REHOUSING MY M.BALFOURI IN A CHEAP AND EASY TERRARIUM

Seeking for odd post? Then you must read this!

Hello Everyone!

It's been two weeks since my schedule is in an array of errands and I wasn't able to give attention to my Tarantulas and ofcourse communicate with other steemians. The last time I rehoused my tarantulas was eight months ago. Indeed my busy timeline has eaten much of my Tarantula moments.

For a while, I am taking a break in my paintings but this time I want to share with you how I came up with a simple and cheap terrarium for my communal Monocentropus balfouri. I think designing a terrarium is also an art! Yeah so I pushed myself to come up with a project for my tarantulas today because I can't let another day passaway without rehousing my M. balfouris especially now that they're 3 inches in size.

Summer has come and ants see opportunity to unite and attack whatever they believe must be eaten. And I am afraid my communal tarantulas serve as an easy victims.

I have had these communal M. balfouris for more than a year now and I still remember how small they were when I had them on hand, they were in the size of a Palay seed approximately 1.5 centimeter. They have been together since birth and I didn't separate them so they are born in a communal state, living together in one bin and not hurting one another. These M. balfouris are perfect communal specie.

M. balfouri specie of tarantula belongs to old world tarantula. This means that this type of tarantula doesn't flick hair but instead does a threat pose whenever felt threatened. Old world tarantula has high temperament and usually bites but luckily M. balfouri is a cool one.

I like M. balfouri because of its velvety gray color and smokey blue feet. This creature is a heavy webber and belongs to Baboon Family of tarantula which are feisty and aggressive. Infact M. balfouri is also called as Socotra Island Blue Baboon, which is endemic in Yemen but now bred around the world. And it is also one of the most sought after tarantulas because of its unusual characteristics.

When it comes to place of living, it is terrestrial type which means it usually dwell on the ground digging its hide and tunnel. M. balfouri is an opportunistic burrower and a heavy webber, and I love it because webs are manifestation of true spiders! Vibration of preys are easily detected and preys are caught merciless.

By the way, tarantulas do not need a lot of attention as a pet, I actually feed my tarantulas once every week or once every two weeks depending upon their diet and nutritional needs. Water dish for rehydration is essential to them because they are arachnids.

Let me then show you how I rehoused my communal Ts eventhough only few can relate to this. Let me share to my exotic side. I hope you read my blog from start to finish.

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I think that would be an ample introduction for M. balfouri, so let's rehouse!

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~MATERIALS~

~OLD AQUARIUM
This is an old and unused aquarium so I didn't have to buy a new one all I did is to clean the dirt and dust out. I saved a lot for this 30x20x20 aquarium, which you will see later how I turned it into a terrarium.

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~COCO PEAT, PLASTIC CONTAINER, BASIN
I used Coco Peat as substrate for my tarantulas because it is moist absorbent, cheap and organic, suitable for tarantulas. The breathable plastic container will serve as temporary bin for our tarantulas. Basin is used to dislodge the Coco brick into soft Coco peat using adequate water.

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~DRIFT WOOD, FERN, WATER DISH
Before I thought about rehousing my M. balfouri, I went at the sea shore and picked up some drift woods and shells, this perhaps brought me inspiration to design a terrarium for my M. balfouris. I also went out of the garden to harvest some sturdy ferns that would serve as an ornament and at the same time a perfect puffy stick post for the webs to have elevations. Water dish is important, tarantulas can survive without food for months but only weeks without water.

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~TONG OR STICK, SHELL
Tong or stick is used to carefully open the tunnels and burrows of the tarantulas. For the shell, I told you a while a back already, this served as an additional eye candy for the terrarium, I find the shell very attractive though.

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~PETROLEUM JELLY
Are you surprised? Yeah I used petroleum jelly to keep away ants from entering my set up since it is summer. If I put water in a basin and soak the foot of the terrarium then eventually the water will evalorate because it is summer. Lol. Petroleum Jelly is perfect for the job.

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~PROCESS~

1.OPEN SESAME
Open the old bin of the communal M. balfouris and gently destroy the bed of webs and tunnels using a tong or stick. Do this carefully to locate where the Ts are hiding.

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2. TRANSFEREES
After deciphering where beneath the substrate M. balfouris hide, transfer them into breathable plastic container. Baboons move too quickly so I advise you to be more keen, mindful, and fast. Keep the container closed until you are done with the terrarium.

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3. PARTING TIME
Time to dislodge the bonded particles of coco peat! Place the Coco brick into the basin with ample amount of water. Let the water be absorbed for couple of minutes and when it is soft already, squeeze it to remove excess water. Then you now have a moisted substrate.

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4. PUT THE SUBSTRATE IN
When the coco peat is ready, put it in the old aquarium and distribute. Place the dry coco peat first then the moisted. M. balfouri needs 55-60% himidity. Put substrate until 3 inches deep, since they are communal, there will be a lot of tunnels beneath the substrate and the coco peat will soon puff because of the webs.

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5. VOLT IN
Now let's volt in! Put all the elements together. Start placing the drift wood, then the fern (be sure to put the roots deeper), lay the shell on the drift wood, and set the water dish in the corner.

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6. GO FORTH
Slowly open the plastic container and use stick to carefully push the Ts into the terrarium. Take note be careful!

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7. A CLOSER LOOK
Now look how comfortable they are (I think so).

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8. THE SAVIOURS
Oops do not be super excited, you might forget to put the screen on top and the ant resistant jelly! Apply petroleum jelly at the lower side of the glass just about an inch.

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THE OUTPUT

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Remember that our responsibility as a pet owner does not end in providing our pets sufficient foods but we need also to give them correct handling, proper shelter, and a conducive environment.

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I hope you find my content very interesting and informative. Take care always.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DROPPING BY.

GODBLESS.