# SADS(Sudden Avicularia Death Syndrome)



## JC (Feb 15, 2010)

*SADS(Sudden Avicularia Death Syndrome)*

The purpose of this thread is to pinpoint the exact cause of "SADS",or at least narrow down the reasons, and why figure out why it is so common among Avicularia. I have read many cases of this phenomenon and have been victim it myself. Most of the specimens were reported to just drop down and die, without any past indication of poor health.

It would help if all users would post a complete report of the incident on this thread from now on. The report would include the following information pertaining to the specimen's husbandry:

1) Temperature range.

2) Humidity range.

3) Was a clean water bowl available at all times?(Yes/No)

4) Preferred method of humidifying.  

5) Ventilation information(A image of the enclosure would be most helpful).

6) Last 5 food items fed.

7) Food item background information(Species and what the food items ate/drank). 

8) Were the feeders given water crystals?(Yes/No)

9) Description of the dead spider.(Death curl etc. A image of the the dead spider would be most helpful)

10) Did the specimen show were signs of discomfort or behave oddly before its death?
(Describe behavior).

11) Avicularia size/ Species.


*Additional Information:* Any suggestions or opinions.

**REPORT**

1) Temperature range.

*72-80F.*

2) Humidity range.

*80-85%.*

3) Was a clean water bowl available at all times?(Yes/No)

*None present.*

4) Preferred method of humidifying.  

*Daily misting.*

5) Ventilation information(A image of the enclosure would be most helpful).
*
50 dram vial with 15 small holes punched in on the cap for ventilation.*

6) Last 5 food items fed.

*Can't remember last 4 items(death occurred happened months ago). Last food item was a B.dubia nymph*

7) Food item background information(What the food items ate/drank).

*B.dubia. 

Dog food, carrots, apples, water cystals. *

8) Were the feeders given water crystals?(Yes/No)

*Yes*

9) Description of the dead spider. (A image of the the dead spider would be most helpful)

*Curled up at the bottom of the enclosure with B.dubia roach piece still in fangs.*

10) Did the specimen show were signs of discomfort or behave oddly before its death?(Describe behavior). 

*None*

11) Avicularia size / Species.

*4th/5th instar / Avicularia versicolor *


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## Xian (Feb 15, 2010)

**SUGGESTION**

It's been suggested before, I don't really think that the causes of SADS is even close to one or a few reasons. I believe it is a term made up similar to DKS. Just a term used when people don't know the cause of death. Good luck however, hopefully you'll figure it out.
Here are some other threads discussing the topic,

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?
t=170546&highlight=SADS


http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?
t=165883&highlight=SADS

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=164567&highlight=SADS


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## JC (Feb 15, 2010)

**suggestion**

*If you have any suggestions or anything to add to the SADS thread which is not a personal report, please title the post as *SUGGESTION* it would help to keep the thread a easier read. Otherwise title it *REPORT**


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## Scag (Feb 15, 2010)

**suggestion**

I would also include the species of avic in the information you are gathering  good luck


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## Steve Calceatum (Feb 15, 2010)

**Report**

1) Temperature range.

80* - 86* F

2) Humidity range.

85% - 90% Rh

3) Was a clean water bowl available at all times?(Yes/No)

Yes.

4) Misting frequency. 
I do not mist my inverts, but opted to soak the substrate twice a week with this specimen.

5) Ventilation information(A image of the enclosure would be most helpful).

This photo was taken prior to planting foliage.
2.5 gallon arboreal setup:






6) Last 5 food items fed.

Roaches

7) Food item background information(Species and what the food items ate/drank). 

_Nauphoeta cincerea_ (Lobsterailed Roach)
Until the other two colonies I have establish, the Lobstertails are currently my primary species of feeder roach. As such, they are fed on a staple of high-grade cat food (EVO or Orijen) with fresh produce and grains (organic, if affordable) supplied at least three times per month, and fresh oranges supplied weekly. The colony is not so large yet that I run through much food for them. 

