# A. avic Setup & Acclimation



## skadiwolf (May 15, 2003)

okay, i just got a 3" A. avic and i wanted to know the ideal setup for it.

i have spagham moss with a shallow water dish, a nice log, and some hanging vines.

in anycase, she hasn't been very active and has not yet eaten.  i'm a little concerned.

any thoughts?


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## Bry (May 15, 2003)

How large is the enclosure? Perhaps the enclosure is quite a bit large, or it's simply just taking some time to get used to new surroundings. It could be incorrect heat, but it could also very well be in pre-molt.

Bry


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## skadiwolf (May 15, 2003)

i'd say the temps are around 75-80.  they're kept in my room.  all the others are doing fine.

the enclosure is larger than my other T, the G. rosea, and the A. avic is smaller bodied, though of equal legspan.

it's a 12x9x7 enclosure.  plastic, vented top.  essentially, a kritter keeper.


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## SoCalKyle (May 15, 2003)

It just takes time for them to get acclimated to there new home. The usual rule of thumb is wait a few days after getting a new T to introduce food. Sometimes if the T looks comfortable enuff in its new home its ok to feed.


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## skadiwolf (May 15, 2003)

okay, well, this is my first arboreal T, what are some signs that she's comfortable?  she's playing the part of pet rock and is even MORE calm than my G. rosea though she's been slightly shy on my hand and been a bit 'zippy'.  nothing major though, a real sweetheart.

what do you think?

will wait on the food things then.

her abdomen looks like it might have a spot with some uricating hairs missing and it's definitely dark, so it might be a molting thing.

i hope so, but i want to make SURE that the molt goes well.  suggestions?

i'm highly paranoid.


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## skadiwolf (May 15, 2003)

btw, one more question...should i be misting her enclosure at all?  perhaps like one side directly into the spagham moss?

what do you guys think?  on average here it's always at least 50% humidity just latent in the air, and that's indoors with the a/c running.  :/

so...?


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## invadermike (May 15, 2003)

Hey, avics aren't to hard to care for, heres mine in it's home. This picture was taken the day after i go the avic, so it got confortable really fast. good luck, hope the picture helps a little, from what you said about your avics home, it seems it should be fine, have any pictures?? good luck
Mike


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## chid (May 15, 2003)

I would mist the enclosure  a bit , the humidity I try to keep is about 75/80% region. If it is premoult this will help.
You will know the avics comfortable when it starts webbing.
Chid


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## RugbyDave (May 15, 2003)

i mist mine, but theres also a nice size water dish in there.

But the thing is, you can't let it get stagnant in there.

 I use a cheap,effective solution for this problem:

randomly throughout the day, i've got one of those little $10 clip on fans that goes on with a spray of water at the top of the cage. Its all done mechanically, cos i like building things, but it doesnt have to be like that.

Just to get some air flow.

My T tends to go up near the fan when it comes on. I know someone else has a set-up like this who just posted.

But the point is, make sure theres some air flow. It could be in a room that gets really good air flow, but if not, you should try  to keep some air flow artificially.

and just let the T acclimate. Some times they eat right away, and sometimes it takes them some time.

The thing with T's is (and this gets easier and easier the longer you have them), don't flip out RIGHT away. Think of everything you should be doing, what you aren't doing, and don't get worried. Not that you are, but I'm just saying. 

alright
good luck!
They're great species.

Personally, i'd say don't handle the T for a couple days.. let the T get acclimated. Its a good rule of thumb with most animals!

You're going to want more, cos theyre really fun to watch walk, with all the leg-waving and the like  Plus, watching them mate is wicked fun.. just blurs of black and pink waving around

peace
dave!


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## Kenny (May 15, 2003)

*Avic setup*

Hi

Well, I got my first Avics last year, ( July-August) a couple of s'ling versicolors and one s'ling a.avic and what I did was that I put a piece of wood leaning towards the corner of the cages and one of the versis are now in adult colors and the a.avic has left s'ling coloration behind as well. 

Succesful molts all the time and what I did to keep stagnat air away was that I put a fan running on low 4 feet away in front of the cages, though it do dry out the cages faster so I mist every day on the cage walls and ceiling, never on the substrate, if any substrate in there.

Among arboels I also have P. irminia, P. regalis, A. braunshauseni (goliath pinktoe), P. rufilata, and they thrive as well in this kind of setup.


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## D-Man (May 15, 2003)

Skadi-

Use the search function and find my "A. avicularia (cribs)" thread. There's some good pic's and suggestions in there.

Dario


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## LCDXX (May 15, 2003)

> My T tends to go up near the fan when it comes on. I know someone else has a set-up like this who just posted.


Might have been me... 

I was posting in regards to my A. Avic making its web.  Rather than using an intricate setup (which sounds quite nice, BTW) I just used a simple aquarium air pump for making bubbles... I just run the tub into the tank about 2 inches and then use an adjustable valve/clamp to constrict airflow to a suitable level and let it run constantly.  I'll also note that I recommend upgrading the hose to the silicon, ulta-flexy tubing as it's easier to position right where you want it and a screen lid fits over it nicely.  

Those willing to provide some sort of artificial airflow should consider this as a cheap ($10) alternative if they are (like me) a little less "mechanically inclined."  Aquarium pumps are relatively quiter than they were 15 years ago, I can tell you that.

As for behavioral responses, mine does indeed like to perch about 3-5 inches in front of the tube from time to time, though not constantly.  Once he was out of the way for a bit, I did check the air pressure coming from the tube and judging from his usual spot, he can feel quite a bit of air coming from it - which I thought was strange since most people notice that their Avics are very skiddish around even the slightest breath or "puff" of air.

I guess my biggest question, though, right now is his frequent bouts of lying sideways on the substrate with his feet all stuck to the glass.  Is this what they mean when they refer to their Ts acting like pet rocks?  Or is this some other sign?

LCDXX


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## skadiwolf (May 16, 2003)

excellent guys, thanks so much for all your wonderful responses!  

i am very nervous because my G. rosea seemed to adapt right away and i just want this little girl(?) to be okay and happy.

thanks so much, again.


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## LCDXX (May 16, 2003)

Then again, maybe it wasn't me!  I hadn't seen Kenny's post for sometime and I had just mentioned my air-pump concepts not two days ago.

BTW, Kenny, your idea was part of my inspiration 

In any case, we don't know if this IS right... but it definitely defeats stagnant air in all-glass enclosures.

LCDXX


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## RugbyDave (May 16, 2003)

No, i think i was actually thinking of you, LCD! 

and a couple of my avics do that sometimes (laying on the side). Just bein an avic!
nice set up, LCD. Mine's kind of like that, too! Only i don't use an aq.pump. 

I am building a new avic cage, and i will be trying that to see how it works!

thanks!

peace
dave


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