# My Avicularia avicularia enclosure and excitement



## MikeofBorg (May 3, 2018)

This is my Avicularia avicularia enclosure. I went with the Zilla vertical. I have live plants in the enclosure which I find more attractive than the plastic. But, you have to prune and maintain them. Plastic you can leave and just wipe dust off occasionally.  You can see my male Avic has his web up in the left corner of the enclosure. I also heard they can be communal spiders, any truth to this?  I don’t want to risk adding a female unless I know for sure.

My excitement is I ordered a Brachypelma hamorii spiderling from Fear Not Tarantulas. This will be my first rearing of a baby spiderling. I purchased the kit I guess you would call it. Enclosure for a terrestrial spider and 2 weeks or a month of red runners (not sure how many offhand). I’m looking forward to watching it grow. /crosses fingers for a female.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Greasylake (May 3, 2018)

I have never heard anyone say an avic can be communal. I have however seen a picture of someone's female being munched by the Male after a breeding attempt. The pieces of cork bark should be higher up, not on the ground. The Avic clearly wants to be up top in the corner would benefit from some wood up there to stretch out on. Also seeing as your plants are live I'm assuming your substrate is damp, acivs need it dry, humidity will give you a dead avic. The ground looks very cluttered, and while it looks nice the avic will gain nothing from it and feeders will be able to hide easily. I hate criticizing this enclosure because it looks so much nicer than anything I've ever made.


----------



## MikeofBorg (May 3, 2018)

Greasylake said:


> I have never heard anyone say an avic can be communal. I have however seen a picture of someone's female being munched by the Male after a breeding attempt. The pieces of cork bark should be higher up, not on the ground. The Avic clearly wants to be up top in the corner would benefit from some wood up there to stretch out on. Also seeing as your plants are live I'm assuming your substrate is damp, acivs need it dry, humidity will give you a dead avic. The ground looks very cluttered, and while it looks nice the avic will gain nothing from it and feeders will be able to hide easily. I hate criticizing this enclosure because it looks so much nicer than anything I've ever made.


I was thinking of getting a larger piece of cork bark. Unfortunately the one they had was in two pieces. I’m keeping the humidity at around 55-60%. I drip water the plants to keep the humidity at those levels. So far it’s working. The plants don’t seem to mind, but they are drought tolerant. My first enclosure was pretty spartan. Thank you for the tips. I’m gonna keep an eye out at the pet stores for a bigger piece of cork. If not I’ll order some online. I also have springtails I cultured myself in my enclosure. If anyone wants some springtails I have a nice culture going on charcoal. Let me know and I’ll mail some out to whoever wants some.


----------



## cold blood (May 3, 2018)

MikeofBorg said:


> I have live plants in the enclosure which I find more attractive than the plastic


Yes, but a whole lot less practical.


MikeofBorg said:


> I also heard they can be communal spiders, any truth to this?


None at all.


MikeofBorg said:


> I don’t want to risk adding a female unless I know for sure.


Well mating isn't an indicator of communal.   But to pair them, he would need to be mature...as would the female...and its generally best to introduce the male into the female's enclosure.


MikeofBorg said:


> I was thinking of getting a larger piece of cork bark


You absolutely need a larger piece of wood.   The wood should extent to near the top, and the top half of that wood is where the plants should be concentrated...not an easy prospect with live plants.












avic housing-adult



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






The wood doesn't have to be cork...any flat wood pieces can work...I prefer driftwood.



MikeofBorg said:


> I’m keeping the humidity at around 55-60%.


Fantastic way to kill your spider.

Keep things relatively dry with a water dish...NEVER measure humidity or chase numbers.   They have no humidity requirements...in fact no t does.



MikeofBorg said:


> . I drip water the plants to keep the humidity at those levels. So far it’s working.


Working...not for the t.



MikeofBorg said:


> The plants don’t seem to mind


If the plants are the main concern, cultivate them separately from the t.   Otherwise I suggest your main focus be on the animal.....live plants complicate things, especially for a new keeper.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Helpful 1


----------



## Nightstalker47 (May 3, 2018)

MikeofBorg said:


> I’m keeping the humidity at around 55-60%. I drip water the plants to keep the humidity at those levels.