8) Were the feeders given water crystals?(Yes/No)

Yes.

9) Description of the the spider's (A image of the the dead spider would be most helpful)

Ordinarily I would have described this specimen as very beautiful......














10) Did the specimen show were signs of discomfort or behave oddly before its death?
(Describe behavior).

No. The specimen was in premolt, and behaved as normal for this developmental stage.


11) Avicularia size/ Species.

_Avicularia versicolor_ - 2" DLS


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## curiousme (Feb 15, 2010)

*suggestion*

I must give a +1 to Xian.  My personal opinion is that SADS is merely natural selection seen on an individual basis.  With most Avicularia slings being C(aptive)B(red), there is no fight for the largest to win, and no fight for the weakest to lose.  So when we see deaths that have no determined cause, we are seeing a weaker one that didn't make it.  It sucks, but I don't think it is anything more than that.



My *suggestion* however, is to not make #4 Misting Y/N, but instead do preferred method of humidifying.  Misting is not the best way to up humidity, so I would think the current wording wouldn't apply to some/ most.


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## JC (Feb 15, 2010)

*Suggestion - response*



curiousme said:


> I must give a +1 to Xian.  My personal opinion is that SADS is merely natural selection seen on an individual basis.  With most Avicularia slings being C(aptive)B(red), there is no fight for the largest to win, and no fight for the weakest to lose.  So when we see deaths that have no determined cause, we are seeing a weaker one that didn't make it.  It sucks, but I don't think it is anything more than that.



I do agree with you and Xian for the most part. "SADS" is just a name for the unknown, and I *do not* believe it to be an actual illness or a single/specific problem. But the fact still remains that even if "SADS" stems from a variety of different problems/bad husbandry practices, we still don't know what these different problems are. Hopefully this thread(or others like it) will someday reveal what the causes of these types of death are and give them each their own name.


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## splangy (Feb 16, 2010)

**Suggestion**

I think this is a great idea!  We all probably agree that SADS is like saying IBS for people.  it's just what the doctors tell us when they have no clue....

With so many people who collect Ts and in such large quantities, it doesn't make sense to not have more figured out about the medical conditions of Ts.  When we put all our numbers together, we're bound to at least get some hypotheses out of it.

If we get enough responses here, we can combine the data into a table, look for trends, and then start testing hypotheses in a more controlled environment.

Reactions: Like 1


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## AudreyElizabeth (Feb 16, 2010)

I would also add to the list whether or not the tarantula had been handled recently, or the webbing disturbed or torn.  
 I think that because avics are so cute, and pleasant to handle, that many may get over-handled. 
 I accidentally tore up my _versicolor_ web trying to get a dead roach out, and it took about a week and half for the webbing to be repaired. I was nervous about it the whole time, because I knew a molt was imminent. 
 This is just a hunch, and NOT fuel for the handling debate. 

But, that being thrown out there, I also agree with Xian and curiousme; Some slings just don't make it.


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## Moltar (Feb 16, 2010)

I applaud your efforts to get to the bottom of what you percieve to be a health problem within the hobby community but I have to disagree with you on a fundamental level which I summed up in this thread a little while back.

What is considered SADS is the result of weaker genetics and husbandry error. They're just delicate little buggers is all, no syndrome. Not trying to discourage this discourse but I think it is a bit misdirected.


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## JC (Feb 16, 2010)

Moltar said:


> I applaud your efforts to get to the bottom of what you percieve to be a health problem within the hobby community but I have to disagree with you on a fundamental level which I summed up in this thread a little while back.
> 
> What is considered SADS is the result of weaker genetics and *husbandry error.* They're just delicate little buggers is all, no syndrome. Not trying to discourage this discourse but I think it is a bit misdirected.



