How to make a terrarium for a spider. How to make a terrarium with your own hands from a plastic container

Today I want to tell you how to make a terrarium for a spider, scorpion or any other terrarium inhabitant from a plastic laundry container that is sold in a hardware store and is relatively inexpensive. My container with dimensions 35x20x20 length, width and height cost 290 rubles.

To begin with, let's ask ourselves the question: “What is the difference between plastic terrariums sold in pet stores and laundry containers sold in hardware stores?” And the answer is simple: in the "terrariums" from pet stores there is ventilation, and a convenient carrying handle, that's all. In the case of my container, there is no handle, but I don't really need it.

How to make ventilation in a terrarium from a plastic container:

The first step, and the only one in our case, will be the manufacture of ventilation holes in the container, it is worth noting that ventilation is very important for any terrarium inhabitants. In my case, I'm making an insectarium for Madagascar cockroaches, so I'll do ventilation on the side and on the lid, so that the air circulates better.

In order to cut holes for ventilation, I use a knife heated on a gas stove, it cuts plastic perfectly without breaking it. I note that with this method of cutting, unpleasant smoke is emitted, so it is better to open the window first.

I make two holes: on the side, and on the top cover of the future insectarium for cockroaches.

In order for the cockroaches not to scatter, these holes must be sealed with some kind of mesh, for this I use a simple mosquito net, with a rather small cell.

I cut out suitable pieces of mesh and glue them on with shoe glue. There was no other glue at hand, it doesn’t look very nice, but I’m not chasing after that.

In this short and simple article, I told you how to make a terrarium with your own hands, which will compare favorably in price with terrariums sold in pet stores.

You can ask all questions below, or in our VKontakte group.

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Terrarium for tarantulas

The presence of a terrarium is required both for reasons of their own safety, and for the safety of the spiders themselves. A spider that breaks free will not live long due to unsuitable climatic conditions(humidity, temperature), lack of food, in addition, it is a source of danger for children and pets.
By design, terrariums can be of two types: horizontal for terrestrial and burrowing spiders and vertical for arboreals. For the manufacture of the terrarium, glass or plexiglass is mainly used.

Requirements for arranging a terrarium for a tarantula

- the terrarium should provide space for spiders. The surface of the walls for arboreal species and the surface of the bottom for terrestrial species should be no shorter than 2 lengths of the span of the spider legs in maximum amplitude. At the same time, the excessive space of the terrarium makes it difficult to constantly maintain optimal temperature and humidity, in such a terrarium it is difficult for spiders to find food.
- the terrarium should be safe - for the owners and for the spider itself. The possibility of escape must be completely excluded, and the possibility of a spider bite and attack must also be minimized. It will be useful for you to read about the bite of Poecilotheria fasciata.
- you can not use containers with a high height for ground spiders, because the tarantula can fall from a height and get a rupture of the abdomen. For arboreal spider species, the height of the terrarium is an important component of success in their maintenance. Large stones should not be placed near such spiders in order to exclude spider strikes and subsequent damage.
— good system ventilation is essential for all types of terrariums.
- as a shelter for terrestrial tarantulas, either a piece of bark, or half of a flower pot, or some kind of artificial shelter should be installed in the terrarium. For tree spiders, a shelter in a terrarium can be built from a piece of pine or oak bark.
By and large, tarantulas do not have to be kept in terrariums, any food containers or standard insect boxes will do for them. The main thing is that these containers must meet the above conditions. And newborn spiderlings feel great in small plastic boxes, for example, from under photographic film with small diameter holes on the lid and on the sides. As the spider grows, they are transplanted into larger jars.

