# Exo Terra Enclosures



## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

I've been thinking on which type of housing I should give my P cambridgei once it's adult. She's recently moulted and once she's hardened properly I'm going to move her into a cereal container.

For those of you who use exo terra's - nano/cube, I've seen that some of you use these for your adult cambridgei, are these ok for them - are there risks the T could get its feet caught in the wire mesh? I've read of this happening to people who keep T's in them.

If people who use these could tell me what they think of them that would be grand.

Thanks


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## sp1d3r man 22 (Jan 28, 2012)

i have exo terra nano for my smallish avic huriana they are great visibility and the backdrop on them makes it look more natural 
although i have house of spiders enclosures for my n chromatus and b smithi they are great too made out of perspex i dont know what people think of it but i think its pretty clear although is does scratch pretty easily and has complete visibility


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## 34531 (May 27, 2009)

I've heard of tarantulas chewing their way through the mesh. Knowing an adult cambs, I could completely see that happening!


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## Kelfezond (Nov 20, 2010)

Kept my salmon pink in an exo-terra for the few months I owned her, never did her any damage she only very rarely climbed up the glass and even rarer to find her on the roof but the times she did I never noticed any damage to her feet. 
If I thought she could chew through the mesh I'd have cried like a girl and ran away :Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

forever_20one said:


> I've heard of tarantulas chewing their way through the mesh. Knowing an adult cambs, I could completely see that happening!


 
Do you know anyone that's had that happen? Also, if this is a risk could you suggest other suitable housing for them once adult?
Thanks


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## ch4dg (Jul 24, 2008)

the chewing thing is a wind up(i think ?!)

i keep various adult pokie sp (including cambridgei) in exo's 30x30x45,i have never had a problem with the feet getting stuck, tbh i dont think they have ever gone on the mesh lid,

i cant say for nano's but standard size ones,i try and keep all my ts and scorps in them once they're adults(just plastic faunariums when younger)


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## Hedgewitch (Feb 12, 2008)

Could always replace the mesh with some drilled perspex easy enough, tougher and no chance of stuck claws.


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## Lordaradon (Oct 11, 2011)

I keep my C. cyaneopubescens in one, only once found her climbing the mesh, was a hairy couple of minutes, but other than that, no dramas


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

Hedgewitch said:


> Could always replace the mesh with some drilled perspex easy enough, tougher and no chance of stuck claws.


Any ideas where I could get this, cut to size & would they drill holes in it?


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## Hedgewitch (Feb 12, 2008)

AilsaM said:


> Any ideas where I could get this, cut to size & would they drill holes in it?


DIY store, Hobbycraft etc. or eBay.

The drilling I think you'd have to do yourself, but it's pretty simple. Take drill > Drill holes.

I dunno what thickness would fit in place of mesh though, you'd have to take a look at it.

eBay search acrylic or perspex.


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## boxofsorrows (Nov 7, 2011)

I've got a large female Avic sp Guyana. She's in a nano-tall. I've toyed with moving her to a bigger exo but she has half a cork tube that she tube-webbed inside against the glass. She lives in that small space, comes out for water or more often sits at the top frozen until a bug comes close enough. She's, in my opinion, a big girl for an avic. Never uses the rest of the space or I'd move her.

So it's really upto the spider and you. How much space does the spider use and how much is needed for comfortable spare space for hunting/moulting - as I say mine "hunts" by sitting at the top of her tube and grabbing whatever passes..

Mesh - mines not chewed, also hasn't had stuck feet but a mate's spider was hung up on his. Get a bit of acrylic off amazon or somewhere and drill it, replace the top with that and you're sorted with no worries.


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

Hedgewitch said:


> DIY store, Hobbycraft etc. or eBay.
> 
> The drilling I think you'd have to do yourself, but it's pretty simple. Take drill > Drill holes.
> 
> ...


Will have a look round to see if I can get bits cut to size & will prob get my dad to drill holes (me and power tools is not a good idea lol), thanks.


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## Hedgewitch (Feb 12, 2008)

AilsaM said:


> Will have a look round to see if I can get bits cut to size & will prob get my dad to drill holes (me and power tools is not a good idea lol), thanks.


If you can get some squared paper and tape it to perspex before drilling it can make it very easy to do nice even holes.


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## marc26 (Aug 12, 2012)

I have two Exo Terras 24"x18"x18" 18"x18"x18" both are superb, and look great i really recommend them.