The purpose of the thread is not to find a cure for "SADS" but to identify what it is and what it consists of. The explanation that the death just _"is"_ or _"was meant to be"_ is not a valid scientific explanation. And if the Avics were just "genetically weak", which I highly doubt was the cause in all of those deaths, then this thread will help prove that. I think we should place genetics in the back seat until we take a look of the information and experiment with things that are actually under our control and that we can actually change. That being said, I'm not too sure on which points you disagree with me.

Let me make this more clear for everyone. The only reason I am using the term "SADS" is to refer to a concept which people already know and are somewhat familiar with. It is a term used to refer to the death of a spider of the genus Avicularia which drops dead for no _"apparent reason"_, despite the caregiver fulfilling all of the care requirements. I am trying to find these reasons, and I am doing it through the use of concrete data provided by these reports. Whether or not the research concludes with "SADS" later being defined as a genetic defect, caused by improper care techniques, or other would be all the same to me.


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## Moltar (Feb 16, 2010)

Ok, I'll bite.

1) Temperature range.

70-80F

2) Humidity range.

Varied somewhat due to seasonal changes, A/C etc. I don't monitor enclosure RH directly but estimate variation within 50%-80% range.

3) Was a clean water bowl available at all times?

Don't provide a bowl for slings, particularly avics who don't use it.

4) Preferred method of humidifying.

Multi faceted: Room humidifier with sling vials, etc kept in a smaller tub lined w/ moist paper towels, misting and watering of individual enclosures.

5) Ventilation information

Kept in one of these.






6) Last 5 food items fed.

B. lateralis nymphs

7) Food item background information(Species and what the food items ate/drank). 

Roaches fed on diet of cat food, dry oats, apple, banana, squash, etc

8) Were the feeders given water crystals?

No, moisture provided by fruit

9) Description of the dead spider.

Death curl on substrate, far from web tube

10) Did the specimen show were signs of discomfort or behave oddly before its death?

Specimen had been refusing food for more than a month prior to death. It escaped its enclosure and set up a web tube nearby. After recapture and setup in a new enclosure it only took prey once and refused all subsequent attempts at feeding.

11) Avicularia size/ Species.

A. bicegoi, approximately 1" DLS.

Link to thread about this specific spider.


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## splangy (Feb 17, 2010)

**Suggestion**

Thoughts... 

Do they die in such high ratios in nature?

Do they tend to have more offspring than other species?

Are they endangered or threatened in the wild?

Also, we're investigating conditions at the time of the SAD, but we're not comparing it to anything?  How do we know what's different from how a successful A sling is treated vs. these?  

If it is indeed just that Avicularia are weaker genetically, then that would open up sooo many more questions, and would still be worth investigating.


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## Jon3800 (Feb 24, 2010)

*Sads*

I don't know about you guys, but avics slings are probably on the hardest slings to care for, I raised other arboreal Ts like T.gigas and L.violaceopes and pokies  effortlessly...but avics always bad luck.

These slings definitely have the highest death rates of any T I own.  Most of my Ts die from old age or failed molts, but never went out for no reason.

I've had more than 4 healthy avicularia avicularia die off this way with and had proper temperature 80F, 80% humidity and ventilation.  And just today my healthy 1/2 inch fully hydrated sling with a plump abdomen just passed just 3 weeks after I bought it.   No visible sign of stress, not even a death curl, no mold infection. 

Not to mention I had a 1/2 inch A.diversipes which I humbly paid over $100 Canadian for, died off a month after I bought it. 

