# Avicularia care



## Venom1080 (Feb 22, 2017)

this thread will go over what beginners and vets alike should be providing their Avicularia. i find it quite sad that so many Avics are subject to low vent cages and doomed to die. even experienced keepers can have difficulty with them. anyway, there are a few main concepts to keeping Avics that should always be considered.
1) ventilation- this is _*the *_key to keeping avicularia. they will die in a low vent cage, period. for slings and younger spiders that still fit in 16 and 32oz deli cups, i like to put 3 rows around the upper side, a total of about 60 small holes. my lids are also well vented but that is unnecessary. there is a thing such as too much ventilation. this will cause dishes to dry out ridiculously quick and just results in more maintenance to be done of your part. as they grow i like to put them into either exo tera nanos or tall plastic tubs from walmart. same kind of vent set up if you have a cage you have to put the vent in yourself. exo tera do have screens that can be replaced with acrylic. personally, i use them with no issue for my arboreals, but replacing them completely is your best bet. you can try putting tape around the edges on the bottom of the lid, about 2" or so. this is meant to discourage climbing on the underside of the lid.

2) humidity/water dishes- this is where avic care gets a little complicated, and opinions begin to differ. when Avicularia were new to the hobby, people kept them very humid. unfortunately, this was usually in a low vented cage. the spider soon passed and SADS(sudden avic death syndrome) was born! IME, Avics dont really give a poop whether their in a jungle or a desert, as long as they have constant access to water. i have kept and raised Avicularia dry and wet and as long as vent was high, they did fine. i personally keep all mine mainly dry with a dish. ive noticed no significant difference keeping them moist. as for water dishes, the only dispute is whether the dish should be on the ground or elevated or if it even matters. ive used elevated dishes in the past in tighter cages so theyre easier to access, but never tried them with Avicularia. i imagine theyd work fine but can be a pain to initially set up, not to mention making sure they dont fall in time. i keep mine on the ground and will continue to until i notice a advantage in elevating them. when Avicularia molt, they usually do so in a web nest high up in the cage, generally all entrances and exits are sealed off with webbing. now, this is where some could argue about the water dishes, i like to lightly mist my avics every other day or so until they begin eating. i do this to ensure they have access to water i their weakened state. last thing i want is for a recently molted avics to die because it couldnt manage to reach its dish. obviously a elevated dish would render my misting useless, right? well, maybe. i think if a avic cant climb down its cage to the dish, it cant climb over to the dish. misting just ensures it gets water and you get to avoid the hassle of setting up a elevated dish. just my 2 cents. mind you, misting can be avoided entirely, its just something that helps my peace of mind.

3) Setup- now that youve got vent and humidity down, youre at the fun part. this is where you get to decide how the overall setup will look and eventually how the spiders web will spread. you want lots of anchor points high up to provide plenty of options for the pinktoe to attach their webs to. this just overall lets them feel more secure overall. plastic plants work well for this, ive also used sphagnum moss for anchor points for smaller spiders. i use hot glue to attach the plants to the sides of the cage and/or the cork bark. cork bark looks great and avics will sometimes adopt their hide around it. (assuming its leaned against the side or back of the cage.) ive had success with cork rounds as well. i like to use deli cups, exo teras, and amac boxes for my avics.

4) feeding- now this is more for the beginner hobbyist, as most experienced keepers know how to feed arboreals. hint hint, theres no secret.  just throw that sucker in and watch the fun. it might be tempting to tong feed your avic, as in holding the prey item in your tongs and dangling it by the spider and letting it touch it. i very strongly advise against this is you do not have tongs with soft tips at the end. i dont feel safe tong feeding unless its with tongs with a very thick covering at the end. i dont like to use superworms or mealworms for avics for this reason. they will tunnel at the bottom and your avic will miss them. now, if your avic has extensive webbing in its cage, as a comfortable avic should, you can simply crush the prey itmes head and drop near the avic. itll take it when it wants. as for slings, ive noticed they are some of the pickiest eaters ive ever owned, this can be very discouraging and stressful for beginners and experienced keepers alike. ive had success feeding them smaller meals more often, rather than  large meal once or twice a week like i normally do. you can tell when theyre hungry as theyre go into a sort of hunting posture, facing down with their legs sprayed in front. or perhaps sticking their pink toes out of their web labyrinth if theyre feeling a bit shy. as slings, i feed 2-5 times a week, once they hit 2" plus, i cut that back to once or twice a week. larger juvis and subadults, no more thn once a week. and adults i wouldnt worry about feeding them more than a big meal every couple weeks to once a month. just make sure to keep the opisthosoma (abdomen) as large, preferable larger, than the carapace. slings put all those nutrients into growing, as they grow and get closer to their max size, they dont need as much of those nutrients. it all goes straight to their abdomen. they are arboreal and thus should look built for climbing, not sitting in a hole in the ground all day like those lazy terrestrials. 

