Avicularia ventilation question

[Lasiodora]

I just wanted to know what everyone's obsession with ventilating avics is. I don't ventilate mine using srceen. I just burn a couple of holes into the plastic tops of their enclosures. I've raised a couple of spiderlings to adulthood this way with no ill effects. They built their web retreats and were all well adjusted. I have also never read anywhere that they need extra ventilation. Just wondering.
Mike


_______________________
"QUESTION:
WHEN WILL THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH?
ANSWER: WHEN THE EARTH FALLS TO PIECES!!"
Tupac Shakur

 

[Code Monkey]

It's not that they need extra ventilation, per se, but that they need ventilation period. Many people obsess about keeping them humid which means giving next to no ventilation. That equals dead Avicularia since they don't need humidity but they do need good ventilation.

 

[Lasiodora]

Yeah, I know a lot of people obsess with humidity. They fail to realize that the spiders regulate humidity by webbing thier burrows or reteats closed. I'm just saying that a lot of people make it sound like they need an open air exchange system set up. I think that the cages can be ventilated enough to allow air not to be stagnant and not lose too much moisture at the same time(moisture=humid, not wet). I'm not critizing anyone's set up. I just doubt that avics need more ventilation than other spiders like pokies.
Mike





_______________________
"QUESTION:
WHEN WILL THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH?
ANSWER: WHEN THE EARTH FALLS TO PIECES!!"
Tupac Shakur

 

[Code Monkey]

In that you're probably right. Of course, all my spiders get excellent ventilation, even the slings. Humidity is a very overrated environmental factor with Ts barring a few notable exceptions.

 

[JacenBeers]

I think that it is the same with lots of tarantulas. People obssess with keeping them humid. I know every time I talk to a petstore owner about buying a taranutla they always tell me how important it is to mist it everyday and keep the substrate moist. This is not always that important.

 

[Kenny]

Hi.

Hi all.

I know I have "nagged" this over and over again in prev. posts but as a T rookie 6 months ago I started out with this fan about 3 - 4 feet in front of my cages running on low, blowing a gentle "breeze" and I just mist like every other day lightly on the cage walls and never on the substrate and I do keep a waterdish in there all the time and I have 2 happy Versicolors, molted 4 times now each without problem, the same with my A.Avic.

I think IMHO the humidity is over-rated for some speices.

Just my rookie thought..

Kenny

 

[invertepet]

Let's not get too carried away. While I was one of the first to write about the importance of good ventilation (in some of the ATS journals in the early 90's) for arboreals, it's still important to maintain at least a decent degree of humidity, around 65-75% for most species that take to the trees. Some can adapt, like some species of Poecilotheria, but I find keeping many species of Avic bone dry results in dead, dessicated spiders.

The problem here is that ventilation via screened ports or holes increases airflow and dries everything out, and semi-daily misting becomes more important. Most arboreals drink from the condensation or rainwater on various vegetation. They don't always respond to cups or dishes with water (even when elevated, although this trick can work in some cases).

The bottom line here is, take each species individually. One Poec may do fine in 50% environs with low temp (like my adult regalis), but others may die. WATCH your spider. If it starts dessicating or geting sluggish, raise humidity and temp. It requires more attention, but it's essential.

One thing is true, lower humidity in general prevents many classic tarantula problems, like mold, mites, bacteria and just plain old stangant air. The trick is balancing between 'bone' dry and dripping wet.

bill

 

[Lasiodora]

Good points. I agree with them all.
Mike

_______________________
"QUESTION:
WHEN WILL THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH?
ANSWER: WHEN THE EARTH FALLS TO PIECES!!"

Tupac Shakur

 

[Wade]

One thing that I don't think is taken into consideration enough is the ambiant conditions when deciding on factors like ventilation and humidity. What qualifies as "bone dry" is going to depend on what the humidity is like in the room to begin with.

If your animal room has relatively low humidity, a few holes may be the best route to go, as high air exchange may excessively dry out the cage.

In my case, however, my animal room is in the basement, tending toward high humidity. Couple that with the fact that Richmond, Va is pretty humid for much of the year anyway, PLUS I have several large aqutic turtle and frog enclosures in the same area. All this means that the area is quite humid to begin with. Even in cages with dry substrate, screen tops, and with no misting, humidity remains fairly high. At the same time, in moist cages with limited ventilation, air quality can go bad quickly. Mold is a constant problem for me, not dessication. I don't think this would be a big problem in a dryer room.

For avics, my adults don't have many problems, but slings are annother matter. I keep slings of all species in small deli and condiment cups. Terresrial slings do fine with the standard "slightly moist" substrate and a few holes for ventilation, but I have found many aboreals will perish in that set up. I now cut out part of the lids and glue in mesh of some kind (nylon "silk" screen is my favorite). Survivorship has greatly improved. The cups do dry out faster, but, as I said, humidity is fairly high anyway.

To sum it up, I guess I'm saying that we all must evaluate our individual situations when setting up our animals. It's a learning process, there's no simple rule that will work for everyone all the time.

Wade