Where to place a terrarium for a tarantula

The place for installing the terrarium is chosen by the owner independently, taking into account the peculiarities of the home environment and the interior of the apartment.
The terrarium should not be placed in drafts, and direct sunlight should not be allowed to fall on it. It should be taken into account that . Often, special cabinets are allocated for collections in which small jars with spiders are stored, and adult beautiful females are placed separately in a beautiful terrarium.
It is important to understand that no matter how large the terrarium is, you should not keep several individuals under one roof. Tarantulas are prone to cannibalism, so keeping multiple spiders is very risky.
To decorate or not to decorate a terrarium?
If the terrarium is part of the interior of the apartment, you can decorate it. For the guests of the terrarium themselves, the decor does not matter at all.
For decoration, you can use live moss, artificial plants, a variety of driftwood and tree bark. The decor must be fixed securely, in no case should you use glue with toxic components for this - there are special glues for aquariums. Decor elements should not cover food objects. In addition, they should not have sharp edges that could hurt the spiders.
Living plants decorate the terrarium is not practical. First, plants need lighting that is unacceptable for tarantulas. Secondly, many spiders actively dig, damaging plants in the process. It is optimal to use artificial plants for decorating the terrarium.
Terrarium equipment
1. Thermometer - to monitor the temperature. If the temperature in the terrarium is below 20°C, it is advisable to use additional devices such as a thermal cord or thermal mat. They differ in power and area (length), are selected in accordance with the size of the terrarium and are installed under its half. You can also use a thermostat with a sensor and a timer to avoid overheating.
2. Hygrometer - to control the humidity in the terrarium, the optimal level is 35-60%.
3. Tweezers - for feeding the spider with insects, for cleaning up food residues and waste products of tarantulas.
4. Illumination - since insect tarantulas are nocturnal, decorative red illumination in the corner of the terrarium will make it possible to observe spiders both at night and during the day.
5. Drinking bowl - only adults need it. You can use a small saucer. If the layer of soil in the terrarium is thick, the stand will save the drinker from falling through.

Initially, it all depends on what kind of spider you have. By and large, it doesn’t even really matter what species your spider belongs to - the lifestyle that it leads is much more important. This situation can be considered on the example of tarantulas.

Among the tarantulas, there are species that lead three different lifestyles. The first is spiders that dig holes, and they hunt on the ground. The second spiders - which do not dig holes and also hunt on the ground, finding victims among those who move there. And the third are tree spiders that prefer to live in trees, twist a web and make nests out of it.

They also hunt using trees, grass and shrubs. Therefore, before you get an answer to the question “How to make a terrarium for a spider?”, You must answer the following question: “What type of spider do I have?”. After all, you must understand that if you make the wrong terrarium for your pet, he will not be very comfortable living in it.

And if you put branches for a ground spider, they will be just a decoration - nothing more. And it is much worse if the reverse situation happens - then there will be a huge stress for the spider associated with the impossibility of conducting a proper hunt.

Firstly, the spider definitely needs shelter - without it, he will feel extremely uncomfortable. Lack of shelter in a spider's terrarium can lead to loss of appetite and even death of the spider. The next important aspect is the bedding.

If you are making a terrarium for a spider with your own hands, then a litter is recommended that will not rot and is able to hold moisture well. Also, spiders (especially exotic ones) are very demanding on temperature: for many, room temperature is enough, but some also require a temperature of 30 degrees. So take care of the warmth of your pet. The rest depends on the characteristics of a particular spider.

What not to do

In conclusion, I would like to say that a properly assembled terrarium for a spider, as well as good nutrition and lack of stress, will lead to a threefold increase in the life of your pet. Therefore, his life is in your hands.

Plexiglas is the most suitable material for a terrarium

The most suitable and affordable materials for creating terrariums are silicate and organic glass.

Advantages of plexiglass:

• It is more difficult to break it than ordinary silicate;
• Containers made of plexiglass accumulate heat well and reluctantly give it to the surrounding space;
• Its fragments rarely form sharp edges that can be cut;
• Plexiglas is easier to process and fasten.

Plexiglas has fewer disadvantages than advantages, but each of them can become critical for a terrarium.

1. Plexiglas is easy to scratch. Therefore, it can only be washed with a soft sponge or gauze;
2. The surface of plexiglass becomes cloudy over time and begins to turn yellow;
3. UV rays are harmful to plexiglass.

Thus, plexiglass is a good material for terrariums, whose inhabitants cannot scratch the walls. It can be spiders, snakes, Achatina. For the manufacture of terrariums in which animals with sharp claws (lizards or turtles) will live, a different material should be chosen.