In fact, im kinda worried because I have a pair of A.laeta and A.sp metallica French Guyana

1) Temperature range:  77F (night) and 80-82F day

2) Humidity range:  80%

3) Was a clean water bowl available at all times?(Yes/No):   I don't offer water bowls to slings under 1 inch

4) Preferred method of humidifying:   I keep the substrate moist at all times, I use a humidifier to help molting

5) Ventilation information:   Have them in pill jars with holes on the top, now with holes on the side

6) Last 5 food items fed: I gave her pinheads and pulverized adult crickets

7) Food item background information:  Domestic pet store crickets.  I gut load them by feeding carrots, lettuce, and dried dog food

8) Were the feeders given water crystals?(Yes/No): No.  I use a cotton ball and pour water over it

9) Description of the dead spider:  Chelicerae was spread apart, did not move when I touched it, not even in a death curl.  Plump abdomen, so I know she was fully hydrated and healthy 

10) Did the specimen show were signs of discomfort or behave oddly before its death?  Slow behavior as I expected it would.  It was most likely to be in premolt 

11) Avicularia size/ Species: Avicularia avicularia 1/2 inch length


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## ZergFront (Feb 24, 2010)

This happened months ago...

 2 specimens

 1) Room Temperature.

2) No Humidity gauge...

3) Was a clean water bowl available at all times?(Yes, a little soda bottlecap. Probably wasn't even necessary at that small size)

4) Misting the cage. Even with 45 vent holes I was getting some condensation. 

5) 25 holes on the top part, 20 on the larger, bottom section. (Michael cubes)

6) Last 5 food items fed - all pinheads.

7) Food item had veggies, Whole Bran and some fruit.

8) Were the feeders given water crystals?(No)

9) Death curl on the substrate. Had been on the sub the day before some of the time. No webs.

10) As mentioned, it had been on the substrate but was still moving normally the day before death.

11) Avicularia versicolor 1/2".


Additional Information: Think cage was too wet and too big. They both ate in that cage, so I don't think finding the food was a problem.


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## Black Label Invertebrates (Feb 24, 2010)

*This happened 2/24/2010*

*1) Temperature range: *
85 Degree Room

*2) Humidity range: *
85%

*3) Was a clean water bowl available at all times?(Yes/No):*
No

*4) Preferred method of humidifying: *
Keeping substrate moist, as well as daily misting so the sling had water to drink.

*5) Ventilation information: *
Hobby cube with 1" holes on the top, and sides(cross ventilation) 

*6) Last 5 food items fed: *
Pre-Killed Pinhead 2 days prior to death.
*
7) Food item background information: *
Domestic pet store crickets. Gut loaded with cat food, and carrots. 

*8) Were the feeders given water crystals?(Yes/No): *
Wet cotton ball.

*9) Description of the dead spider:* 
Its was laying on the enclosure bottom, legs spread. I touched it to try and get it to move...but it didn't. It had just eaten a couple days prior...and had a nice plump abdomen. 

*10) Did the specimen show signs of discomfort or behave oddly before its death? *
It was very sluggish the night before, appeared to have trouble climbing the sides of the hobby cube, and (idk if this is relevant) it hadn't webbed since I purchased it (about a month and a half ago).
*
11) Avicularia size/ Species: *
Avicularia metallica 1/2 inch length


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## shanebp (Mar 23, 2010)

Happened March 23, 2010


1) Temperature range.
*67 nights 78 days*

2) Humidity range.
*High (hard to tell in a small deli cup*

3) Was a clean water bowl available at all times?(Yes/No)
*No, due to it being a 3/4 inch sling*

4) Preferred method of humidifying. 
*Wetting the substrate*

5) Ventilation information(A image of the enclosure would be most helpful).





6) Last 5 food items fed.
*Crickets, but refused food for a month and a half up to time of death*

7) Food item background information(Species and what the food items ate/drank). 
*Carrots*

8) Were the feeders given water crystals?(Yes/No)
*No*

9) Description of the dead spider.(Death curl etc. A image of the the dead spider would be most helpful)
*Death curl on substrate, away from webbing*

10) Did the specimen show were signs of discomfort or behave oddly before its death?
(Describe behavior).
*Not at all besides not eating, attacked a cricket and ate its leg the day before death*

11) Avicularia size/ Species.
* 3/4inch Avic Avic*


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## gromgrom (Mar 23, 2010)

**suggestion**

are they/were they ever being handled?
how often were they rehoused?