5)Handling- handling tarantulas should be avoided as much as possible. if youve handled your spiders once or twice, its not the end of the world, but it very well could be for them. handling is dangerous even with _normal_ tarantulas. Avicularia on the other hand are probably the worst spider to handle. they are notorious jumpers. they are well adapted to life in the trees and have evolved and perfected this method of escaping predators. they expect a dense canopy or branches and plants to be below them, not a hard wood floor. even carpet is dangerous at heights. no matter how soft. they are so prone to this behavior that one must be careful even during routine maintenance. when disturbed, they will climb upwards, when they reach the top of the container and cant climb any higher, they may climb down the other side or risk a jump into the unknown. you can never be sure. no matter how adapt they are at this and how theyre evolved to survive falls, its still a detrimental practice to put your pet through and should be avoided. if they are rubbing their bums on you, they arent trying to display affection, they are trying to rub off urticating hairs on you to discourage your touching of them. they are also poop cannons. no, thats not a mistype. they will spray their feces at your general direction if you disturb them enough. beware. 

6)Temps- same as most other tarantulas, they do fine at 70-90. higher and you should probably move them, thats a little intense.. of course, the cage should never have direct sunlight on it. it will turn the cage into a oven very quickly.. as slings, id be nervous keeping them even overnight at temps lower than 65. make no mistake, they are very fragile tropical slings.

7) rehousing tips- be prepared for bursts of immense speed. i mean faster than you can blink. these guys do not typically bolt, but dear god when they do... being arboreal and mostly blind, it generally is not a good idea to go blindly sprinting through the trees. 9/10 though, you will have a calm spider slowly climbing into a new cage. its beneficial to be prepared though. dont be surprised if you suddenly have a spider crawling up your arm though, these guys dont stop moving till they feel secure. try not to let it get in your shirt sleeves obviously. i like to do rehouses shirtless for this reason. only with arboreals mind. and even then, only really the larger ones. 4"+. its just a bit of a safety precaution, weird as it sounds.

all in all, this is probably my favorite genus. def in the top three. i love their colors, patterns, attitude, and of course the fluff. they are spectacular when properly set up, their webs are mesmerizing, given time, they will completely web up any cage to the brim. i really hope this helps some of you beginners that actually use the search function.  i am very active on here(maybe too active..) and am usually available through pm. ill try my best to answer any Qs you may have. please note, i am far from a Avic expert. ive been addicted to these beauties for only about 2.5 years, almost three. there are a plethora of much more experienced Avic keepers and breeders youll most likely be better off talking to. i do not own any adult Avicularia. i have not raised one sling to adult. i currently own 7 Avicularia, ive raised my A avic from 2" to the 4" subadult it is now, ive been raising Avic slings for about 2 years now, only one loss 6 years ago when i first started. learn from my mistakes and dont listen to online caresheets. 
(suggestions to improve this thread are always appreciated, also, to be clear, this is meant to be a discussion of Avicularia, feel free to move if deemed necessary. )

pics: http://arachnoboards.com/threads/cecs-picture-thread.275165/#post-2385479 (CECs picture thread, a good way to get hooked on Avics)
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/genus-avicularia.20103/  (the official Avic picture thread)
a couple of mine..

Reactions: Like 24 | Informative 6 | Helpful 11 | Love 2 | Award 3


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## cold blood (Feb 22, 2017)

Resized952016120995124158



__ cold blood
__ Dec 9, 2016
__ 1



						juronesis

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## sdsnybny (Feb 22, 2017)

A. diversipes female


 Juvenile A. versicolor
	

		
			
		

		
	



Adult female A. urticans 
	

		
			
		

		
	



HubaHuba :0 pairing of adult A versicolors

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## Flexzone (Feb 22, 2017)

*Avicularia purpurea* sling wanted to explore while feeding

Reactions: Like 6 | Informative 1


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## Venom1080 (Jan 12, 2018)

Have some more pics to share..
	