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## ch4dg (Jul 24, 2008)

why not just wrap it with one or two layers of cling film, i do this in the winter months or if i need to up the humidity, 

or dont the nano tops pop off like the standard sizes tanks


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## ojo (Jun 8, 2011)

The chewing through mesh isnt a wind up, seen a video on youtube of a B.smithi doing it to a exo, was pretty cool.

Why not just add on a few pounds and buy a HoS arboreal? Not the greatest price wise but takes out any worries....


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## ch4dg (Jul 24, 2008)

ojo said:


> The chewing through mesh isnt a wind up, seen a video on youtube of a B.smithi doing it to a exo, was pretty cool.


yeah there could be some truth to it, i know they chew through other soft materials (cardboard etc) but thought steel might be a challenge for them.
just done a quick google and it seems to be a common worry,
but cant find any pics or vids, or actual evidence yet

any idea of the title of that vid?


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

ojo said:


> The chewing through mesh isnt a wind up, seen a video on youtube of a B.smithi doing it to a exo, was pretty cool.
> 
> Why not just add on a few pounds and buy a HoS arboreal? Not the greatest price wise but takes out any worries....


Have you got the like for that youtube video?

Had thought about HoS but after reading about acrylic enclosures warping/not being too good/easily scratched etc, I'm not sure about them.


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## ojo (Jun 8, 2011)

The only one i can find now is the smithi opening its enclosure to escape...

It is possible though, especially with exos, their mesh isnt secured down only sandwiched between the two bits of plastic, any amount of decent force will pop the mesh out of its place resulting in a scene that looks as thought the T has "bitten" its way through...


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## sp1d3r man 22 (Jan 28, 2012)

the HoS enclosures are realy nice i house all 3 of my Ts in them i have a b klaasi in the little cube a and huge b smithi in hinged one and a a huriana in the side opening ones very nice visibility


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## Tarantulaguy01 (Mar 31, 2012)

On the whole there good enclosure great if you've kids as they can be locked just depends how deep your pocket is though. I'm building a big collection of t's so I'm now using cheap plastic tubs of different sizes . When I was using the exo terra 12x12x12's I had to rescue every so often so not that good for ground loving t's but they are good for the smaller arboreal's


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## Colosseum (Aug 8, 2008)

I had around a 9" Phormictopus Atrichomatus in a exo she used to climb on the mesh roof stick her huge fangs through the mesh holes and pull with some considerable force then let go. 

OK she widened the mesh holes but never made a hole so she could get out.


That is the only Spider I have had do this and I have owned a lot of Spiders over the years and housed them in these.


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## Lerg (Apr 15, 2010)

when i got my first geniculata i housed her in a smaller exo and she loved it. Problem was is she also loved climbing the sides!! found her a few times in the meshing and even caught her with her fangs through the mesh apparently chomping on it. I havent used exo's since. They are great enclosures looks wise and possibly for arboreals work a treat but i dont recommend them for terrestrial species.:2thumb:


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

Lerg said:


> i dont recommend them for terrestrial species.:2thumb:


It's not for a terrestrial species, it's for an arboreal species : victory:


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## Lerg (Apr 15, 2010)

AilsaM said:


> It's not for a terrestrial species, it's for an arboreal species : victory:


I did read that after posting lol nice enclosures to be fair!!


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

Lerg said:


> I did read that after posting lol nice enclosures to be fair!!


Yeah they are nice, just wanting to make sure it'll be safe and secure for it


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## Lerg (Apr 15, 2010)

AilsaM said:


> Yeah they are nice, just wanting to make sure it'll be safe and secure for it


No problems with security and to be fair lots of keepers have them for their bigger species of arbs so can't see it being a problem 

Have to get some pics up of your setup if you go ahead with it. Always like to see how others keep their Ts  especially as I prefer terrestrial species so don't keep many arboreal ones (might get a few more this time round though)


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

Lerg said:


> No problems with security and to be fair lots of keepers have them for their bigger species of arbs so can't see it being a problem
> 
> Have to get some pics up of your setup if you go ahead with it. Always like to see how others keep their Ts  especially as I prefer terrestrial species so don't keep many arboreal ones (might get a few more this time round though)


Well the rate she's growing it wont be long till he/she is in their adult home, after recently moulting and doubling in size it'll be moved into a cereal container once properly hardened.


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## Lerg (Apr 15, 2010)

AilsaM said:


> Well the rate she's growing it wont be long till he/she is in their adult home, after recently moulting and doubling in size it'll be moved into a cereal container once properly hardened.