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## shanebp (Mar 23, 2010)

Handled once, rehoused once months ago


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## JC (Mar 23, 2010)

*The report in post #19 is not a very complicated death. It died due to dehydration. 

You can not provide Avics with water simply wetting the substrate, especially on that type of substrate. Had the keeper misted the sides of the container and assured themself that water droplets were forming, the specimen would still be alive.

The *suggestion* thing at the top of a non-report is really not necessary anymore. Only with the help of mods can this thread be kept clean and made an easy read.*


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## ametan (Apr 17, 2010)

*1) Temperature range.*
78-85 degrees

*2) Humidity range.*
Too small of a container to monitor.

*3) Was a clean water bowl available at all times?(Yes/No)*
No. Sling.

*4) Preferred method of humidifying.*
Moist substrate, daily misting. 

*5) Ventilation information(A image of the enclosure would be most helpful).*






*6) Last 5 food items fed.*
Unknown. Tried to feed it live pinhead, part of mealworm, part of cricket, never ate while in my care.

*7) Food item background information(Species and what the food items ate/drank). *
Cricket, Mealworm. Fed gutload.

*8) Were the feeders given water crystals?(Yes/No)*
Use gutload.

*9) Description of the dead spider.(Death curl etc. A image of the the dead spider would be most helpful)*





Note: The water droplets are from accidentally rubbing carcass against side of enclosure when removing for picture.

*10) Did the specimen show were signs of discomfort or behave oddly before its death?
(Describe behavior).*
I had it for approx 9 days. Never settled into its enclosure. Never ate. Death curl twice followed by ICU for a day before seeming better and being returned to enclosure.

*11) Avicularia size/ Species.*
1/4-1/2" sling


*Additional Information:*
Have another sling from same hatch, shows no problems. Has webbed its enclosure and eaten in my care. Enclosure, husbandry exactly the same.


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## Dom (Apr 17, 2010)

*Suggestion*

Very few species on the planet are known to be genetically weak or have large offspring die-off if correct conditions are provided.
Perhaps they're more susceptible to a bacteria or virus than other species. 
I've known herpers with large collections that have had only one genus impacted/decimated by a virus/ bacteria and the other genera remaining healthy. Same with the chytrid fungus that is seriously impacting certain frog species and leaving others alone.


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## Projecht13 (Apr 17, 2010)

I have no doubt that due to the extreme cross breeding of this sp. that over time they have become genetically weaker than other t's. You see the same thing in a lot of other animals (mammals including) where this sort of genetic deformation occurs. Just my thought.


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## hlb118 (Apr 17, 2010)

*Report*

1) Temperature range: 
     74 - 76 degrees (house temp day and night)

2) Humidity range:
     70% - 80%

3) Was a clean water bowl available at all times?
     Yes. Shallow lid.

4) Preferred method of humidifying. 
     Daily mist & water.

5) Ventilation information:
     Lantern. All sides of the four pieces of glass are open, screen to keep them in the lower portion, top has four large holes that you can't see. Lantern on the right has a healthy A. avicularia with same setup.






6) Last 5 food items fed.
    Medium crickets.

7) Food item background information(Species and what the food items ate/drank).
    Cricket feed, fruit/veggies, dogfood. Water in shallow lid.


8) Were the feeders given water crystals?
     No.

9) Description of the dead spider:






10) Did the specimen show were signs of discomfort or behave oddly before its death?
Spaz like movements, jumpy, flipping upside down, almost seemed drunk. Not sluggish at all. After placed in ICU container it did a medium curl, then moved upside down sometime during the night. As you can see in the photo above.

11) Avicularia size/ Species:
      2 1/2 - 3" A. versicolor

ICU photo: 






Sling photo:







Never handled.

Moved to lantern about 1 year prior to death.


