Tips on Versicolor Rehousing and Enclosure

starnaito · Oct 17, 2017

So forgive me for some newbie questions, but these are my first arboreals (and some of my first slings), and I want to make sure I'm caring for them in the best possible way.

I have 3 Caribena versicolor slings that are growing up very well, even though temps and humidity levels have dipped in my house lately. (Winter is coming.) They are in plastic drink cups with poked holes for cross ventilation. The largest one has webbed up everything in sight, and the other two are slowly getting to that level.

So my questions... How big should I let them get before rehousing? I saw some pictures floating around of some decent-sized versis that looked like they were starting to get cramped in their sling enclosures, so I wondered how long others prefer to keep them in their first homes. I'd like to go from the cups to their final adult enclosure if possible. Is the 8x8x12 Exo Terra suitable, or should it be one size up (12x12x18)? Or is there a better enclosure than the Exo Terra I should look into? Unfortunately, my DIY projects never look decent, and I like to have nice display enclosures for all my juvenile and adult Ts.

Lastly, what's the safest way to transfer these guys with all that webbing? Should I just put the cup into the new space and let them come out on their own? Two out of the three have been very calm while I struggle to clean up and fill the water dish without messing up the webbing, but one just does frantic laps around the cup until I'm done.

I wasn't planning on keeping all three initially, just a female if I got one, but I've grown too attached to them now and I think they're all here to stay.

Should've known that would happen!

cold blood · Oct 18, 2017

starnaito said:
I have 3 Caribena versicolor slings that are growing up very well, even though temps and humidity levels have dipped in my house lately.

Temps just need to stay above 68-70, its not as much of a concern as long as you live in a house with a furnace and are willing to turn it on (amazing how many aren't). If your home is cold, heat a room with a space heater.

Humidity numbers should NOT be paid attention to. This focus on humidity (often from care sheets or pet stores) is the main reason so many die in captivity, or why so many died in the past (we're finally catching up, well here on the boards, that bad info is still out there and spouted daily elsewhere).

Keep the sub dry, have good ventilation, a water dish and a tall piece(s) of leaned wood that is surrounded with plants...they love clutter.

starnaito said:
The largest one has webbed up everything in sight, and the other two are slowly getting to that level.

Webbing is a good sign.

starnaito said:
So my questions... How big should I let them get before rehousing? I saw some pictures floating around of some decent-sized versis that looked like they were starting to get cramped in their sling enclosures, so I wondered how long others prefer to keep them in their first homes. I'd like to go from the cups to their final adult enclosure if possible

I start them in 16 or 32 oz deli cups (ones started in 16s are moved to the 32 before 2")

Resized952017030195121305

cold blood
Mar 1, 2017

Johnny 2 legs finally got an actual enclosure to enjoy...the recovery process and growth of this...

View media item 36595

Resized952016112595224725

cold blood
Nov 26, 2016
5

By about 3-3.5" it starts to get cramped, from there I move them to an intermediary enclosure, but you could easily move them into adult enclosures at this point. Same type of set up applies, just on a larger scale...dry sub, good venting, water dish, wood to climb on, hunt from and stretch out on, and lots of plants at an elevated position. Ground cover is not only pointless, but it will add to frustration as it will simply give prey items a place to hide.

starnaito said:
Lastly, what's the safest way to transfer these guys with all that webbing? Should I just put the cup into the new space and let them come out on their own?

Webbing plays no role in re-housing, there is no reason not to destroy it as you remove the t. I generally remove everything first...water dish, plants, then the wood...sometimes a t will stick on one of these and I can just move it and usher it off into its new enclosure....usually its just ushered into a catch cup and into the new enclosure. They're not generally too difficult to deal with...actually a little stubborn at times.

starnaito said:
Two out of the three have been very calm while I struggle to clean up and fill the water dish without messing up the webbing, but one just does frantic laps around the cup until I'm done.

Frantic laps generally mean a lack of usable cover.

They have an endless amount of webbing and time, its not a big deal to wreck a little of the webbing, fixing it gives them something to do. But you could just use a syringe to fill water dishes and such by just putting it through the ventilation holes.

Generally the versi is one of, if not the hardiest of the avic related ts, they grow quickly and eat well....and you will love watching the color changes as they grow.

