Help with terrarium heat/humidity

[dimitris vrontamitis]

I need some help/solution.I have bought a theraphosa blondi and a nhandu chromatus.They are both young juveniles.The recomended temprature/humudity for those 2 tarantulas should be around 24-28 c and the humidity 75-85.i bought a substrate heating mat the one you attach under the terrarium but they almost produse no heat at all.Then i bought a ceramic heating lamp the ones that have no light at all they only produse heat.With that my heaing problem was solved i managed to get the terrarium temprature at arround 25c.But then another problem occured.Now the substrate gets dry although the water bowl is big and full of water i have to keep watering the substrate so i have more humidity.I know that by covering a part of the terrariums ventilation area i can produse more humidity but although i have done that the humidity doesnt get above 60%.

Can you give me any advises?is there another product i could buy so i have a good climate inside the terrarium?

thank you.

[Peter Roach]

First the chromatus, I have 18 of these from very small slings to medium juveniles and I have never and probably never will check the humidity. (I have never checked humidity on any of my several hundred spiders) As long as the substrate is slightly damp over at least 50% of the substrate, im happy and so is the spider. If you use a small bottle top as a water bowl then the spider has the option of drinking if it needs too.

Heat mats should never be placed under the spiders enclosure, they should only be placed on the side or back. Heatmats radiate heat from BOTH sides so the side facing away from the enclosure must be covered with something that will reflect the heat back, I would use either tinfoil or polystyrene. You should have no trouble raising the temps to over 30C by doing this but much will depend on the amount of ventilation you have.


T blondi, I would and do treat blondi's the same as all other T's but just give them a larger than normal water bowl and liberally overflow the waterbowl so that the surounding area is semi wet.
If the spider is constantly crouched over the water bowl or is perminantly on the damp substrate, that is a sign that the humidity needs raising which you can do by decreasing the ventilation and overfilling the waterbowl more or just by pouring a cup of water over the substrate.

If you are comfortable in a T shirt then almost all tarantulas will be OK without heating.

[DJKelly]

Ts burrow to escape high temperatures and to create a more humid environment for themselves so a heast mat under the substrate is never a good idea as you run the risk of cooking the animal as it burrows to cool itself.

Allowing the water bowl to overflow when filling will both increase the humidity and allow for a humidity gradient (more humid one end than the other) within the enclosure - the T can create burrows (or extend existing burrows) at a position that suits its needs. (If using artificial hides, try to place 2 or 3 (if the enclosure permits) along the humidity gradient.

My only experience with "swamp-dwellers" is with P.imperator scorpions and this system worked well - they would move between lairs as needed.

Cleanliness and general housekeeping is somewhat more important in more humid environments due to population explosions of scavenging mites.

(Initially I found myself too wound up in trying to get the humidity and temerature "just right" and it was only when I took a more relaxed attitude that the animals seemed to be calmer and "happier")

[vincent winyard]

hi there pete i just want to say i've read how some people look after there t blondi's and it sounds like a nightmare trying to get everything spot on like the temp the humidity all the do's and dont's problems with mights like i said it sounds a 24 hour worry to keep them. you make it sound straight forward enough and dont get me wrong i know attension to heat and humidity should be a little more on the ball than the average t but you make it sound a lot more straight forward. i have been thinking of getting a t blondi for a long time. im going to to do some homework on these t's and hopefully i'll end up getting one. cheers pete.