# Plants for tarantulas



## sharksfanatic (Aug 21, 2012)

Hello All,

I am new to THIS forum, but by far new from forums. I am an experienced tarantula keeper and am planning to create natural realistic vivarium for a few select Ts. At this point, plants were my biggest concern. I've used stuff like pothos with great success in the past, but I want to mix it up a bit and change each vivarium to what it would look like in the specific T's habitat. I've already considered air plants for the more arid and dry habitats, but for the tropical species I don't have it down. 

Anyways, while I was researching and thinking about this I came across this forum and realized... DUH! Dart frog enthusiasts always have the most amazing setups. So, I look to you guys for advice in setting up these enclosures. What plants would you guys recommend for the tropical (or arid) environments. The enclosures are 11" x 12" x 12" with eurovent. I'm definitely open to using lights (which is a whole other ball game for me), as if I create several hiding spots for the T it should not bother them. Plus,the cycle will only further more replicate a natural habitat. 

I'm open to all and any recommendations! Thanks in advance!


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

I made this setup with plants for a single female _Avic. metallica_.


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## FRISCHFROGS (Jan 15, 2012)

Very cool!


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## sharksfanatic (Aug 21, 2012)

Hey,

Awesome setup. Mind going into detail on what exactly is going on in there and what plants you're using? Lighting? Etc.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

There ain't much to it. I have a journal thread for that setup right here...

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members-frogs-vivariums/77004-37g-forest-floor-13.html

I have switched the planting up a couple of times. This picture edit shows the current planting with names.










There are many different kinds of plants that would grow well in a setup like this.


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## ICS523 (Mar 10, 2012)

there is a thread for explaining this stuff
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants/35324-guide-popular-terrarium-plants.html
Its pretty helpful for explaining what all these plants are.

good luck!


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## JeremyHuff (Apr 22, 2008)

Something to consider and take care of is nematodes. It is my understanding that there are nematodes used in greenhouses to attack other invertebrates. Nematodes can quickly kill tarantulas. Pothos and the like are good because you can use just cutting that have been bleached with no soil. More care would need to be taken with rooted plants. 

The other concern is the bright lights required. As long as your tarantulas can have a retreat that blocks 100% of the light, then you shouldn't see stress. 

Once upon a time I had a couple thousand tarantulas and saw nematodes take far too many rare tarantulas. Crickets are another big carrier. Now with frogs no more crickets!


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## sharksfanatic (Aug 21, 2012)

JeremyHuff said:


> Something to consider and take care of is nematodes. It is my understanding that there are nematodes used in greenhouses to attack other invertebrates. Nematodes can quickly kill tarantulas. Pothos and the like are good because you can use just cutting that have been bleached with no soil. More care would need to be taken with rooted plants.
> 
> The other concern is the bright lights required. As long as your tarantulas can have a retreat that blocks 100% of the light, then you shouldn't see stress.
> 
> Once upon a time I had a couple thousand tarantulas and saw nematodes take far too many rare tarantulas. Crickets are another big carrier. Now with frogs no more crickets!


Ah, yes Nematodes. Those are always a scary threat. How would one go about getting rid of these on plants? Soaking them in a 10% bleach, 90% water solution for a few minutes? 

The light issue, I don't feel is a big one. As there will be plenty of hiding spots plus I believe it'll help stimulate real life. 

Yea, crickets are disgusting. I haven't used crickets for quite some time. B. dubia are the only way to go!


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## JeremyHuff (Apr 22, 2008)

10% bleach should be fine. As for the light, I still think it is an issue because you aren't providing 5 ft of substrate to dig burrows or huge trees with a solid core. Some light is fine, but it might just not be enough for certain plants.


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## varanoid (Jan 21, 2011)

I've tried doing naturalistic vivariums for some of my arboreal tarantulas before and find one of the biggest challenges is some of the T's completely web up the plants, especially some of the avicularias and psalmopous sp when they prepare to molt.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

I think that the key to doing this is to use an enclosure larger than what you would normally keep the tarantula in. This will help to disperse both web and spider feces. That 37G that I used is a lot more space than the avic rreally needs, but it is working really well this way. A larger enclosure will also give you more room for plants!


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## varanoid (Jan 21, 2011)

hydrophyte said:


> I think that the key to doing this is to use an enclosure larger than what you would normally keep the tarantula in. This will help to disperse both web and spider feces. That 37G that I used is a lot more space than the avic rreally needs, but it is working really well this way. A larger enclosure will also give you more room for plants!


agreed I ran in to my probs is smaller tanks.


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