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## JC (Apr 18, 2010)

Projecht13 said:


> I have no doubt that due to the extreme cross breeding of this sp. that over time they have become genetically weaker than other t's. You see the same thing in a lot of other animals (mammals including) where this sort of genetic deformation occurs. Just my thought.



Actually it is _interbreeding_ *not* _cross-breeding_ that causes these genetic problems in some animals. Cross-breeding actually _helps_ the genes stay strong. 


*ametan *

Sorry for your loss, but the daily misting seemed a bit extreme. It is recommended to mist the enclosure 2-3 times a week. Usually when I acquire a new Avic, I mist only twice a week, because they seem stressed/freaked out and by all the misting and it appears to delay the acclimation process.  

Thanks for the reports guys! Don't be shy to post any thoughts or additional reports!


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## ametan (Apr 18, 2010)

JC said:


> *ametan *
> 
> Sorry for your loss, but the daily misting seemed a bit extreme. It is recommended to mist the enclosure 2-3 times a week. Usually when I acquire a new Avic, I mist only twice a week, because they seem stressed/freaked out and by all the misting and it appears to delay the acclimation process.


Thanks JC. I've been a bit concerned about the humidity because the misting seems to dissipate halfway through the day.


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## Selket (Apr 18, 2010)

ametan said:


> Thanks JC. I've been a bit concerned about the humidity because the misting seems to dissipate halfway through the day.


I agree, with an avic enclosure, people always say you need med-high humidity and lots of ventilation. With lots of ventilation the enclosures humidity will rapidly decrease, unless the ambient humidity is high enough (say humidifier in the room, which is what I do) to keep the enclosure humidity high. Even with the humidifier going, I notice my avic enclosures dry out fairly fast. If I didn't mist every day/every other day, it would be bone dry.


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## VanillaIvy (Jul 3, 2010)

Avicularia Vesicolor, Adult Female "Fluffy"
1) Temperature range. 75-80

2) Humidity range.       75-80%

3) Was a clean water bowl available at all times?Yes

4) Preferred method of humidifying. Misting

5) Ventilation information. Top was screen

6) Last 5 food items fed. Pinky and crickets

7) Food item background information(Species and what the food items ate/drank). carrots, dog food, cricket bites

8) Were the feeders given water crystals?No

9) Description of the dead spider. Death curl, In the corner on the substrate.

10) Did the specimen show were signs of discomfort or behave oddly before its death?
She could no longer climb the sides and was getting skinny. I feed her the pinky trying to bring her back to her once vibrant form. She did manage to eat part of it.

11) Avicularia size/ Species. 4.5inches

Fluffy was my first T and this absolutely broke my heart. I got her to help over come my slight fear of Tarantulas. I handled her quite frequently til she started to get thin. It really seemed as if she liked to be out. She would stay on me and just be content just hanging out on my hand. When she wasn't out and she knew I was in the room she would crawl to the top of her cage to get out. When I would open it she would climb on me.  When she died she Crawled over to the corner right by my chair I always sit in and there she died. Maybe it was a coincidence but it was still pretty sad.  
__________________


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## WARPIG (Jul 3, 2010)

Moltar said:


> I applaud your efforts to get to the bottom of what you percieve to be a health problem within the hobby community but I have to disagree with you on a fundamental level which I summed up in this thread a little while back.
> 
> What is considered SADS is the result of weaker genetics and husbandry error. They're just delicate little buggers is all, no syndrome. Not trying to discourage this discourse but I think it is a bit misdirected.


\


WELL STATED Moltar!!! I have ALOT of Avis, some die most live. I have great LUCK with slings, but I can say this, not ALL avis from the same sac are meant to live.

I raised 10 A biceogi form one sac, over the last year some are HUGE compared to their sac mates, some are so small they look like 2nd instars. They get fed the same, same enviorment and yet there are runts in the litter that if not for my T room, would have been dead along time ago. I lost three of the smallest. No syndrome, they were just weaker than their sac mates.