		
			
		

		
	



A. avicularia



Avicularia aurantiaca



Avicularia variegata



Ybyrapora diversipes



Avicularia sp Peru purple. Same one from my op, just a couple molts bigger.

Reactions: Like 4 | Informative 1 | Love 3


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## cold blood (Jan 12, 2018)

A. aurantica



__ cold blood
__ Dec 21, 2017
__ 4





aurantica sling













Avicularia sp. "pulcalpa"



__ cold blood
__ Nov 6, 2017
__ 6



						not sure if im spelling that right, ive seen several spellings.
					



sp. "pulcalpa"













MM C. versicolor



__ cold blood
__ Nov 1, 2017





MM versicolor

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## edesign (Jan 12, 2018)

I think you've got a Ybyrapora in your OP Venom1080  Edit: And sdysnybny (diversipes). And cold blood but Caribena (versicolor). 

Nicely detailed post (Avics or Avics, Caribena, and Ybyrapora? I find the latter two genera to behave a bit differently as slings and are faster).

I would caution about using tape inside the tank though. I've done it, I have tanks that have it right now, I know it's been suggested many times in the past here and elsewhere, just a good idea to check the adhesive from time to time and make sure it hasn't fallen loose where the spider can get caught on it. It's happened to other people. I likely will pursue other avenues in the future just for peace of mind.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Venom1080 (Jan 12, 2018)

edesign said:


> I think you've got a Ybyrapora in your OP Venom1080  Edit: And sdysnybny (diversipes). And cold blood but Caribena (versicolor).
> 
> Nicely detailed post (Avics or Avics, Caribena, and Ybyrapora? I find the latter two genera to behave a bit differently as slings and are faster).
> 
> I would caution about using tape inside the tank though. I've done it, I have tanks that have it right now, I know it's been suggested many times in the past here and elsewhere, just a good idea to check the adhesive from time to time and make sure it hasn't fallen loose where the spider can get caught on it. It's happened to other people. I likely will pursue other avenues in the future just for peace of mind.


Old post  a while before the revision. Yeah, I noticed Caribena in particular are very heavy Webber's. Outdo basically all my avics. 

Never used tape. Just giving options I've heard might work. Good point regardless.


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## edesign (Jan 12, 2018)

Wow, I feel ultra silly now and not because of what I've inhaled lol. Doh!

Reactions: Funny 2


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## cold blood (Jan 12, 2018)

edesign said:


> I would caution about using tape inside the tank though


Agreed, tape needs to be avoided. I say that all the time...and here I used it myself for a single t and that t paid the price.

I had one lid where a vent hole was just too large....put a piece of electrical tape over it...stupid me.

Sure enough, the incei sling within pulled it off and proceeded to get pasted to it.   By the time it was removed it lost 3 legs and both palps...thankfully I somehow got those delicate fangs off clean.....thought for sure it was a goner after it was freed...mangled as it was, little guy pulled through...but my goodness, what a stupid mistake.....tape=bad













incei



__ cold blood
__ Jan 11, 2018
__
chaetorrhombus longipes
cyclosternum longipes
hapalopus incei
holothele incei
holothele vellardi
incei
neoholothele
neoholothele incei
trinidad olive tarantula




						5 legs...no palps...no problem....still a fatty.

Reactions: Informative 4


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## ccTroi (Jan 12, 2018)

cold blood said:


> Agreed, tape needs to be avoided. I say that all the time...and here I used it myself for a single t and that t paid the price.
> 
> I had one lid where a vent hole was just too large....put a piece of electrical tape over it...stupid me.
> 
> ...


A similar situation happened to my OBT slings. Luckily, the injured ones have fully recovered their lost legs.

Reactions: Like 1


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## edesign (Jan 12, 2018)

I put the tape inside the enclosure with the sticky side out but I've had it on rare occasion come loose and dangle. No injuries or anything though, thankfully.


