A. Avicularia Enclosure

[AriaFaline]

So I've had some up close experience with tarantulas over the summer as part of an internship, and they inspired me to dabble in the hobby of keeping them myself. My first T is an Avicularia Avicularia juvenile (2-3ish years) that I have had for a few weeks now. All of the care advice I've read online has been confusing and very contradictory on what will keep the T happy. I have posted pictures of the enclosure that I purchased at a Scales N' Tails that is supposedly suitable for arboreals. The white thing on top of the lid is a bit of plastic there to help keep humidity in. The spider is in there already, it just likes to hide in the hanging plant there. It eats very well and seems happy but I still wanted to see if this enclosure is suitable for it.

 

[viper69]

I'd remove the screen and change it to an acrylic top with drilled in ventilation holes. Ts, even arboreals, can get stuck on the screen because of their little hooks on their toes.

Also, the setup's cage furniture is more geared towards a semi-arboreal species in my opinion. Avics are arboreal, I would put more cage furniture at the top for the T. Also, remove the rocks from the water bowl, it won't drown. Replace the substrate with coco fiber, though that's not an absolute.

Also, while the height is OK, you really need cross-ventilation. That would mean the container's walls need holes, a lot of holes. Which is particularly difficult to do with glass.

Also, keep the Avic's environment DRY. Do not spray it, it's not a plant.

If I was you, I would search this board and look at various people's Avic setups.

Avics aren't hard to keep, but as a first T there are better choices.

If you were going to go with a glass setup, you would be better off with an Exo-Terra as there is more ventilation than what you have. What you have is just a tall fish tank with a screen top. That's not suitable for Avics IME.

 

[AriaFaline]

Thanks for the advice! The clerk said an avic would be happy in that but that's what I get for going against my better judgement. I've heard exo-terra nano talls do well for them so I'll probably go pick one up in the next few days. That's weird that their enclosures shouldn't be sprayed, as there are a lot of sources and keepers online that say to do so. I was beginning to think that no one had seen my post and I was getting very skeptical about the setup I had them in. Rather annoyed that a clerk that claims to be a keeper wouldn't recommend me something with the vital cross-ventilation but at least that's an easy fix.

 

[Bemottled]

I keep my avic in an Adult Tarantula Enclosure from jamiestarantulas.com
The cross ventilation in there is perfect, and it opens from the front vs the top so that I don't risk disturbing any webbing that gets put up there

I've also received bad advice from pet store employees that claim to be keepers. Now I refer to my T Keepers Guide and the Arachnoboards exclusively.

 

[viper69]

Thanks for the advice! The clerk said an avic would be happy in that but that's what I get for going against my better judgement. I've heard exo-terra nano talls do well for them so I'll probably go pick one up in the next few days. That's weird that their enclosures shouldn't be sprayed, as there are a lot of sources and keepers online that say to do so. I was beginning to think that no one had seen my post and I was getting very skeptical about the setup I had them in. Rather annoyed that a clerk that claims to be a keeper wouldn't recommend me something with the vital cross-ventilation but at least that's an easy fix.

No problem, if you get ExoTerra you are also better off replacing screen with a acrylic top drilled w/holes for ventilation.

 

[AriaFaline]

H'okay, round two for enclosure. Went on a shopping spree and got the exoterra nano tall (acrylic top will probably come in a few days), eco-earth for the substrate, plus another fake plant and a good-sized piece of cork bark as additional furniture. There wasn't room for the vertical log so I just left that out for now, and instead opted for the plant from the other enclosure since the spider (dubbed Ziggy Stardust) seemed to enjoy it. As long as the rocks in the water bowl won't do any harm to Ziggy I kind of want to keep them in there for aesthetic reasons.

 

[viper69]

H'okay, round two for enclosure. Went on a shopping spree and got the exoterra nano tall (acrylic top will probably come in a few days), eco-earth for the substrate, plus another fake plant and a good-sized piece of cork bark as additional furniture. There wasn't room for the vertical log so I just left that out for now, and instead opted for the plant from the other enclosure since the spider (dubbed Ziggy Stardust) seemed to enjoy it. As long as the rocks in the water bowl won't do any harm to Ziggy I kind of want to keep them in there for aesthetic reasons.

Remove stones from bowl, not needed.

 

[AriaFaline]

Alright, the rocks are out of the bowl. I appreciate your help, Viper

 

[viper69]

Alright, the rocks are out of the bowl. I appreciate your help, Viper

No problem!

