# Avic Temporary Enclosure



## Nephrite (Aug 9, 2016)

Hey guys, so I recently got into Avics and learned a bunch of new things. I plan on buying some containers from the Container Store, including some amac boxes for my little avic sling. I can drive to a local one on Saturday, so for now I decided to rehouse my Avic into a temporary enclosure, which would be atleast better than the one I got him in. Will this suffice until Saturday?


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## mistertim (Aug 9, 2016)

Those look like two totally different things. Which one is the temporary enclosure? If its the second one then it should be fine, though I would add more cross ventilation. That one would actually be find for a full time enclosure, providing you added much more cross ventilation.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Tarantula20 (Aug 9, 2016)

Yep that should be fine for a few days just add some more cross ventilation and you should be good to go.


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## MrsHaas (Aug 9, 2016)

Cross ventilation is KEY with avics!!  

The second pic is better for your permanent enclosure.

Reactions: Agree 4


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## Trenor (Aug 9, 2016)

I defiantly like the second enclosure better. Make sure to add a decent amount of ventilation around the side about 1 inch or so from the top. If you have some more of the brown sticks/plant stuff I'dd add it in (The height of the plants are good. You don't want them too close to the lid. Leave the sub lightly moist and add in a bottle cap for a water dish.

Should be good for a while then. Good luck.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2 | Award 1


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## Nephrite (Aug 9, 2016)

mistertim said:


> Those look like two totally different things. Which one is the temporary enclosure? If its the second one then it should be fine, though I would add more cross ventilation. That one would actually be find for a full time enclosure, providing you added much more cross ventilation.


The small enclosure is what it came with when I bought the sling. The second enclosure is my temporary enclosure until I get one of these for him https://www.google.com/search?q=ama...hVR7WMKHdbaBHQQ_AUIBygC#imgrc=oynOY6Dyd0u78M:

Reactions: Like 2


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## Nephrite (Aug 9, 2016)

mistertim said:


> Those look like two totally different things. Which one is the temporary enclosure? If its the second one then it should be fine, though I would add more cross ventilation. That one would actually be find for a full time enclosure, providing you added much more cross ventilation.


I would use it as a permanent home for him, problem is though, when my Avic gets scared it bolts up.(I think it's just natural instinct to go up into trees.) I've been told on the forums going up into an Avic enclosure is way easier than going down, and it to bolt when you open the lid.

EDIT: OMG I'm an arachnosquire now! That's awesome, I've been on this forum for a long time now.

Reactions: Like 2


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## mistertim (Aug 9, 2016)

Nephrite said:


> I would use it as a permanent home for him, problem is though, when my Avic gets scared it bolts up.(I think it's just natural instinct to go up into trees.) I've been told on the forums going up into an Avic enclosure is way easier than going down, and it to bolt when you open the lid.
> 
> EDIT: OMG I'm an arachnosquire now! That's awesome, I've been on this forum for a long time now.


Yeah you can do that too. Though my experience is that once they have built up their web when they get spooked they will bolt straight into that as opposed to blindly going up. I think just going up is before they have a place that they feel secure within the enclosure.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Quixtar (Aug 9, 2016)

That enclosure will actually be fine for more than just a couple days if you provide the proper humidity and ventilation. Once you start keeping large quantities of Ts, the need for fancy enclosures for each one of them sort of goes out the window.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Nephrite (Aug 9, 2016)

Trenor said:


> I defiantly like the second enclosure better. Make sure to add a decent amount of ventilation around the side about 1 inch or so from the top. If you have some more of the brown sticks/plant stuff I'dd add it in (The height of the plants are good. You don't want them too close to the lid. Leave the sub lightly moist and add in a bottle cap for a water dish.
> 
> Should be good for a while then. Good luck.


Should I do the rest of the maintenance of his enclosure while he's in it? Or should I try and coax him out into another container for now, because if you didn't see in the picture, he's inside already.


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## Trenor (Aug 9, 2016)

Nephrite said:


> Should I do the rest of the maintenance of his enclosure while he's in it? Or should I try and coax him out into another container for now, because if you didn't see in the picture, he's inside already.


As small as he is I'd try to gently coax him out and somewhere safe till the repairs were done. You don't want something to shift while poking holes etc and hurt your little T.


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## Nephrite (Aug 9, 2016)

Trenor said:


> As small as he is I'd try to gently coax him out and somewhere safe till the repairs were done. You don't want something to shift while poking holes etc and hurt your little T.


Anything else?


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## Trenor (Aug 9, 2016)

Nephrite said:


> Anything else?


Looks good to me. Give it a bit to get settled in. Let us know if you have any questions.


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## Nephrite (Aug 9, 2016)

Trenor said:


> Looks good to me. Give it a bit to get settled in. Let us know if you have any questions.


Maybe give it 2-3 days to settle in? When should I drop a cricket/etc in the enclosure? Also prekilled/crushed/or let him hunt it? Also starting to think just to use this as his enclosure instead.


