I'm very new to this hobby and I felt I had done alot of research but I have a few questions. I bought a Pink toe (avicularia avicularia) and I read that they are arboreal and like to climb, but mine seems to not move. She has a hard time climbing on glass as well. I've also noticed she hasnt eaten anything but 1 cricket and I've had her for two weeks now. She's about 2 inches so I think that she is a juvenile. Also, I thought i could handle her alot in the beginning, so i did and she moved alot then, but as i read more into it i don't think I'm supposed to. If anyone has any tips or any answers as to why she hardly moves I would love to know!!
Need help with A. Avic. & I'm new
- Thread starter Cadence
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That's a hard question to answer without knowing how you keep her and how she looks... How about some pics? Spider and enclosure would be nice.
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Hard to say, but one possiblity is that she might be preparing to molt. Avics (and other arboreals) do lose their ability to climb glass as they approach molt, and it is also typical of tarantulas to lose their appetites for days, weeks - or even months - preceding a molt.
Another thing to keep in mind is that tarantulas are not terribly active pets. They have a very slow metabolism and will frequently just sit there like pet rocks (or pet holes, for burrowing species!) It is not at all uncommon for me to see one of my tarantulas in pretty much the exact same spot for days on end. They have their preferred places to "hang out" so even when they do move around, they will return to those spots where they are comfortable.
Yes, I'm quite sure your spider was a lot more active when you were handling her a lot - this is because you are a large potential predator and she was scared. She was trying to get away from you. If she is calmer now, that is more likely a sign that she is more comfortable and less stressed.
Another thing to keep in mind is that tarantulas are not terribly active pets. They have a very slow metabolism and will frequently just sit there like pet rocks (or pet holes, for burrowing species!) It is not at all uncommon for me to see one of my tarantulas in pretty much the exact same spot for days on end. They have their preferred places to "hang out" so even when they do move around, they will return to those spots where they are comfortable.
Yes, I'm quite sure your spider was a lot more active when you were handling her a lot - this is because you are a large potential predator and she was scared. She was trying to get away from you. If she is calmer now, that is more likely a sign that she is more comfortable and less stressed.
I don't have a picture of her encloser right now, but it's a ten gallon with coconut husk substrate with a few accessories for climbing. I have a shallow water dish for her and I keep the room about 75° for her. If she is molting, is there anything that can help her? I don't want her caught in a bad molt
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Wow... 10 gallons sounds HUGE for a 2" spider! She'll be much happier and better off in a smaller enclosure. The temperature is fine, keep the water dish filled, and leave her be for now. I'd like to see a picture of the tank and accessories - for an avic, appropriate accessories would be things like vertical branches, fake vines or plants, or cork slabs that they can climb on and also use as anchor points to construct web "tubes." The tank should also be well ventilated - avics don't like it too stuffy and you don't want to encourage mold.
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I'd have a 2" avic in a 32oz deli cup
Goopyguy56
Arachnoangel
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If she rubs her booty on you it is not because she likes u.
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That's vague, very vague. An Avic sitting around and not moving much is a red flag. Even an Avic sling in premolt should still want to climb and construct a web as soon as possible, unless the molt is imminent - has it molted by now? If not - not good.
The second red flag is a sling in a ten gallon enclosure - not a good idea at all. It will, in all likelyhood, not be able to find it's food and possibly be too scared to even hunt. In nature, to preempt that old argument, they will make a web and wait for some hapless insect to come along. Nature also provides more hapless insects in range than your enclosure and and also 99% of slings will die.
The third, if not read than at least slightly orange flag are your words of "a few accessories for climbing". An Avic doesn't need a few accessories for climbing. What they need is an enclosure stuffed with cork bark, vines, and plenty of fake leaves or similar for hiding in the upper area of the enclosure.
I very strongly suggest you read either of those threads:
pirminiamac
Arachnosquire
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I second a downgrade to the 32oz cup with some cork bark that reaches to the top and it's good you're not handling anymore!
Post a pic so people can help you out further but sounds like you're on the right track you may just need to tweek a few things and get used to the fact maybe your t isn't as active or interactive as you may have originally thought it would be.
Post a pic so people can help you out further but sounds like you're on the right track you may just need to tweek a few things and get used to the fact maybe your t isn't as active or interactive as you may have originally thought it would be.