 Measuring humidity is unnecessary with any species, avics actually do better mostly dry...attempting to maintain those numbers is an easy way to over water the enclosure. If your vent isn't great, this can lead to stuffy conditions and a dead avic.


MikeofBorg said:


> I also heard they can be communal spiders, any truth to this?  I don’t want to risk adding a female unless I know for sure.


I have actually heard of some communals with these, one with several AFs...but I wouldn't advise it personally, not to a newer keeper anyway. Safer and simpler to keep them separate. 


Greasylake said:


> I have however seen a picture of someone's female being munched by the Male after a breeding attempt.


That was C. versicolor.


----------



## Greasylake (May 3, 2018)

Nightstalker47 said:


> That was C. versicolor.


Whoops


----------



## MikeofBorg (May 3, 2018)

Thnx for the tips. I won’t chase the numbers. Why do the care videos and sheets say 70% for Avicularia avicularia?

  I’ve seen them in the wild while in the Army and it was rather humid there. Not 95% but at least 60%+; was due to the coast so that moderated the humidity. Their tube webs were amazing. At the time I was too chicken to mess with spiders (hehe).  I do have some kiln dried maple bark in long pieces I’ll add to his enclosure. I know the plants and such are really no benefit to him. But, his enclosure is in my family room. I wanted it a bit presentable, even if the spider isn’t out.

  Right now he is in pre-molt so I won’t mess with the enclosure until he is done. Went to give him a cricket the past two weeks and he flicked them out of his web. One right into my face. So I took them out and let the T be. I have dripped water in his web and he does drink it. He has a nice web made up top to molt in so I won’t disturb him yet. His rear is also very shiny. Last time about a week and a half after he was out and about.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Venom1080 (May 3, 2018)

MikeofBorg said:


> Thnx for the tips. I won’t chase the numbers. Why do the care videos and sheets say 70% for Avicularia avicularia. I’ve seen them in the wild while in the Army and it was rather humid there. Not 95% but at least 60%+; was bear the coast so that moderated the humidity. Their tube webs were amazing. At the time I was too chicken to mess with spiders (hehe).  I do have some kiln dried maple bark in long pieces I’ll add to his enclosure. I know the plants and such are really no benefit to him. But, his enclosure is in my family room. I wanted it a bit presentable, even if the spider isn’t out.
> 
> Right now he is in pre-molt so I won’t mess with the enclosure until he is done. Went to give him a cricket the past two weeks and he flicked them out of his web. One right into my face. So I took them out and let the T be. He has a nice web made up top to molt in so I won’t disturb him yet. His rear is also very shiny. Last time about a week and a half after he was out and about.


No idea tbh. No one has had any issues keeping them dry. Many have lost specimens when they didn't balance the vent and humidity right. They handle humidity fine, but they can't take stuffy conditions at all.

I've raised avics bone dry with a water dish from 1/2". They do okay.


----------



## Extensionofgreen (May 3, 2018)

Avics do come from humid areas and humidity will not harm them, but wet, stagnant conditions will, so there’s the discrepancy in information.

People tend to advise minimalist enclosures for all sorts of things, from dartfrogs to chameleons, and tarantulas.
The reasoning is often centered around cleanliness and ease of maintanence, but rest assured, many animals do wonderfully in a properly maintained, naturalistic enclosure, and I applaud your efforts.

Arboreal animals do like to be higher up and instinctually seem a high position. I agree that some faux foliage and/or some additional cork in the upper areas would be more natural and useful to the spider, but otherwise, I’d take most of the other information given as one method that works, but not to the exclusion of other methods, that also provide for the needs of the spider. Avics live where there’s lots of air circulation and remain dry, in their web tubes, which is either in bark or tree hollows or foliage, so sopping wet conditions would not be ideal, not would stagnant air, but those aren’t issues with your set up and while you don’t need to chase higher humidity, you also don’t need to chase lower humidity, just avoid wet and stagnant conditions.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## Olan (May 3, 2018)

I had a tarantula keeping book in the early 90s that claimed A. avics could be kept communally. Haven’t heard it since then.


