Yeah, I think feeding would be the biggest problem but that is why I am still trying to perfect my idea of an automatic feeding system for tarantulas. My idea would to build the feeding system into the side or top of the tank, almost like and automatic fish feeder. Or you just get a large tub of crickets, go inside the enclosure and throw crickets all over. Scarab that is a good idea you have there of combining terrestial species and arboreal species from the same region. I need to draw up some plans sometime and see how much it would cost.

Great idee, I might just do this. Jaco, can you give us an idee of what will be needed to control temp. and humidity and cost?

There only two limitations to the concept. Space and money. If you have ample of both, it's a walk in the park (no pun).

Temperature control and humidity control is not rocket science. The "walk in" must have a concrete floor, good drainage and ample light (skylight or sunroof). Plants will flourish, and so will the spiders.

Automatic feeder is not worth the effort. If you supply a tub or two crickets a month, all should be funky.

snarf wrote:

Great idee, I might just do this. Jaco, can you give us an idee of what will be needed to control temp. and humidity and cost?

Flash them Hamilton's baby!!!

Hi all, can you give me till tomorrow night to just compile everything and get the latest prices, I will work on cost to do a 4x3 meter room as a reference, Will also include a few links. Will also give a better explanation of what I try to achieve.

Hi all

Sorry but all the prizes didn’t arrive as planned, hope it will be here by tomorrow or at least still in this week.

Just to answer a few questions about the humidity and temperature control, I asked for some prizes on a unit specially designed for this application and used in Britain in a zoo. It’s a South African design. Then I asked for some prices for spares for a home made one.
Firstly there are so many different components one can try, but also a lot of variables that should be considered.

I am going to list a few that can make a difference between a system in Phalaborwa vs. a system in the Freestate, and also normal variables that can have an effect on the design and cost.
Average summer temp and humidity, average winter temp and humidity, required temp and humidity, size of the room, if the room is isolated from a flow of fresh air and to what extend, availability of power (Amperage wise) and the list goes on.

Secondly I want to list the components I chose for my application and why. The room that I am planning will either be 3x4 or 4x5. The size difference won’t make a major difference to the cost. I also want to mention that I decided to control the temp between 26-29 dg and the humidity at 75-80% as this fits most of the species that I want to keep. These settings are for daytime and at night I want to control temp at between 14 and 16 dg (just an idea, still got to collect some info before finalizing) and stop humidifying till the system build up temp again during the day. These settings will also vary as the seasons change but I don’t want to go to deep into that.

1: Skylights
Like someone in the forum mentioned, skylights, I chose 2 for this area to allow ample natural light into the room for allowing the T’s to adapt to changes in winter and summer day light. I am also planning artificial light in the form of dimmable down lights for the odd visit at night.

2: Temp controlling
Temp control here by me in Phalaborwa will be handled by a normal air conditioner, remember the skylights will affect the efficiency of the aircon and you will need a size or 2 bigger than the one required for the same area without skylights. Simple way of calculating l x w x 500 so that will give me 4x5x500 = 10000btu Aircons normally comes in 9000, 12000, 15000(not so popular), 18000, 24000 and 36000 but I need 10000, the next size is 12000, so out of preference I would take an 18000 btu to ensure the unit idles in trying to achieve its set point.

3: Humidity control.
Here I chose a high pressure system with mist sprayers. About 12 sprayers should be enough for a room of this size. You will need a humidity sensor, humidity controller (PID type) this is only a unit that allows you to gradually bring the humidity up to set point and then control it within a set band, an high pressure pump, high pressure pipes, 12 sprayers and a solenoid valve that will open and close the water to the sprayers.
I chose the high pressure system because it produces a very fine spray that evaporates very quickly and by doing this contributes to the overall humidity much quicker than most other systems, without a really big effect on the temp.
Low pressure systems, like they use on restaurant patios, deliver a spray that is not so fine as with high pressure systems and it also doesn’t evaporate as quickly. This might lead to a very wet T room before you can reach the required humidity, and a wet room with the airflow from the air conditioner might cause a big drop in the temp.
Other systems like steam based humidifiers are normally to small, or only controls up to 45%, or when it is big enough to produce enough steam it needs some serious electric elements that will show up on your electric bill at the end of the month, that amount of steam may on the other hand make it difficult to control your temp.

4: Extractor fans.
I also want to install 2 x 400x400mm extractor fans on one of the walls, it will also be connected to the humidity controller and one of the alarm outputs will start these fans if the humidity gets way too high, allowing fresh air to enter the room and bring the humidity back to set point.

I hope this helps.

Hope to post prices on all these by tomorrow night.

If any one has a different idea or plan, please feel free to discuss, this is not the only way, it is just the way I planned it, based on a lot of times I had to struggle with achieving the correct humidity at the correct temperature in the 12 or so years I have worked in industrial bakeries.

There are some systems designed only for this application, but I guess it will cost a fortune. I am also waiting for a price indication from them.

Stay well
Jaco