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## mazzzz (Feb 19, 2018)

I have the exo terra nano: tall. These have enough ventilation? I have been reading around and it seems like I would need more ventilation than what it already has. I still have the same mesh top on it but when I finally get an avic I was going to change it to plexi with holes in it.


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## Scarabyte (Feb 19, 2018)

I have to say, this article helped a ton with the care of my Avic, thank you

Reactions: Like 1


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## Ungoliant (Feb 19, 2018)

mazzzz said:


> I have the exo terra nano: tall. These have enough ventilation? I have been reading around and it seems like I would need more ventilation than what it already has. I still have the same mesh top on it but when I finally get an avic I was going to change it to plexi with holes in it.


I have used those with two Avics, and they were fine.

Although not everyone agrees that that screen/mesh lids are hazardous for arboreals, replacing it is a good plan.

Reactions: Like 1 | Disagree 1


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## mazzzz (Feb 20, 2018)

Ungoliant said:


> I have used those with two Avics, and they were fine.
> 
> Although not everyone agrees that that screen/mesh lids are hazardous for arboreals, replacing it is a good plan.


It’s okay that it’s a versicolor or does that not really matter.. thanks again

I have a 1" avic sling coming in on friday and I am using a 32 oz deli cup with a water dish in it. Should I be spraying the whole enclosure down or just moistening a corner of the sub where the water dish is and maybe adding a couple of drops to the web?


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## Ungoliant (Feb 20, 2018)

mazzzz said:


> I have a 1" avic sling coming in on friday and I am using a 32 oz deli cup with a water dish in it. Should I be spraying the whole enclosure down or just moistening a corner of the sub where the water dish is and maybe adding a couple of drops to the web?


There's no need to mist the enclosure.  Just keep part of the substrate slightly damp (not that the Avic will spend much time down there), create good ventilation, and make sure there is a water dish.  Also make sure there are enough fake leaves for your new sling to use as cover and anchor points for webbing.

Feel free to post pictures of your setup for feedback.  It's always easier to make corrections before the spider is in it.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Helpful 1


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## Paul1126 (Feb 21, 2018)

Book marked for future reference if I ever want to keep these beautiful Ts.
A really nice in depth guide!

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## edesign (Feb 21, 2018)

I have about 20 ExoTerra, mostly the Nano Talls but a few others as well, all for arboreals NW and OW, except one of the Wide ones has a 6" genic, temporarily. Never had an issue with the screen lids. I don't see any need to replace it with acrylic unless you have money and time to burn. You can restrict ventilation other ways, if necessary, the biggest threat is to terrestrials that might climb on the screen. My arboreals do fine on all screens I've found so far.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## mazzzz (Feb 21, 2018)

Ungoliant said:


> There's no need to mist the enclosure. Just keep part of the substrate slightly damp (not that the Avic will spend much time down there), create good ventilation, and make sure there is a water dish. Also make sure there are enough fake leaves for your new sling to use as cover and anchor points for webbing.
> 
> Feel free to post pictures of your setup for feedback. It's always easier to make corrections before the spider is in it.


How is this


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## Ungoliant (Feb 21, 2018)

mazzzz said:


> How is this


I would add a few more leaves, but otherwise it looks fine.  (Make sure the sling can't fit through the ventilation holes.)

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## cold blood (Feb 21, 2018)

While its true that screens tend to be more dangerous for terrestrials, arboreals aren't in the clear....in fact we just had a thread where someone's Avic was stuck on the top mesh and was trying to molt....had she not freed this t and it molted like this, it would have fallen to the bottom and could have _easily_ been fatal...not worth the risk IMO.

Reactions: Agree 3


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## Ungoliant (Feb 21, 2018)

cold blood said:


> While its true that screens tend to be more dangerous for terrestrials, arboreals aren't in the clear....in fact we just had a thread where someone's Avic was stuck on the top mesh and was trying to molt....had she not freed this t and it molted like this, it would have fallen to the bottom and could have _easily_ been fatal...not worth the risk IMO.


When I moved my first Avic into an Exo Terra Small/Tall, she would sometimes climb on the ceiling.  While she never got stuck that I saw, it looked like it took some effort to lift each foot from the screen.  When she fell into her water dish, that was enough of a warning for me.  I covered the inside of the screen with a loosely draped sheet of cotton, and that discouraged further exploration of the ceiling.