----------



## MikeofBorg (May 3, 2018)

Extensionofgreen said:


> Avics due come from humid areas and humidity will not harm them, but wet, stagnant conditions will, so there’s the discrepancy in information.
> 
> People tend to advise minimalist enclosures for all sorts of things, from dartfrogs to chameleons, and tarantulas.
> The reasoning is often centered around cleanliness and ease of maintanence, but rest assured, many animals do wonderfully in a properly maintained, naturalistic enclosure, and I applaud your efforts.
> ...



Thank you.  I am so glad I heard this page mentioned in a youtube video.  All of you are a great source of information and so very helpful to beginners, again thank you all.


----------



## cold blood (May 4, 2018)

MikeofBorg said:


> Why do the care videos and sheets say 70% for Avicularia avicularia?


Because they are regurgitating old info that's been prevalent for a long time.  And/or, they are idiots.


MikeofBorg said:


> I’ve seen them in the wild while in the Army and it was rather humid there. Not 95% but at least 60%+; was due to the coast so that moderated the humidity.


Yeah, but at elevated positions, where things are dried quickly.

Put it this way, if they required this, they would live on the ground, under things, where moisture and humidity remain high consistently....but they don't.


Extensionofgreen said:


> People tend to advise minimalist enclosures for all sorts of things, from dartfrogs to chameleons, and tarantulas


But never for Avicularia

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 3


----------



## MikeofBorg (May 4, 2018)

He finally molted again today. So once his new skin is hardened up I’ll add some taller cork bark to his enclosure. Thanks for all the great tips.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## viper69 (May 6, 2018)

MikeofBorg said:


> I also heard they can be communal spiders, any truth to this?


No. Unfortunately far too many humans confuse keeping a bunch of animals in the same container as "communal".

I would put your cork further up rather than lower on the ground, or at least get longer pieces.



MikeofBorg said:


> Why do the care videos and sheets say 70% for Avicularia avicularia?


The people who created them are simply ignorant. The fatal flaw here is that while Avics come from humid environments, no common owner can really mimic a humid environment with excellent air flow. People end up killing Avics because they are rather sensitive to moist/stuffy containers.

If your setup starts to smell like a bog, your Avic is either going to die or will almost certainly die.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 3


----------



## Albino Characterantula (Jun 25, 2018)

Avicularia Avicularia totally can be communal when brought up in a group. Ya'll crazy.. just google it, there's literally videos and forums on this. 

Change my mind.

Reactions: Funny 2 | Face Palm 1


----------



## Albino Characterantula (Jun 25, 2018)

MikeofBorg said:


> This is my Avicularia avicularia enclosure. I went with the Zilla vertical. I have live plants in the enclosure which I find more attractive than the plastic. But, you have to prune and maintain them. Plastic you can leave and just wipe dust off occasionally.  You can see my male Avic has his web up in the left corner of the enclosure. I also heard they can be communal spiders, any truth to this?  I don’t want to risk adding a female unless I know for sure.
> 
> My excitement is I ordered a Brachypelma hamorii spiderling from Fear Not Tarantulas. This will be my first rearing of a baby spiderling. I purchased the kit I guess you would call it. Enclosure for a terrestrial spider and 2 weeks or a month of red runners (not sure how many offhand). I’m looking forward to watching it grow. /crosses fingers for a female.


I agree the humidity is high and if the plants are an issue just ditch it. But the setup, IMO, looks good. I'm kinda' new though so I'd listen to some of the veterans here but I dig it!

Reactions: Funny 1


----------



## viper69 (Jun 25, 2018)

Albino Characterantula said:


> Avicularia Avicularia totally can be communal when brought up in a group. Ya'll crazy.. just google it, there's literally videos and forums on this.
> 
> Change my mind.


This is simply false. Seeing something on the internet does not make it true necessarily- this is one of them.

You’re the crazy one for thinking the above, not us.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2


----------



## boina (Jun 25, 2018)

Albino Characterantula said:


> Avicularia Avicularia totally can be communal


Of course they can - for a week or three, maybe. How many of your video posters did post an update a few months later? Not many, I'd guess, because at that point they'll all have found out that communal Avics end with one fat spider - invariably. Avics are not even a species you can _sometimes _keep communal - it just won't work, not long term, not ever.

