Avic versicolor set up

[Kelly1972]

Hi everyone.

I've had T's since last October and I have 8 terrestrial ones of varying likes and dislikes and I would like to venture into arboreal. Inparticular the avic versicolor to start off. I'd be buying it as a juvie but I want to avoid making any mistakes with the enclosure set up. Any advice and direction would be greatly appreciated.

 

[MikeC]

I would try this thread:

http://arachnoboards.com/threads/avicularia-spiderling-advice-pictures-included.282099/#post-2454756

I would also recommend using the search function.
Lots of good info has already been posted and discussed. It's a very popular topic.

 

[Kelly1972]

Hi.

I used the search first, but just came up with Spiderling care.
Thank you for your comment though. I just want to make sure I set up correctly for a juvie avic versicolor.

 

[Poec54]

For slings and half grown juvenile Avics, I use deli cups, which are ideal (16 and 32 oz). 2 or 3 rings of small holes around the upper sides (none on the lid), dry substrate, a piece of small cork and/or piece of plastic plant, & a small water bowl. I only mist Avics as slings, and then only once a week or so, and only a very light mist on their silk, for drinking, not humidity. Never hose down the cage. Overmisting creates moist cages and condensation, and those kill Avics.

 

[Kelly1972]

For slings and half grown juvenile Avics, I use deli cups, which are ideal (16 and 32 oz). 2 or 3 rings of small holes around the upper sides (none on the lid), dry substrate, a piece of small cork and/or piece of plastic plant, & a small water bowl. I only mist Avics as slings, and then only once a week or so, and only a very light mist on their silk, for drinking, not humidity. Never hose down the cage. Overmisting creates moist cages and condensation, and those kill Avics.

That's really helpful. Thank you. Is it true that they prefer less space, as in more plants, bark etc.

 

[Kelly1972]

You don't mist once they are juvie's and older?

 

[Poec54]

That's really helpful. Thank you. Is it true that they prefer less space, as in more plants, bark etc.

They like a lot of anchor points for spinning, and an Avic with a silk tube/retreat is a happy Avic. They're secure and safe. Interesting thing I've seen is that it's common for them to dangle a bolus on a silk thread from the retreat, almost as a lure for an inquisitive flying insects. Avics love moths.

 

[GG80]

The best bit of advice I got with regards to my A. versi was "Don't over think it". Poec54 has pretty much covered everything else you'll need to know except for ventilation. Abundant cross ventilation is a must for an Avic.

Here are a couple of pics of what I've been keeping my versi sling in and it has been doing great in my care so far. It's gone from 0.5" DLS to just over 2" DLS.

Note the ventilation in this pic, all the way around.


Note that the substrate is dry in this pic. I never mist but I use a water dropper to sprinkle a very small amount of water into the enclosure onto the webbing and leaves twice a week with a constantly filled clean water dish.
Also plenty of fake leaves for anchor points and cover; necessary for avics.


Just follow the advise on the boards here and you should be ok with yours. You just have to be more vigilant with Avic care as by all accounts, they are less forgiving than NW terrestrials when you don't keep within the recommended conditions.

 

[Poec54]

You don't mist once they are juvie's and older?

No, never. They get to their water bowls just fine once they get a little size on them (and probably before then really). I only mist the slings, and then sparingly.

 

[Kelly1972]

Thank you all so much for your comments. Much appreciated!

 

[Poec54]

Thank you all so much for your comments. Much appreciated!

Probably more Avics die in captivity that any other genus, which is a shame because they're such alert and intelligent spiders. The big killer is assumptions and bad advice to keep them in moist, stuffy cages and mist often. They live up in trees, where sunshine and breezes quickly dry tree canopies after rains, even heavy ones. In Florida we have frequent tropical rains in the summer afternoons, often an inch to several inches at a time, and later in the day the sun's out again, and the tree tops are dry, even if the ground below is soggy. In cages, spiders don't have direct sun and breezes, so you have to be careful about things staying moist.