Pinktoe Avicularia Help

[Crazicide]

Before reading this, I want it to be known I am relatively new to the hobby.
My Pinktoe has been acting a bit strange recently. She (assuming it's a she haven't been able to sex it yet) has been curling up a lot recently.

She doesn't usually do this. I think it may have to do with temperature? It's around 70-85° on average in her tank.
I know this isn't the death curl, as her legs would be tightened below her.
She has water and I mist her tank at least once a day. Is this normal or should I have some concerns?
I'll answer any questions.

 

[Vanessa]

There is something very wrong with an Avicularia bunched up on the ground like that next to the water dish. Please provide a photo of the entire setup. And please stop misting her.
Please review the Avicularia specific care instructions found at this link to ensure that you are providing the proper care.
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/tarantula-information-for-beginners-and-more.318718/

 

[Crazicide]

There is something very wrong with an Avicularia bunched up on the ground like that next to the water dish. Please provide a photo of the entire setup. And please stop misting her.
Please review the Avicularia specific care instructions found at this link to ensure that you are providing the proper care.
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/tarantula-information-for-beginners-and-more.318718/

The light is only on right now for a better view. I kept it on for Winter and have been keeping it off for Spring/Summer for the most part.

 

[Serpyderpy]

Why do you have an arboreal species set up in a terrestrial enclosure?

Please, please do your research. Even the crappiest care sheets will tell you these guys need vertical space. You need to remove the light immediately and you need to find a new cage because I doubt you can repurpose that one. You need a tall enlcosure with moist substrate and some kind of vertical surface like a long slab of corkbark for them to climb on, preferably with fake plants at the top to add some additonal kind of hide. You need holes (read: a lot of holes) drilled into the side of the tub so she'll get good ventilation. She's probably hanging around her water dish because everywhere else is so dry.

 

[Vanessa]

The light is only on right now for a better view. I kept it on for Winter and have been keeping it off for Spring/Summer for the most part.

That setup is completely inappropriate for an arboreal tarantula and is almost certainly causing her to be in distress. Please review the care information that I provided at that link and make the necessary changes - which will involved an entirely different setup than the one you have. You need a vertical enclosure, no hide, a flat piece of cork bark and a water dish. Also, remove the light entirely - no light ever, under any circumstances. And the changes need to be done immediately.
Here is the link again: http://arachnoboards.com/threads/tarantula-information-for-beginners-and-more.318718/
Here is another link to a recent dead Avicularia thread: http://arachnoboards.com/threads/please-help.319732/

 

[Crazicide]

Why do you have an arboreal species set up in a terrestrial enclosure?

Please, please do your research. Even the crappiest care sheets will tell you these guys need vertical space. You need to remove the light immediately and you need to find a new cage because I doubt you can repurpose that one. You need a tall enlcosure with moist substrate and some kind of vertical surface like a long slab of corkbark for them to climb on, preferably with fake plants at the top to add some additonal kind of hide. You need holes (read: a lot of holes) drilled into the side of the tub so she'll get good ventilation. She's probably hanging around her water dish because everywhere else is so dry.

That setup is completely inappropriate for an arboreal tarantula and is almost certainly causing her to be in distress. Please review the care information that I provided at that link and make the necessary changes - which will involved an entirely different setup than the one you have. You need a vertical enclosure, no hide, a flat piece of cork bark and a water dish. Also, remove the light entirely - no light ever, under any circumstances. And the changes need to be done immediately.
Here is the link again: http://arachnoboards.com/threads/tarantula-information-for-beginners-and-more.318718/
Here is another link to a recent dead Avicularia thread: http://arachnoboards.com/threads/please-help.319732/

I don't know if I can buy a new enclosure for her right now. The most I can do is find an old plastic container and repurpose that for the time being. I'll see what I can do.

 

[Vanessa]

I don't know if I can buy a new enclosure for her right now. The most I can do is find an old plastic container and repurpose that for the time being. I'll see what I can do.

There are two options only - make the changes, or watch her die. You can find a more appropriate enclosure at the dollar store for literally a couple of dollars, you have the plants and substrate already, and you need a container lid for a water dish. You can save her life for probably less than $10. Read the care instructions at the links provided.

 

[thebronzedragon]

you can use a lot of things as enclosures. My A. avic is in a plastic jar container that was previously used for salt. Just drilled some hole in the top and bunch of rows on the sides.

 

[EtienneN]

Avics are super sensitive to stress and husbandry mistakes. I'm going to tell you that everything they told you at the pet store is wrong, wrong, very, very wrong. Please don't mist daily. I mist very sporadically to promote drinking opportunities. Like once every ten days to two weeks. That water dish doesn't look full enough, either, unless it just dries up that much on a daily basis which it should never do. Those heat lamps will desiccate read:kill your spider. And honestly, Avics don't always die in the classic death curl. Oftentimes they'll die with their legs flaccid and it's only after they start rotting that the owner notices its dead. Please take these suggestions to heart and give your tarantula a fighting chance to survive. As far as enclosures go, you can stick in a plastic pretzel stick container with holes melted into the lid and sides to promote cross ventilation.