Stop believing in youtube and random forums. Everyone can post BS on the internet.

Reactions: Agree 2


----------



## Chris LXXIX (Jun 25, 2018)

viper69 said:


> If your setup starts to smell like a bog, your Avic is either going to die or will almost certainly die.


End of the story


----------



## Venom1080 (Jun 25, 2018)

Albino Characterantula said:


> Avicularia Avicularia totally can be communal when brought up in a group. Ya'll crazy.. just google it, there's literally videos and forums on this.
> 
> Change my mind.


Link some. Let's see if they're reputable. 

I've never seen a working communal. Lots of morons try for some reason, but no one succeeds. 

Google provides loads of garbage info on tarantulas. Why is this any different?

Reactions: Agree 1 | Lollipop 1


----------



## Chris LXXIX (Jun 25, 2018)

Albino Characterantula said:


> Avicularia Avicularia totally can be communal when brought up in a group. Ya'll crazy.. just google it, there's literally videos and forums on this.


I completely agree with you for that there's literally a *lot *of pics (saw a couple about even here in older threads) even of the 'split-enclosure' issue: a pet rock on the left, an arboreal on the right, in the middle just a thin piece of crap as 'wall' attached with a bit of old good saliva and... screw parameters one moment, the important thing is to experiment, then, after, when things turns not so good, starting a brand new thread blaming others because they 'don't understand'

Reactions: Lollipop 1


----------



## Albino Characterantula (Jun 25, 2018)

A reptile store across the street has a small communal that I can go take a picture of and I've seen a couple videos on youtube and saw a couple discussions on random forums sprawled across the internet. I've heard they need a lot of space to make it happen and that they are "tolerant" of one another given enough food--and again, space. I personally think it's cool and would try it out and if it worked, awesome, if not then I guess "I'd chyme in with a haven't you people ever heard of.. checking the god damn arachnoboards yeaah"... ehm..

Now, if I'm being made fun of for "googling" anything then I guess we can lump this whole community into the joke as well since i did come across arachnoboards via google.. having a discussion is one thing but talking to me like an ex girlfriend is annoying. >:|

Reactions: Funny 1


----------



## Chris LXXIX (Jun 25, 2018)

Albino Characterantula said:


> >:|


Ah ah, funny

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Venom1080 (Jun 25, 2018)

Albino Characterantula said:


> A reptile store across the street has a small communal that I can go take a picture of and I've seen a couple videos on youtube and saw a couple discussions on random forums sprawled across the internet. I've heard they need a lot of space to make it happen and that they are "tolerant" of one another given enough food--and again, space. I personally think it's cool and would try it out and if it worked, awesome, if not then I guess "I'd chyme in with a haven't you people ever heard of.. checking the god damn arachnoboards yeaah"... ehm..
> 
> Now, if I'm being made fun of for "googling" anything then I guess we can lump this whole community into the joke as well since i did come across arachnoboards via google.. having a discussion is one thing but talking to me like an ex girlfriend is annoying. >:|


Making a giant cage isn't making a communal. It's simply luck. 

Google's great. Just not something you can rely on for everything tarantula related  

How small? Are they slings? How long have they been together?


----------



## cold blood (Jun 25, 2018)

Albino Characterantula said:


> Avicularia Avicularia totally can be communal when brought up in a group. Ya'll crazy.. just google it, there's literally videos and forums on this.
> 
> Change my mind.





Albino Characterantula said:


> I agree the humidity is high and if the plants are an issue just ditch it. But the setup, IMO, looks good. I'm kinda' new though so I'd listen to some of the veterans here but I dig it!


Funny how in one quote we are all wrong because its on the internet....the very next post, you say you're new....AND to listen to the vetrans here....so which is it....are we totally wrong or are we the reliable source to listen to?

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1 | Lollipop 1


----------



## Greasylake (Jun 25, 2018)

Albino Characterantula said:


> I've heard they need a lot of space to make it happen and that they are "tolerant" of one another given enough food


Yeah no this isn't being communal. Given lots of space means they make their own territories, _away_ from each other. The fact they don't run into each other and kill each other is more luck than anything else. A real communal requires that the Ts are thrown into a small enclosure, to prevent them from establishing separate territories and being hostile to each other.