Curious, on the acrylic top, are you going to remove the top and hot glue it in, or going to find some way to make an opening lid out of it?

 

[AriaFaline]

No problem!

Curious, on the acrylic top, are you going to remove the top and hot glue it in, or going to find some way to make an opening lid out of it?

The model I got has the mesh latched in and removable, so I was going to go to cut a piece of acrylic in the same size as the mesh and replace that as something that can be latched on. I'm reluctant to glue anything in if I don't have to, as I'd prefer something that can be easily switched out if I ever need to use the tank for another purpose.

 

[viper69]

I guess you have me stumped. How will the acrylic stay on the container? You will cut out the mesh, and the acrylic will remain in the frame somehow?

 

[AriaFaline]

The mesh just pops out when I undo some latches on the top of the enclosure and I was just going to replace it with a piece of acrylic of the same size.

 

[viper69]

The mesh just pops out when I undo some latches on the top of the enclosure and I was just going to replace it with a piece of acrylic of the same size.

We are not understanding each other. I own those tanks, I know the screen is fixed into the removable frame. I was under the impression you were going to cut out the screen from the removable frame. So I was curious how you were going to keep the acrylic piece in the removable frame.

So if you remove the frame, and place acrylic on the tank, how will you keep it latched/locked down etc?

 

[AriaFaline]

We are not understanding each other. I own those tanks, I know the screen is fixed into the removable frame. I was under the impression you were going to cut out the screen from the removable frame. So I was curious how you were going to keep the acrylic piece in the removable frame.

So if you remove the frame, and place acrylic on the tank, how will you keep it latched/locked down etc?

Whoops, I misread that question. I just figured that if I got a sheet of acrylic that's the same size as that popout, frame and all, and put it in the spot where that frame was, the latches on the top would hold it in?

 

[viper69]

Whoops, I misread that question. I just figured that if I got a sheet of acrylic that's the same size as that popout, frame and all, and put it in the spot where that frame was, the latches on the top would hold it in?

If you get a thick piece of acrylic, I forgot how much space there is between the tanks "clamp" and the plastic frame the screen top sets in, it would work.

I don't know the size of your T, but remember they are very, very good at getting out of small spaces despite having an exoskeleton. Alternatively you could put a piece down and put some spacers between the tank's "clamps" and the acrylic, provide the ends w/out clamps don't lift up etc

 

[AriaFaline]

If you get a thick piece of acrylic, I forgot how much space there is between the tanks "clamp" and the plastic frame the screen top sets in, it would work.

I don't know the size of your T, but remember they are very, very good at getting out of small spaces despite having an exoskeleton. Alternatively you could put a piece down and put some spacers between the tank's "clamps" and the acrylic, provide the ends w/out clamps don't lift up etc

My T is still a juvenile, I would say it's right about 2" right now so I'll definitely keep the spacers in mind. Hopefully the stores near my place have decently thick acrylic though so I don't have to worry about that.

 

[viper69]

My T is still a juvenile, I would say it's right about 2" right now so I'll definitely keep the spacers in mind. Hopefully the stores near my place have decently thick acrylic though so I don't have to worry about that.

If you find some, let me know where you bought it from.

 

[Nolans WIDOWKEEPER]

if im wrong please dont hate this comment it just my opinion please...

to take care of a avic is if it a juvenile a vial with crossed ventilation is good
when it adult a nano tall cage is the choice
make sure there a water dish with no sponge in it

that is all i know please dont hate this comment my opinion UwU

 

[viper69]

if im wrong please dont hate this comment it just my opinion please...

to take care of a avic is if it a juvenile a vial with crossed ventilation is good
when it adult a nano tall cage is the choice
make sure there a water dish with no sponge in it

that is all i know please dont hate this comment my opinion UwU

People have been using ExoTerra and similar glass cubes that ExoTerra based their design on for eons.

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

The model I got has the mesh latched in and removable, so I was going to go to cut a piece of acrylic in the same size as the mesh and replace that as something that can be latched on. I'm reluctant to glue anything in if I don't have to, as I'd prefer something that can be easily switched out if I ever need to use the tank for another purpose.

As long as you use an adhesive that doesn't chemically bond the plastic to the acrylic, it's not that hard to strip it out later if you want to change things back for a different critter. Hot glue can be peeled off later with a bit of work. You could also use aquarium silicone for this but you'd need to use an alternate lid while it cures (~ 24 hours)