 

[Vanisher]

Before reading this, I want it to be known I am relatively new to the hobby.
My Pinktoe has been acting a bit strange recently. She (assuming it's a she haven't been able to sex it yet) has been curling up a lot recently.
View attachment 308267
She doesn't usually do this. I think it may have to do with temperature? It's around 70-85° on average in her tank.
I know this isn't the death curl, as her legs would be tightened below her.
She has water and I mist her tank at least once a day. Is this normal or should I have some concerns?
I'll answer any questions.

The most important thing is that theh have ample hight! A tank measuring 12-20 inch is good for a Avicularia. Your tank seems to be that high, but it is way to long! Buy a enclisure at wallmart or what have you? It just beed to be 10 inch long and wide and say 12-20 inch tall. Make lots of ventilation, lits of corkcark at a verticle placement 4 inch of substrate, some plastic plants and a waterdish!

 

[cold blood]

Low budget options are Just as good for the tarantula as high budget options. I suggest going out and dropping $5 on a Sterilite tub. Add wood, and some plastic plants, the ones you have can be used. And surround the top of the wood with those plants to provide cover and anchor points for webbing. This is a Sterilite tub I set up for Avicularia, I suggest using this as a template for your new setup. The entire setup cost me less than $10.

avic housing-adult

• cold blood
• Mar 13, 2018
• 1
• avicularia enclosure pinktoe tarantula

Ventilation holes are easily drilled, and the enclosure should be kept predominantly dry with a water dish. Misting should only be done on rare occasion, and only very very lightly on the sides or the webbing. This is not for husbandry, this is for easy opportunities for drinking should the tarantula not go to the floor to find the water dish.

 

[NMWAPBT]

I find tubs hold humidity and temp way better than glass and most come with locking tops and are relatively cheap. My avics. Did awesome in tubs when I use to keep them.

 

[DixonCyder]

I don't know if I can buy a new enclosure for her right now. The most I can do is find an old plastic container and repurpose that for the time being. I'll see what I can do.

This isn't a problem. For the time being use a tupperware like the one I see pictured in another reply. ... You can use a sheet of plexi-glass or two sheets of actual glass, and some careful work with tools, glue and caulk, to transition that tank to vertical. Would be cheap and rewarding if you happen to have access to the tools, and maybe someone who can help guide you.
This guy, has a great video on building enclosures. And can be applied to building or modifying.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC178kThBUvGNps5cabRP_2Q

If I were in your shoes now... And I'm going put limited funds at $0. I would build a wall for the front side, turn the tank around so the lid opens backwards (so it doesn't escape cause it's hanging out where the lid opens), and make that into a climbing surface. Stick something to it that it can use it to hide. It's a tree-spider, it would feel comfortable on something that feels and looks like a tree. Find something, and glue it to that wall. That link I sent you has good instructions to build that wall, that can help give you an idea on what you're going to do with what materials you have on hand and can afford.
If it turns out, that you are too late. The wall can come right out, and you have a great terrestrial setup for an old-world. Just do your homework next time and make sure your spider is terrestrial for that cage. Don't go by how the pet-store houses it. That is done for the customer, not the spider. And rarely reflects how you should set up their homes. (This is why buying exotics from breeders gives you happier exotics). The google oracle riding in your pocket can assist you there, ask her.
If you are not too late, dedicate a fund to rehousing her, whether you provide it to her, or sell her to someone who will. It might be cheaper to just buy an appropriate spider for your setup. I got two for T's for $15 each at a store recently. One is terrestrial, but none were old world. (There are more old world species that are adapted to partial-desert environments). Use a plant, and proper drainage if you want to use humidity. Then you'll need other bugs to help keep the bio from the hazard. I use Isopods, cause they are in my back yard. But there are other options too. These help clean up, and prevent mold.
I'm not sure why people tell you "no light". I'm looking into that myself. I imagine there's a sun, in their natural environment. I also hear that they get overwhelmed in a large enclosure, I call <edit> on that too. How could they survive in the wild then? I've never had a problem with giving them extra space. They seem to find their way around just find. If it's any indication to you, that top left enclosure (pictured), currently houses my smallest spider.
Before taking any advice, even from me, it is your right to check that information against other sources. Except for in one case. When you see that literally everyone is telling you to let it climb, when you get that, it's a sure bet. And they are right, you're spider will die soon, if you don't fix this. ... If it's not my suggestion, come up with something, and soon.