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## Trenor (Aug 9, 2016)

I'd give it a day or so then try a small prekilled or a maimed one. Once it's webbing a bit you'll know it's settled in and then do regular live one if you want.

Reactions: Like 1


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## viper69 (Aug 9, 2016)

Nephrite said:


> Maybe give it 2-3 days to settle in? When should I drop a cricket/etc in the enclosure? Also prekilled/crushed/or let him hunt it? Also starting to think just to use this as his enclosure instead.


The container w/the straw is OK. They can web their canopy across the straw. A better choice is a slice of cork flat angled against the wall like the straw. They will readily take advantage of a flat open space like a cork slab, head down when they are hunting. 

I've always fed all slings I received in the mail the day I put them into their container. I think there's something about being shipped and bumped around that sets off their metabolism, perhaps stress I don't know. All of my slings received ate that day. No big deal if you wait a day or two.

No need to scavenge feed, feed live as they have evolved and enjoy the hunting. Avics are quite interesting to watch hunt, esp when they move upside down.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Nephrite (Aug 9, 2016)

viper69 said:


> The container w/the straw is OK. They can web their canopy across the straw. A better choice is a slice of cork flat angled against the wall like the straw. They will readily take advantage of a flat open space like a cork slab, head down when they are hunting.
> 
> I've always fed all slings I received in the mail the day I put them into their container. I think there's something about being shipped and bumped around that sets off their metabolism, perhaps stress I don't know. All of my slings received ate that day. No big deal if you wait a day or two.
> 
> No need to scavenge feed, feed live as they have evolved and enjoy the hunting. Avics are quite interesting to watch hunt, esp when they move upside down.


Alright thanks for letting me know as always . Out of the 3 slings I bought though, this one is the one that hasn't eaten yet strangely. Maybe he has, I've seen posts of slings eating small portions of food too little to tell if it's actually feeding. Or maybe he was too stressed out in the small container he was recently in. I'll try again soon, and see if I have better luck this time.

Edit: Also, do you think I've provided the enclosure with too much sphagnum moss? It could just be a hideout for the cricket, making it harder for the Avic?


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## cold blood (Aug 9, 2016)

Nephrite said:


> I would use it as a permanent home for him, problem is though, when my Avic gets scared it bolts up.(I think it's just natural instinct to go up into trees.) I've been told on the forums going up into an Avic enclosure is way easier than going down, and it to bolt when you open the lid.


The things some people say.

I raise all my arboreals in 32 oz deli cups...top opening, I have never once had a single issue.   The pliable top opens wherever I need to and as much as I need to....making it quite convenient.



Nephrite said:


> Alright thanks for letting me know as always . Out of the 3 slings I bought though, this one is the one that hasn't eaten yet strangely. Maybe he has, I've seen posts of slings eating small portions of food too little to tell if it's actually feeding. Or maybe he was too stressed out in the small container he was recently in. I'll try again soon, and see if I have better luck this time.
> 
> Edit: Also, do you think I've provided the enclosure with too much sphagnum moss? It could just be a hideout for the cricket, making it harder for the Avic?


The avic needs to be comfortable, once it is, it will spin a web tube...this will become "home base".    Once this is constructed, they will hunt from it and when time comes, seal it and molt within it.   If an avic isn't eating well, the mouth of the webbing is a convenient place to leave pre-killed prey.

Reactions: Like 3 | Agree 1


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## Nephrite (Aug 10, 2016)

Edit: It ate, and is starting to slowly web up it's enclosure. Fingers crossed that he likes it!

Reactions: Like 1


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## viper69 (Aug 10, 2016)

Nephrite said:


> Edit: Also, do you think I've provided the enclosure with too much sphagnum moss? It could just be a hideout for the cricket, making it harder for the Avic?


I don't think it's too much. However, your question is a good one. I've noticed with Avics of both genders, of all sizes, across many species/localities, that they can get "lazy". I suspect their laziness to eat is really a function of their satiety level. As I can only judge this by their body position/posture and abdominal size. At times I've fed them a crix and thought for sure they would eat, they hunted, and then "gave up" haha.

Other times, I've seen them hunt down a crix I thought for sure had temporarily evaded their predator.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## viper69 (Aug 10, 2016)

I should add I've noticed similar behavior in Avics post-molt. Some Avics will climb down from their canopy and get a drink from their dish, some will not. This is why I drill holes in the top of my AMAC boxes so I can add some water w/a syringe. Ive found even the same Avic may or may not drink from a dish after a molt. It's not something I worry about and hover over, but it is something I check.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Nephrite (Aug 12, 2016)

Help! Mold litterally grew on every bamboo stick.


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## viper69 (Aug 12, 2016)

Nephrite said:


> Help! Mold litterally grew on every bamboo stick.


I assume you mean those slight grey/black spots? Arrows on the image would help.

If so, mold is a function of controlling your ventilation and moisture/humidity content, adjust accordingly.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Nephrite (Aug 12, 2016)

viper69 said:


> I assume you mean those slight grey/black spots? Arrows on the image would help.
> 
> If so, mold is a function of controlling your ventilation and moisture/humidity content, adjust accordingly.