Resized952016110995175801

cold blood
Nov 9, 2016

versi

Resized952016112095185204

cold blood
Nov 20, 2016
4

versicolor juvie

Resized952016112295220852

cold blood
Nov 23, 2016
3

Resized952017010795161448

cold blood
Jan 13, 2017

versi

Resized952017010795161554

cold blood
Jan 13, 2017
3

versi

versicolor

cold blood
Jun 28, 2017
2

not all MMs look drab.

all the same t from sling to MM

grumpycow3 · Oct 18, 2017

i'll be getting one after i'm finished getting enough money for a PC upgrade so it might be early next year.

starnaito · Oct 18, 2017

cold blood said:
Temps just need to stay above 68-70, its not as much of a concern as long as you live in a house with a furnace and are willing to turn it on (amazing how many aren't). If your home is cold, heat a room with a space heater.

Humidity numbers should NOT be paid attention to. This focus on humidity (often from care sheets or pet stores) is the main reason so many die in captivity, or why so many died in the past (we're finally catching up, well here on the boards, that bad info is still out there and spouted daily elsewhere).

Keep the sub dry, have good ventilation, a water dish and a tall piece(s) of leaned wood that is surrounded with plants...they love clutter.

Webbing is a good sign.

I start them in 16 or 32 oz deli cups (ones started in 16s are moved to the 32 before 2")

Resized952017030195121305

cold blood

Mar 1, 2017

Johnny 2 legs finally got an actual enclosure to enjoy...the recovery process and growth of this...

View media item 36595

Resized952016112595224725

cold blood

Nov 26, 2016

5

By about 3-3.5" it starts to get cramped, from there I move them to an intermediary enclosure, but you could easily move them into adult enclosures at this point. Same type of set up applies, just on a larger scale...dry sub, good venting, water dish, wood to climb on, hunt from and stretch out on, and lots of plants at an elevated position. Ground cover is not only pointless, but it will add to frustration as it will simply give prey items a place to hide.

Webbing plays no role in re-housing, there is no reason not to destroy it as you remove the t. I generally remove everything first...water dish, plants, then the wood...sometimes a t will stick on one of these and I can just move it and usher it off into its new enclosure....usually its just ushered into a catch cup and into the new enclosure. They're not generally too difficult to deal with...actually a little stubborn at times.

Frantic laps generally mean a lack of usable cover.

They have an endless amount of webbing and time, its not a big deal to wreck a little of the webbing, fixing it gives them something to do. But you could just use a syringe to fill water dishes and such by just putting it through the ventilation holes.

Generally the versi is one of, if not the hardiest of the avic related ts, they grow quickly and eat well....and you will love watching the color changes as they grow.

Resized952016110995175801

cold blood

Nov 9, 2016

versi

Resized952016112095185204

cold blood

Nov 20, 2016

4

versicolor juvie

Resized952016112295220852

cold blood

Nov 23, 2016

3

Resized952017010795161448

cold blood

Jan 13, 2017

versi

Resized952017010795161554

cold blood

Jan 13, 2017

3

versi

versicolor

cold blood

Jun 28, 2017

2

not all MMs look drab.

all the same t from sling to MM

Thank you!! I'm excited to watch them go through the color changes.
They only have a water dish for humidity; I try not wet the substrate when refilling it. All my Ts are close enough to the furnace and far enough away from my drafty windows to stay at about 72 or slightly more.
The one that does the laps is the one with the least amount of webbing. He insists on webbing the lid, so I have to startle him every time I open it up. I never see him come down from the top and web up more areas like the others do. Not sure what I can do differently to help him along. Maybe another plant or cork bark to add more web anchors?

Moakmeister · Oct 18, 2017

The Dark Den transferred his versicolor in this video from December.

She is still in that enclosure right now. She appears 4:54 in the video.

viper69 · Oct 19, 2017

Click on my link below, may find some useful info there as well.

starnaito said:
Should I just put the cup into the new space and let them come out on their own?

You will likely have to prod them out yourself. Avics are the most stubborn Ts I've had to transfer. They take their time, can be slower than molasses when they choose to be, and will often resist moving, bringing their legs in close toward their body segments.

Arachnophobphile · Nov 15, 2020

I have to say my C. versicolor is one of my personal favorites. To me one of the most beautiful T's. Now if I could just do something about this pooping machine. Literally it shoots poop everywhere. I've cleaned it like once as I found that to be redundant. It just shoots even more poop everywhere out of protest, argh.

PS Yes you be correct if you asked is that poop on the ceiling when looking at the photo.