 

[viper69]

An Avic in trouble, say it isn't so....

 

[cold blood]

I also hear that they get overwhelmed in a large enclosure, I call <edit> on that too. How could they survive in the wild then? I've never had a problem with giving them extra spac

We do not keep are tarantulas in the wild, the two are not even comparable. Wild tarantulas, while they do survive, have about a 1 to 3% survival rate. Is that what you want to mimic? Conversely, properly kept in captivity the survival rate is upwards of 95%. This is simply because we give them better conditions than they can have in the wild, and through simple alterations we can make things much easier for babies to survive to adults.

When you give a tarantula, especially a new world terrestrial sling, an oversized enclosure, what happens is that sling will emulate the "wild" or natural responses.

This means it will hide virtually all the time, making it almost impossible to monitor. On top of this, the reclusive response also greatly hinders appetite and aggression towards food as a hiding spider comes across food far less often if ever.

I have done an experiment with about 300 new-world terrestrial slings. About a third of those were kept in oversized enclosures, at the end of the year when the experiment ended literally every single one housd in small enclosures was eating every day they were fed and we're already two to three inches and in full adult colors. Upon digging up the ones in oversized enclosures I found that none were greater than 1.25 in, and in fact most seem like they hadn't grown at all in that year. It's also important to note that they almost never took food even though it was offered at the same time and the same items as all the others that were eating every feeding day. There was not a single exception.

There's absolutely no doubt that smaller enclosures help raise New World terrestrial slings much quicker then they would otherwise grow. What happens in these smaller enclosures is that the slings adopt the entire cup as a burrow, so they end up rarely burrowing, are therefore easily monitored and are extremely aggressive with food by comparison.

I'm not sure why people tell you "no light". I'm looking into that myself. I imagine there's a sun, in their natural environment. I

yeah there's a sun everywhere, but tarantulas are nocturnal animals, when the sun is out they are somewhere underneath something or in a burrow avoiding that sun.

Keeping your tarantulas lit at times won't cause a problem, but neither will no light at all, in fact the only thing you'll see different is that with a lack of light the tarantulas will be out a whole lot more if not all the time.
My room hasn't received light in so long I can't remember. Tarantulas have been flourishing.

 

[Anoplogaster]

With a few more hides, that tank would be an ideal setup for a breeding colony of leopard geckos. Not for a T, though.

Down the size, up the clutter, lose the light, don’t mist, plenty of vents, etc....

If you don’t have the funds to make a new setup, do the sterilite tub idea. Sell that reptile setup, and then you’ll have money.

 

[Andrea82]

Get those heatlamps off of that enclosure asap. Like, right now. Top off a very large waterdish with water and place it next to the spider.
You can make the other changes later but do these things now.

 

[DixonCyder]

We do not keep are tarantulas in the wild, the two are not even comparable. Wild tarantulas, while they do survive, have about a 1 to 3% survival rate. Is that what you want to mimic? Conversely, properly kept in captivity the survival rate is upwards of 95%. This is simply because we give them better conditions than they can have in the wild, and through simple alterations we can make things much easier for babies to survive to adults.

When you give a tarantula, especially a new world terrestrial sling, an oversized enclosure, what happens is that sling will emulate the "wild" or natural responses.

This means it will hide virtually all the time, making it almost impossible to monitor. On top of this, the reclusive response also greatly hinders appetite and aggression towards food as a hiding spider comes across food far less often if ever.

I have done an experiment with about 300 new-world terrestrial slings. About a third of those were kept in oversized enclosures, at the end of the year when the experiment ended literally every single one housd in small enclosures was eating every day they were fed and we're already two to three inches and in full adult colors. Upon digging up the ones in oversized enclosures I found that none were greater than 1.25 in, and in fact most seem like they hadn't grown at all in that year. It's also important to note that they almost never took food even though it was offered at the same time and the same items as all the others that were eating every feeding day. There was not a single exception.

There's absolutely no doubt that smaller enclosures help raise New World terrestrial slings much quicker then they would otherwise grow. What happens in these smaller enclosures is that the slings adopt the entire cup as a burrow, so they end up rarely burrowing, are therefore easily monitored and are extremely aggressive with food by comparison.
yeah there's a sun everywhere, but tarantulas are nocturnal animals, when the sun is out they are somewhere underneath something or in a burrow avoiding that sun.

Keeping your tarantulas lit at times won't cause a problem, but neither will no light at all, in fact the only thing you'll see different is that with a lack of light the tarantulas will be out a whole lot more if not all the time.
My room hasn't received light in so long I can't remember. Tarantulas have been flourishing.

Thanks, but I have no slings. I would use a smaller one for a s sling, just to keep track of it. No worries there.
... After reading more, I don't think this was totally for me. Sorry about that. The notification threw me off.