In addition to the plexiglass itself, you will need plastic corners and a metal mesh for ventilation. For the manufacture of doors, plastic profiles E of two types are needed. The top profile should be 2 times deeper than the bottom one. The size of both profiles corresponds to the thickness of the door material.

Choice of plexiglass

In order to choose the right plexiglass for a terrarium, you need to know that it comes in two types - cast and extrusion. Molding is more expensive, but it is devoid of most of the above disadvantages. It is stronger than extrusion, less cloudy. Some brands pass UV rays well and do not collapse under their influence. Therefore, it is worth choosing those brands of molded plexiglass that are characterized by strength, preservation of transparency and do not retain UV rays. The thickness of the sheet should not be less than 5 mm.

Adhesive selection

The glue must meet two characteristics:

1. Be harmless to living organisms, do not emit chemical substances in contact with bedding, water or excrement;
2. Be durable and waterproof.

In practice, these conditions are met by any silicone sealant for gluing terrariums or aquariums.

When working with such sealants, care must be taken, since drops frozen on the material are difficult to clean off.

Required Tools

To create a glass terrarium, you will need the most common tools.

• glass cutter;
• Fine-grained whetstone or sandpaper;
• Ruler;
• Glass marker;
• Sharp knife;
• Heavy rectangular object;
• Adhesive tape;
• Sharp scissors.

You also need to take at least two rags: one - in order to wipe the glass, the other - for other surfaces and hands.

Stages of making a terrarium

You should start making a terrarium with a drawing. On a piece of paper or using a computer program, you need to draw each side of the parallelepiped, indicating the dimensions, as well as general form assembled, with side markings. Dimensions can be taken ready-made, recommended for keeping a future pet, or you can calculate it yourself, based on the standards of maintenance and the conditions of a particular apartment.

Then, using a ruler and a marker, draw out the details and cut them out. If there is to be a hole in the part, it is drilled before gluing begins. The edges of glass parts are treated with a grindstone or sandpaper. In order to avoid glass dust, this is done under running tap water. After that, the parts are dried and the gluing points are degreased with acetone.

Making the base

The parts are connected with glue. It is applied to the fat-free edges, after which the parts are pressed against each other and fixed. This is easiest to do with electrical tape and a heavy rectangular object.

Connecting terrarium parts

Excess glue is not washed off - it is carefully cut off after the parts have completely dried. The surfaces to be glued are not recommended to be pressed close to each other, between them there should be a layer of glue of 1–2 mm.

Thus, a box with a built-in ventilation fence is assembled and proceed to the manufacture of doors. To do this, a deep profile is glued to the ceiling from below.

Deep groove bonding

A small profile is applied to the upper part of the front corner of the ventilation fence.

Small profile bonding

Doors are inserted into the grooves of the profiles. The result is a structure like this.

Final design

Production of a ventilation fence

This design uses flow ventilation. The principle of operation is that air enters one hole and exits another, thus creating its constant current. It is very simple to arrange flow ventilation, and in terms of efficiency it is superior to ventilation through an open lid. But there are two points that must be observed.

1. The air inlet is at the bottom. The outlet should be 1.5–2 times larger and be on top. It is optimal to place it near a heat source;
2. Holes should not be placed so that they are opposite each other, otherwise the air current will create a draft, harmful to most insects and reptiles. The most correct option is that the inlet is located on the side wall from below, according to the ground level, and the outlet is located on the opposite wall at the very top.

Instead of one large one, you can make several small holes. Aluminum mesh is best suited for embedding them. Plastic and synthetic are fragile, iron rusts under the influence of moisture.

The ventilation can also be used to control humidity. To reduce humidity, it will be enough to increase the number or overall density ventilation holes, to increase - decrease.

To create a ventilation fence, it is necessary to cut out two additional parts - a strip for the doors and a rectangular ventilation panel.

They are glued at the stage when the structure has only a bottom, back and side walls.

There are already two walls

Then glue the second wall. With the help of corners and glue, a metal mesh is attached to the upper parts of the ventilation parts.