Reactions: Agree 2


----------



## Albino Characterantula (Jun 25, 2018)

cold blood said:


> Funny how in one quote we are all wrong because its on the internet....the very next post, you say you're new....AND to listen to the vetrans here....so which is it....are we totally wrong or are we the reliable source to listen to?


The “change my mind” part should’ve worked as a comedic device but I guess that didn’t communicate.

I’m just saying there are people doing it, so.... there must be some room for debate. Now, I’m new to this entire thing and I do go and read as much as I can—from here and other places. 

Me saying “listen to veterans” and me having a conversation based on what I’ve read are two different things. 

You implying that only you can be right? Just curious bc if that’s the case then I’d save a lot of time researching. 




Venom1080 said:


> Making a giant cage isn't making a communal. It's simply luck.
> 
> Google's great. Just not something you can rely on for everything tarantula related
> 
> How small? Are they slings? How long have they been together?


 I don’t know how long they’ve been there together but they are about 2 inches or so.


----------



## Albino Characterantula (Jun 25, 2018)

Greasylake said:


> Yeah no this isn't being communal. Given lots of space means they make their own territories, _away_ from each other. The face they don't run into each other and kill each other is more luck than anything else. A real communal requires that the Ts are thrown into a small enclosure, to prevent them from establishing separate territories and being hostile to each other.


Agreed “tolerant” doesn’t equal “communal”. I’m now noting the difference.


----------



## cold blood (Jun 25, 2018)

Albino Characterantula said:


> you implying that only you can be right?


yes


you can use google to find anything, right or wrong....and in the case of ts, more is actually wrong.

Just google any species....half the page of images will be of the wrong t.

Reactions: Agree 2


----------



## boina (Jun 25, 2018)

Albino Characterantula said:


> A reptile store across the street has a small communal


A reptile store is having a communal... really.

It will work until it doesn't. I've never ever heard of one working out long term. Slings are somewhat tolerant but at some point the tolerance will decrease and they will meet and eat each other.

Reactions: Agree 3


----------



## Venom1080 (Jun 25, 2018)

Albino Characterantula said:


> The “change my mind” part should’ve worked as a comedic device but I guess that didn’t communicate.
> 
> I’m just saying there are people doing it, so.... there must be some room for debate. Now, I’m new to this entire thing and I do go and read as much as I can—from here and other places.
> 
> ...


Yeah, don't think they'll be together long.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


----------



## Albino Characterantula (Jun 25, 2018)

cold blood said:


> yes
> 
> 
> you can use google to find anything, right or wrong....and in the case of ts, more is actually wrong.
> ...


Alright, I'll give you that. I don't mind having one place to stop and reference when it comes to T's but it IS hard to grasp that people would waste their time creating a website to spread bad info: but you do see it time and time again. 

I'm not taking away from anyones knowledge, I'm just debating. The idea of communal tarantulas, imo, is bad ass. For instance the Monocentropus Balfouri has been said to be a communal species (do you believe this to be true or not)? 

I picked one up this weekend and the seller was doing a deal on a communal of 6-8 (i forget) slings. I thought about it but went with the solo spider.


----------



## Albino Characterantula (Jun 25, 2018)

Venom1080 said:


> Yeah, don't think they'll be together long.


I'll let you know! Would be awesome if it works out. Someone on craigslist was legit selling an avic. avic. communal tank for $200. It looked like a webbed disaster. Idk maybe people in Miami have too much sun damage to the brain haha.

Reactions: Lollipop 1


----------



## Greasylake (Jun 25, 2018)

Albino Characterantula said:


> For instance the Monocentropus Balfouri has been said to be a communal species (do you believe this to be true or not)?


Balfouri communals actually work, and this is a species that gets along better than just about any other tarantula. I haven't heard of a failed Balfouri communal yet, but I have heard of a spider or two going missing in a communal, so they aren't perfect, but your chances of having a successful one are much better than with the other species some people consider to also be communal.

Reactions: Like 1


----------