Reactions: Informative 2 | Helpful 1


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## mazzzz (Feb 21, 2018)

Ungoliant said:


> I would add a few more leaves, but otherwise it looks fine. (Make sure the sling can't fit through the ventilation holes.)


When you say a few more leaves should I just add some more at the bottom or should i hot glue a few more too the cork bark? Thanks for all your help.


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## cold blood (Feb 21, 2018)

mazzzz said:


> When you say a few more leaves should I just add some more at the bottom or should i hot glue a few more too the cork bark? Thanks for all your help.


Plants need to be elevated, preferably right on the top half of the wood.   The ground should be relatively clear of any clutter as it will just give prey places to hide.

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## mazzzz (Feb 22, 2018)

cold blood said:


> Plants need to be elevated, preferably right on the top half of the wood.   The ground should be relatively clear of any clutter as it will just give prey places to hide.


Thank you!!


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## edesign (Feb 23, 2018)

cold blood said:


> While its true that screens tend to be more dangerous for terrestrials, arboreals aren't in the clear....in fact we just had a thread where someone's Avic was stuck on the top mesh and was trying to molt....had she not freed this t and it molted like this, it would have fallen to the bottom and could have _easily_ been fatal...not worth the risk IMO.


Helicopter parents 

That's an extremely rare and specific predicament. More spiders die due to bad molts for other reasons and incompetent keepers than screen lids have come close to killing.

Only screen incident I've had since 2004 was when my Lp, after SIX years managed to get a fang stuck trying to tear thick screen mesh open. Still in the same style tank with the same style lid, SEVEN years later and no other problems.

Just like there's no reason to get rid of bicycles because a few kids hurts themselves or get run over and killed (well, some would say we should, they also thought Buckyballs should be banned because a dozen kids or so ingested a few and hurt/killed themselves...despite being for adult use only...so yes, those kinds of people exist) I and many others will continue to be fine with screen lids.

What you're saying can easily be extrapolated to say that anything with a chance of harming the inhabitant, no matter how remote, should be avoided. I'm all for a safe environment but screens ARE perfectly fine ~99% of the time with arboreals.

I had an A avicularia try to molt in a fake plant in a terrible position that pretty much guaranteed she would've got stuck and died had I not found her and moved her. Gonna have to remove all my decor for that 1:10,000 chance a spider picks a bad spot to molt /s 

My only real concern with them is a large spider chewing through and escaping. I've not seen an arboreal yet have difficulty with the screens. My carpet, when I take various species out for rehousing/photoshoots, poses a bigger challenge to them than any screen lid.

Reactions: Like 3 | Agree 1 | Disagree 2 | Award 1


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## cold blood (Feb 23, 2018)

well i certainly dont agree with your asessment.  kids dont fall off bikes and die...theyre vastly more resiliant than an invert.

Yes its not overly common, but the example i gave is far from an isolated one....it happens....it doesnt happen with drilled acrylic or plexi....ever.


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## edesign (Feb 27, 2018)

Kids do fall off bikes and die just like people die from hitting their heads slipping on ice or getting punched. Probably more rare now that helmets are required in many areas. Rare but it happens...just like Ts and screens but I'm not going to repeat myself.

https://www.bing.com/search?q=child+falls+off+bike+hits+head+dies

(Laugh at Bing if you want, don't care, my phone default options are Google, Yahoo, and Bing...I use Yahoo never, Google as a last resort, prefer DDG but I'm too lazy to go to their home page to use it on my phone haha so I'm stuck with Bing which actually is not bad).

Do what you feel is right for your Ts. I'll continue to use screens with arboreals and not worry. If I ever have an issue (most of my collection is arboreal) I'll try to remember to find this thread and let everyone know. Yes, my memory works that well sometimes  

Tangent...
Moderating the FB group is interesting but when I disagree with a logically thought out post I don't react with an angry or sad face aka "dislike" just because I disagree. Or even when I wasn't a moderator. CB did it right, thanks dude  

Those who voted to "disagree" with it didn't even bother to try and dissect my post so I'll not bother explaining my points in depth in the future. It appears to have flown over some heads despite taking the time to carefully make my points. I try to reserve those "disagree" votes for the most terrible of posts like blatantly incorrect comments ("Keep your balfouri moist!" or "You can't accurately sex ventrally, you need a molt to be 100% sure." For example...and even then I don't bother, just explain why it's wrong). If this was such bad husbandry there wouldn't be as many keepers using screens for arboreals with zero problems over the long term.