Metal mesh installation

After that, proceed to the manufacture of the roof. Both parts are glued to the resulting frame, between which a mesh for the outlet is attached with the help of corners and glue.

Roof erection

The structure is left for a day to dry, then the edges of both holes are reinforced with glass strips.

Strengthening with glass strips

Making a terrarium cover

Often a terrarium is made without doors, but with a removable lid. The advantages of this design are that cartridges for heating lamps and fixtures for appliances, as well as fans for forced ventilation, are built into the cover.

Forced ventilation is used in large structures. Ventilation is carried out by means of two fans. The first contributes to the influx of fresh air from the outside, the second - mixes it inside the structure. For a terrarium, any brand that combines small sizes and low level noise, for example, cooling fans for system units.

Foamed PVC is a good material for the lid, other non-toxic plastics will also work..

The height of the lid is selected taking into account the equipment that will be attached from below, the length and width - to the dimensions of the terrarium with an increase in the thickness of the material. The parts are cut and glued in the same way as the glass parts of the terrarium. In the finished cover, holes are made for the wires and a hatch is cut out. After that, the lamps are built in. The wires must be carefully insulated, glue a piece of plastic to the cartridges so that there is a gap between the heating elements and the cover.

Features of the arrangement of terrariums depending on their purpose

For reptiles

Turtles are better suited to closed terrariums.

Turtles do not tolerate the microclimate of an average Russian apartment. Therefore, open terrariums are not suitable for them - it is difficult to maintain the necessary temperature and humidity in them. Create for turtle good conditions only possible in a closed terrarium.

The dimensions of the minimum terrarium for a turtle are calculated as follows. The length will be equal to the length of the turtle times 5, and the width will be the width of the turtle times the same value. Turtles do not need a large height, it is not advisable to make terrariums even for large individuals above 50 cm.

When choosing a material for the walls, it should be taken into account that turtles do not always adequately perceive transparent barriers and can beat against them for a long time. Therefore, opaque materials are preferred. To improve the inspection, the front wall can be made of glass. Plexiglas is not recommended as turtles can scratch it with their claws.

Turtles need very good ventilation, so the top one, through the lid, is not suitable. Need flow.

The temperature in the place where the turtle is kept should not fall below 22 C. Therefore, heating is mandatory. Thermal mats and similar devices for lower heating are not used, since heat flows coming from below can cause kidney disease. Heating must be top. To do this, you can use a conventional 60 W incandescent lamp or an ultraviolet lamp. Most of all, these reptiles like uneven heating, when half for wakefulness and eating is warmer, and half for sleep is colder, so the lamps are placed near one of the walls.

The choice of a terrarium for a lizard depends on its species.

The shape of the terrarium for lizards is chosen depending on their species. Woody ones need a vertical terrarium in which the height will be at least twice the width, ground ones - on the contrary.

For small lizards, especially those who like to climb, one of the side walls can be made of metal mesh. The diameter of the cells should be such that the reptile could not get out, but freely cling to its paws. From the same grid, you can make a cover. Such designs are suitable for keeping reptiles, optimum temperature for which it is not too different from room temperature.

However, mesh walls are not suitable for keeping iguanas and chameleons. The room air is too dry and cold for them. In order to maintain the microclimate necessary for these reptiles, the walls are made of plywood, organic or silicate glass.

Keep iguanas in horizontal terrariums. For one adult reptile over one and a half years old, the dimensions should be as follows: 200x200x125 cm. When kept in smaller rooms, iguanas lose their appetite, move little and lose resistance to diseases.

Small terrariums are also not suitable for keeping agamas, the minimum volume for keeping an adult is 200 liters. Must have a built-in ultraviolet lamp. Stones with a heating element inside are not suitable for heating; you need to take a lamp for a terrarium or an ordinary incandescent lamp. Agamas do not like humidity and cold, so you need to equip the terrarium with a thermometer and a hygrometer.

Terrariums for insects

For spiders and snails, horizontal terrariums without doors, but with removable covers, are suitable.