Cereal containers are great  I wonder if the manufacturers every thought they'd be used for what we do lol


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

Lerg said:


> Cereal containers are great  I wonder if the manufacturers every thought they'd be used for what we do lol


Aye they have their uses :lol2:


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## pcharlton (Mar 23, 2012)

ive just bought one think its 12,12 18 high could be larger 20 notes


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

pcharlton said:


> ive just bought one think its 12,12 18 high could be larger 20 notes


Aye a local place has them for between £20-£40 quid


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## pcharlton (Mar 23, 2012)

AilsaM said:


> Aye a local place has them for between £20-£40 quid


also bought two six foot vivs 100 nicker going to keep a few in the living room


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## boxofsorrows (Nov 7, 2011)

This is the cheapest place I've managed to find Exo-Terra's, free delivery over £25 too so that's most of them delivered for nowt!
Terrariums by Exo Terra


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

boxofsorrows said:


> This is the cheapest place I've managed to find Exo-Terra's, free delivery over £25 too so that's most of them delivered for nowt!
> Terrariums by Exo Terra



Cheers hun, I'll be buying from a local place, not sure about buying them over internet - in case they get damaged.




pcharlton said:


> also bought two six foot vivs 100 nicker going to keep a few in the living room


vivs are about the same price, from same local place I'll buy the exo terra, plus they're already built up for customers


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## Lerg (Apr 15, 2010)

AilsaM said:


> Cheers hun, I'll be buying from a local place, not sure about buying them over internet - in case they get damaged.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


There not normally too expensive so shouldn't be too bad


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## boxofsorrows (Nov 7, 2011)

AilsaM said:


> Cheers hun, I'll be buying from a local place, not sure about buying them over internet - in case they get damaged.


Ailsa, I bought a big bow-front aquarium for my living room, had the same worry and the first one arrived with a small crack - BUT it didn't look like it was from shipping. Anyhow, place sent a replacement and told me to keep or chuck the first one (probably figured wasn't worth the cost to get it back) - which now has my beardie in it!! £350 tank and if I'd wanted I could have replaced the glass - it was only an end piece, not the bow.
But yeah, don't worry about buying online, the normal rules and regulations apply and if anything it can fall in your favour, like it did mine with the big tank, when things don't go smoothly. Have to say replacing the tank was nowt - took a photo of the crack, email to them and the replacement was here in a couple of days.

I'll be ordering from seapets next month, will have some birthday money to spend, I'll post a review unless anyone else has used them and can comment beforehand.


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## Dannydarby86 (Aug 27, 2012)

I found a thread on another forum where a N. coloratovillosus? Had chewed through the mesh on a different model enclosure, the t was 6 inch and it had made a gap 1.5inch :gasp:


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## Tarantulaguy01 (Mar 31, 2012)

Dannydarby86 said:


> I found a thread on another forum where a N. coloratovillosus? Had chewed through the mesh on a different model enclosure, the t was 6 inch and it had made a gap 1.5inch :gasp:
> 
> image


By the looks of that its NOT a exo terra. I have never heard of a tarantula chewing through the mesh of a exo terra EVER


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## Dannydarby86 (Aug 27, 2012)

Nah I know its not an exo terra,I wrote that it's a different model enclosure :Na_Na_Na_Na: I just figured the mesh was similar to one(ie steel fine mesh),iv read around a few different places and apparently this can happen with any mesh top enclosure,although it is extremely rare,also there isn't much evidence around (that was the only picture iv seen) just a few posts from a small selection of t owners... over a number of years

just putting it up to show it is possible


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## Drift (Aug 18, 2012)

Dannydarby86 said:


> I found a thread on another forum where a N. coloratovillosus? Had chewed through the mesh on a different model enclosure, the t was 6 inch and it had made a gap 1.5inch :gasp:
> 
> image


That mesh looks like the aluminum stuff available from halfords or anywhere that sells car body repair products. I used to use that stuff for making glass tanks that I used to supply to jc exotics. I have had a large female L.Parahybana make holes with its fangs in the mesh, I caught it in the act once, was just a few holes though. 
Exos mesh should be stronger as it is stainless. (from what has been said)

Gaz


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## Dannydarby86 (Aug 27, 2012)

Yup that's possible,aluminium would defo be easier as its a lot softer,I'm going with the majority vote tho and trusting my two terra lids


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