Experience counts and my experience along with many, many others is that screen injuries (much less actual death) to arboreals are quite rare. Oddly enough a lot of people agree with my assessment including some other respected keepers that we all know. *shrugs* I guarantee if they said it there would be questions or conversation ala CB rather than a simple "disagree" vote haha.

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## Ungoliant (Feb 28, 2018)

edesign said:


> Those who voted to "disagree" with it didn't even bother to try and dissect my post so I'll not bother explaining my points in depth in the future. It appears to have flown over some heads despite taking the time to carefully make my points.


You assume too much when you say that people who use a disagree rating without replying "didn't even bother to try and dissect" your post or that it just flew over their heads.  In most cases, this is done because the person using the rating either had already explained the basis for their disagreement, or someone else had, and they felt an additional reply would be redundant.  (The same applies to agree ratings.)

I think you are overreacting when you say, "I'll not bother explaining my points in depth in the future," because someone used a disagree rating.  Try not to take it personally.  "Disagree" doesn't mean anything more than what it says on the tin, which is that someone didn't agree with something you said.  It doesn't necessarily mean that you're a bad keeper or that you didn't adequately explain your position.

As to why I disagreed without posting a follow-up reply, it was because I had already explained the basis for my disagreement in two previous posts, in which I described my experience and linked to a recent thread about an Avic whose claws got stuck in a screen lid:


Ungoliant said:


> Although not everyone agrees that that screen/mesh lids are hazardous for arboreals, replacing it is a good plan.





Ungoliant said:


> When I moved my first Avic into an Exo Terra Small/Tall, she would sometimes climb on the ceiling.  While she never got stuck that I saw, it looked like it took some effort to lift each foot from the screen.  When she fell into her water dish, that was enough of a warning for me.  I covered the inside of the screen with a loosely draped sheet of cotton, and that discouraged further exploration of the ceiling.


I also considered your comparison between not using a screen lid with "helicopter parents" who would "get rid of bicycles because a few kids hurts themselves" to be hyperbolic and therefore not worth specifically rebutting.

Lastly, @cold blood had already posted a reply by the time I read your post.




edesign said:


> Experience counts and my experience along with many, many others is that screen injuries (much less actual death) to arboreals are quite rare. Oddly enough a lot of people agree with my assessment including some other respected keepers that we all know.


In the end, it is up to you to evaluate the risk and decide whether it's worth mitigating.  However, based on my own experience and pictures I have seen, I will continue to recommend the low-effort safety measure of replacing or covering the screen.

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## mazzzz (Mar 2, 2018)

mazzzz said:


> Thank you!!


Okay so my new little girl (well hopefully girl) is an amazing eater!! Only thing is I'm pretty sure she has been depositing her boluses or boli or whatever the plural is in her web. Should I be worried about that and try to clean them out at the risk of destroying her web or should I just leave them be??


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## Venom1080 (Mar 2, 2018)

mazzzz said:


> Okay so my new little girl (well hopefully girl) is an amazing eater!! Only thing is I'm pretty sure she has been depositing her boluses or boli or whatever the plural is in her web. Should I be worried about that and try to clean them out at the risk of destroying her web or should I just leave them be??


I'd remove them if they're just sitting there. Webs can be rebuilt pretty easily.

Reactions: Agree 2 | Helpful 1


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## mazzzz (Mar 2, 2018)

Venom1080 said:


> I'd remove them if they're just sitting there. Webs can be rebuilt pretty easily.


Alright thank you.

Okay so there is a very small Dubai somewhere in my avics enclosure and I can’t find it I know for a fact she didn’t eat it should I be worried??


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## Nightstalker47 (Mar 5, 2018)

mazzzz said:


> Okay so there is a very small Dubai somewhere in my avics enclosure and I can’t find it I know for a fact she didn’t eat it should I be worried??


Just remove the feeder, there shouldn't be any prey at large in the enclosure for more then a day.


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## cold blood (Mar 5, 2018)

mazzzz said:


> Okay so there is a very small Dubai somewhere in my avics enclosure and I can’t find it I know for a fact she didn’t eat it should I be worried??