It's has white fuzz all over the sticks. Some black aswell.


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## viper69 (Aug 12, 2016)

Nephrite said:


> It's has white fuzz all over the sticks. Some black aswell.


Personally, I would rehouse it and adjust air flow and moisture content. Mold isn't always dangerous to T health, but stale/stagnant air is. Consider this an early warning sign that conditions are not optimal and need to be changed ASAP before your T dies. They will literally be alive one day (and look healthy too), and the next dead as a result of stagnant/moist stuffy containers.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Nephrite (Aug 12, 2016)

viper69 said:


> Personally, I would rehouse it and adjust air flow and moisture content. Mold isn't always dangerous to T health, but stale/stagnant air is. Consider this an early warning sign that conditions are not optimal and need to be changed ASAP before your T dies. They will literally be alive one day (and look healthy too), and the next dead as a result of stagnant/moist stuffy containers.


Ok, thanks. The holes I poked we're too small I guess. The container didn't allow me to poke bigger holes, otherwise it would crack. Amac boxes it is.


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## viper69 (Aug 12, 2016)

Nephrite said:


> Ok, thanks. The holes I poked we're too small I guess. The container didn't allow me to poke bigger holes, otherwise it would crack. Amac boxes it is.


No prob. You can use a 32 oz deli cup as well. I use those and AMAC boxes. Same results in terms of the T thriving

Reactions: Useful 1


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## Nephrite (Aug 12, 2016)

viper69 said:


> No prob. You can use a 32 oz deli cup as well. I use those and AMAC boxes. Same results in terms of the T thriving


For the 32 oz deli cups, what do you use to poke the holes?


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## cold blood (Aug 13, 2016)

Nephrite said:


> For the 32 oz deli cups, what do you use to poke the holes?


I poke holes with a pin, then run a toothpick through to create a nice even hole.  For slings *under* 1/2", I don't run the toothpick through.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## viper69 (Aug 13, 2016)

Nephrite said:


> For the 32 oz deli cups, what do you use to poke the holes?


A push-pin. Also depends on the size of the T for me.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Nephrite (Aug 14, 2016)

Finished project! Welcome to your new home my little Avic.

Reactions: Like 2


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## cold blood (Aug 14, 2016)

I'd pile that moss on the floor to the opposite side as the water dish...those two things do not mix well.

Otherwise it looks like a great place for an avic sling.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2


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## viper69 (Aug 14, 2016)

Nephrite said:


> Finished project! Welcome to your new home my little Avic.


I'll be interested to see where it builds its canopy/tube based on the position of the cage furniture you provided. Keep us posted once it's settled.


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## Nephrite (Aug 14, 2016)

cold blood said:


> I'd pile that moss on the floor to the opposite side as the water dish...those two things do not mix well.
> 
> Otherwise it looks like a great place for an avic sling.


The substrate I got from the store does not absorb water effectively, or at all, so they'll just be water puddles on the top of substrate if the moss isn't there to absorb it. Why? what happens when those two mix?


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## cold blood (Aug 14, 2016)

Nephrite said:


> The substrate I got from the store does not absorb water effectively, or at all, so they'll just be water puddles on the top of substrate if the moss isn't there to absorb it. Why? what happens when those two mix?


The substrate _should_ be kept dry, so its no worry.

They don't mix because when moss (or sub) or webbing touches the water, it wicks away that moisture, soaking everything touching.

Often times people mistakenly believe their water dish has sprung a leak, or that their t is drinking a lot of water as a result of this.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2


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## viper69 (Aug 14, 2016)

cold blood said:


> The substrate _should_ be kept dry, so its no worry.
> 
> They don't mix because when moss (or sub) or webbing touches the water, it wicks away that moisture, soaking everything touching.
> 
> Often times people mistakenly believe their water dish has sprung a leak, or that their t is drinking a lot of water as a result of this.


And then they end up with mites often times.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## cold blood (Aug 14, 2016)

viper69 said:


> And then they end up with mites often times.


or worse, a dead avic.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Trenor (Aug 14, 2016)

Nephrite said:


> Finished project! Welcome to your new home my little Avic.


Nice looking enclosure you have there.

I would keep an eye on how fast the enclosure dries out. If it's too fast I'd cover a few of those holes in the top of the enclose. I usually on add one or two to prevent condensation. Just something to keep in mind.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Nephrite (Aug 15, 2016)

Looks like she settled in right underneath a corkbark. There was a leaf underneath that helped her start her little tunnel. She's already eaten a cricket yesterday. Looking good!


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## cold blood (Aug 16, 2016)

Nephrite said:


> Looks like she settled in right underneath a corkbark. There was a leaf underneath that helped her start her little tunnel. She's already eaten a cricket yesterday. Looking good!


Lol, looks like you are keeping it in your grow room.

Reactions: Funny 2


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## louise f (Aug 16, 2016)

cold blood said:


> Lol, looks like you are keeping it in your grow room.


Cracking me up


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