people tend to head to this forum and have no idea the rest of the site is out there.

You can lead horse to water but you can't make them drink.

Oh if you read my reply - it does not mention putting the mat under the tank - but on the back, looking at the other replies it is mentioned that they should go on the side.

This is what I suggested - just to clear that point up.

placing a heat mat under 3 inches of substrate is asking for trouble. Not only can cause thermal blocking of the heat and possible fire hazard, but a dangerously high temperature in the substrate and burns to your tarantula.

Just remove the fake rock wall, or put it on the side next to it.

Cheers
Mark

[Steve Coe]

I did take in what you said about the rear of the tank Mark..

Thanks for the help and guidance, I have placed my order and should have the tank setup by Tuesday evening.

I will keep you informed....

Thanks again...

[Mark Pennell]

I did take in what you said about the rear of the tank Mark..

Thanks for the help and guidance, I have placed my order and should have the tank setup by Tuesday evening.

I will keep you informed....

Thanks again...

Steve
Excellent stuff, let us know when you get it and perhaps post a picture of the little chap in his new home.

Any questions just ask, plenty of people here to help, as you can see!

Regards
Mark

[Tom Forman]

Hi steve,
looks like you are on track.
However I would not put a 2 inch sling in a terrarium that size, it will most likely be too big.

I can fully understand your problem of keeping the condensation out of a small container too though.

If it was me, I would follow the advice given of setting up the terrarium with one corner damp, the rest dry.

Then I would place a small container like the sauce trays you get at chinese take aways or kebab shops inside the terrarium and use that for now.

Another way of keeping humidity down is to place a load of holes into the sides of the container, not just the top.

I would not use a glass as you cannot do that too well.

Humidity is something to worry about but is not as important as decent ventilation imo.
If the T is too dry, yes he will show signs of beeing unhappy but will take a week to die at least and can be easily rehydrated.

A T will die very quickly in stagnant moist air however.

[Peter Lacey]

@Mark, Good to hear.
Clear navigation is the key, breadcrumbs can help, CSS and xhtml coding and a little usability testing would definitely improve things. So would Dreamweaver instead of FrontPage!
If you think about your site and the different ways people may arrive at it that should guide you for planning a new or recoded site.
Personally I'd increase your traffic by linking your banner to the site rather than the forum.
I've strayed off topic, "don't I always" but if you need any tips, or a recode/consultancy just send a pm.

Steve, its well worth considering one of the books recommended by Schultz. They're great guides and a useful resource. I bought all three, found Marshall's book very handy and Schultz provides a very informative book which catapults the reader into the seriously informed keeper.

Breene, RG. 2005. QUICK AND EASY TARANTULA CARE.

Marshall, SD. 2002. TARANTULAS AND OTHER ARACHNIDS.

Schultz, SA and Schultz, MJ. 1998. THE TARANTULA KEEPER'S GUIDE.

[Steve Coe]

How very spooky Peter.....

I have just recieved THE TARANTULA KEEPER'S GUIDE. Schultz, SA and Schultz, MJ. 1998

I am busy reading it now......

[Robert Farmer]

How very spooky Peter.....

I have just recieved THE TARANTULA KEEPER'S GUIDE. Schultz, SA and Schultz, MJ. 1998

I am busy reading it now......

Off topic but damn, your avatar looks so much like one of my mates is creepy...

B smithi are generally bulletproof, they like it dry and as is the case with mine, a nice slab of cork bark on the substrate to lounge around on.