I think Darwin said it best, its called natural sellection. No such thing as SADS.

PIG-


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## 2g33k4u (Sep 13, 2014)

I bought 8 A. metallicas and 4 are dead already 3 not even curled looked like they died in mid stride. its depressing when it feels like the deaths are out of our control. no prior signs of them having issues. All doing fine before I go to bed I wake up and bam it is dead. I love Avics but im gettign to point where I will just stick to my Pokies for arboreal T's.


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## Storm76 (Sep 13, 2014)

This video I made showing my own experiences with Avicularia spp. slings, helped quite some people already:
[YOUTUBE]MB2wtjHi4UE[/YOUTUBE]


Keep in mind: "Your mileage may vary" - I'm not saying this is the only correct way on how to raise them, it's what I have made very good experiences. That said, yes I have lost Avic slings, too. It's something that can happen and considering their sac-size I'm a firm believer of the assumption that not all are "made to make it" really. Those I have lost either got stuck molting (which can happen no matter how much moisture they have btw) the process itself takes a lot of the spider and some simply aren't strong enough to pull through it. As another example my A. juruensis sling died one day after having been shipped and housed as a 3rd instar. In that case it obviously was the 2-day shipping / rehousing that stressed the little one out far too much. A pity, but it happens and is the reason I buy from reputable breeders only since over here I either get my money back or simply a new sling. I've had 3 P. pulcher slings die 1 day after having been shipped, one arrived DOA even. Does that make them "fragile"? No, it's bad luck. It can happen. 

However, in general I completely disagree that Avic slings are "fragile" (they need a tad bit more attention to their needs and they'll do just as fine as any other sling), good ventilation and ample humidity provided, they'll grow, life and look beautiful for the keeper to enjoy. The term SADS is something I believed in when I started out, too. But out of curiosity I did so much research on the subject, that it became obvious to me that it's simply a term made up for those cases where people don't know what caused the death really. Some Avics are kept in excessively humid conditions and we've read reports over here that it was the case for them growing fungi in their booklungs effectively killing the sling. People still don't do enough research on this genus when they acquire them, because it's a popular, common tarantula that (mostly) coming from rainforest areas of our planet, is believed to need extremely high humidity. Forgotten about that is the fact that these live in the trees, where there is always air movement of some kind. Putting them into a tiny pilljar, drowning them in humidity and barely giving them any ventilation, is probably the most common reason for the SADS believe once the little ones kick the bucket.

You may or may not share this opinion, but it's what I've experienced and found out over and over again when you do a lot of research on the net, speak with other breeders, keepers and the like. Simply going by something that you read from one person, doesn't make it true. Common sense goes a long way with T's...

Reactions: Like 7


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## NewAgePrimal (Sep 13, 2014)

@Storm76: Thanks for making that video. I was about to give up on avic slings until I watched it last year. Haven't had a problem since. I raised my spp. "Peru purple" from a half inch and it's now 3"+ and I have a bunch of little urticans and a versi doing nicely as well.

Reactions: Like 1


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## toothlessthepinktoe (Jun 14, 2022)

REPORT

1) Temperature range.
  65-73
2) Humidity range.
    20-30%
3) Was a clean water bowl available at all times?(Yes/No)
yes
4) Preferred method of humidifying. 
    Moist substrate and water dish

5) Ventilation information(A image of the enclosure would be most helpful).

6) Last 5 food items fed.
    I couldn’t get him to feed for 2 months cuz he was in premolt

7) Food item background information(Species and what the food items ate/drank).
N/A

8) Were the feeders given water crystals?(Yes/No)
    N/A

9) Description of the dead spider.(Death curl etc. A image of the the dead spider would be most helpful)
I found him in a death curl at the bottom of his enclosure

10) Did the specimen show were signs of discomfort or behave oddly before its death?
He was acting very slow and kept curling into a corner and not moving for hours

11) Avicularia size/ Species.
Avicularia avicularia


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