The tarantula does not need a lot of space

Tarantulas are capricious in keeping, any deviations from the required humidity and temperature in the terrarium can cause their diseases. They do not tolerate drafts or stagnant air. Therefore, it is best to equip the terrarium with a heater with automatic temperature control and a hygrometer.

Tarantulas do not need large volumes; in nature, they spend their whole lives in shelters. The minimum bottom area is equal to the spider's leg span multiplied by 2.

Achatina needs a dwelling with a large bottom area

For Achatina, rectangular terrariums with a large bottom area are needed. These snails do not need a large supply of oxygen. For ventilation, a flow system is used, the places of air entry and exit are rows of holes with a diameter of 3–4 mm.

Features of manufacturing a decorative terrarium

Either a teapot or a terrarium

Terrariums serve not only to keep reptiles and insects. Decorative terrariums can contain only plants and decorative elements. For their manufacture, they take any glass container, preference is given to non-standard items. The video explains how to make a mini terrarium with light from an incandescent lamp.

Video: Do-it-yourself light bulb terrarium

As can be seen from the article, making a terrarium with your own hands is simple, and even a person who does not have such experience can handle it.

After reading this article, you will know how to choose a terrarium for a tarantula what size it should be and what is the difference between a terrarium for terrestrial spider species and a terrarium for arboreal species.

Choosing a terrarium for your tarantula is very important. The well-being of your pet and how many years he will live will directly depend on this choice. If we talk about juvenile tarantulas, they are sold in a wasabi gravy boat. As a rule, such spiders rarely exceed a length of one to one and a half centimeters. I recommend transplanting such spiders immediately, at least from a salad bowl of at least 10x6x5 centimeters. In such a container, the spider will be able to molt twice. I do not recommend planting small tarantulas immediately in large terrariums, because this will greatly complicate the feeding of the spider and it will simply be difficult for him to keep up with prey. As the spider grows, it will be possible to increase the size of the container.

Before planting a young tarantula, sprinkle at least 1 cm of coconut flakes on the bottom of a salad bowl and slightly moisten it. You can also put a small shelter so that the spider is not scared. In the lid, it is necessary to make about 10 small holes with a diameter of about 2 millimeters. This is done in order to ensure good ventilation and so that the air does not stagnate.

Be careful! Little tarantulas are very nimble! Be careful that your pet does not run away. My little spider has tried to get away from me twice already.

When he runs away, just give him your hand and let him run into it. Don't be afraid, he won't bite you. Just don't sudden movements so that the spider does not fall and get hurt.

After the spider grows up, it can be transplanted into a large container. Dimensions terrarium for an adult tarantula should be 40x40x40 for terrestrial spiders and 40x40x60 for wood.

Such terrariums are made of glass or plexiglass, have front doors and ventilation on the floor, top and sides. Such terrariums cost about 600 rubles. You can also make your own terrarium. The most important thing is the dimensions of at least 40x40x40 and good ventilation.

If your spider is a terrestrial or burrowing spider, then it definitely needs to pour at least five centimeters of coconut flakes on the bottom. I also recommend putting a few pieces of bark. This is done so that the spider has the opportunity to dig a mink for itself. It will not be superfluous to put a shelter in the terrarium. In my opinion, a very good shelter is half a coconut shell.

If your spider belongs to the species that live in trees and shrubs, then he needs to equip the terrarium a little differently. First of all, the terrarium should be high. About 60 centimeters in height. The bottom area in the terrarium is not so important for these types of spiders. Next, you need to pour about three centimeters of coconut flakes, and place the branches in the terrarium. Tree species of spiders weave an aerial web just on such branches. These species are more demanding on the humidity in the terrarium, so it should always be maintained at 80 percent.

It is very interesting to watch the hunting of such spiders. They can catch prey on the fly. And besides, they are very good at jumping. It is worth considering this fact and knowing this feature before starting such a spider. By nature tree species much better than burrows and in most cases shy, but few can compare with them in beauty.

Very beautiful spiders of the genus Avicularia, besides, even a beginner can keep them. It is only important to monitor the humidity.