No.

Avics not only molt at elevated positions, but also within webbing....a roach running around is of little consequence.

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## Nightstalker47 (Mar 5, 2018)

cold blood said:


> Avics not only molt at elevated positions, but also within webbing....a roach running around is of little consequence.


What about that famous versi of yours that got munched...didn't that happen while it was molting?

No point risking it IMO, feeders shouldn't be around long term anyway. If the spider isn't interested, remove and try another day.

Reactions: Clarification Please 1


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## cold blood (Mar 5, 2018)

Nightstalker47 said:


> What about that famous versi of yours that got munched...didn't that happen while it was molting?


Explain...what you describe absolutely, positively, NEVER happened.


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## mazzzz (Mar 5, 2018)

cold blood said:


> No.
> 
> Avics not only molt at elevated positions, but also within webbing....a roach running around is of little consequence.


Alright thanks that's a relief I plan on getting it out as soon as I see it I just can't really find it right now.


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## Nightstalker47 (Mar 5, 2018)

cold blood said:


> Explain...what you describe absolutely, positively, NEVER happened.


My post could have been worded better there, my bad. Not trying to be condescending lol.

I thought I remembered seeing one of your pics showing two superworm beetles munching your versi?


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## cold blood (Mar 5, 2018)

Nightstalker47 said:


> My post could have been worded better there, my bad. Not trying to be condescending lol.
> 
> I thought I remembered seeing one of your pics showing two superworm beetles munching your versi?


Ahhh...you're close, but waaaay off, as Homer Simpson would say...lol.

First, it is a GBB adult female.  Secondly, it was a pic sent to me by a local keeper in panic...I saved the pic to use as an educational tool.  I've never lost any t to a feeder personally, but I don't leave that to chance.













superworm beetles eating a freshly molted GBB



__ cold blood
__ Jan 30, 2017
__
callow
chromatopelma
chromatopelma cyaneopubescens
cyaneopubescens
feeding
gbb
greenbottle blue tarantula
post-molt







Avics are literally the only genus I don't worry about due to the reasons I listed.

btw, I didn't think you were being condescending, I just couldn't figure out what you meant....but I get the misunderstanding now.

Reactions: Helpful 1


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## Nightstalker47 (Mar 5, 2018)

cold blood said:


> Ahhh...you're close, but waaaay off, as Homer Simpson would say...lol.
> 
> First, it is a GBB adult female.  Secondly, it was a pic sent to me by a local keeper in panic...I saved the pic to use as an educational tool.  I've never lost any t to a feeder personally, but I don't leave that to chance.
> 
> ...


All makes sense now lol. My bad for the mixup.

Reactions: Beer 1


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## Wendymacca (Jun 7, 2018)

Venom1080 said:


> this thread will go over what beginners and vets alike should be providing their Avicularia. i find it quite sad that so many Avics are subject to low vent cages and doomed to die. even experienced keepers can have difficulty with them. anyway, there are a few main concepts to keeping Avics that should always be considered.
> 1) ventilation- this is _*the *_key to keeping avicularia. they will die in a low vent cage, period. for slings and younger spiders that still fit in 16 and 32oz deli cups, i like to put 3 rows around the upper side, a total of about 60 small holes. my lids are also well vented but that is unnecessary. there is a thing such as too much ventilation. this will cause dishes to dry out ridiculously quick and just results in more maintenance to be done of your part. as they grow i like to put them into either exo tera nanos or tall plastic tubs from walmart. same kind of vent set up if you have a cage you have to put the vent in yourself. exo tera do have screens that can be replaced with acrylic. personally, i use them with no issue for my arboreals, but replacing them completely is your best bet. you can try putting tape around the edges on the bottom of the lid, about 2" or so. this is meant to discourage climbing on the underside of the lid.
> 
> 2) humidity/water dishes- this is where avic care gets a little complicated, and opinions begin to differ. when Avicularia were new to the hobby, people kept them very humid. unfortunately, this was usually in a low vented cage. the spider soon passed and SADS(sudden avic death syndrome) was born! IME, Avics dont really give a poop whether their in a jungle or a desert, as long as they have constant access to water. i have kept and raised Avicularia dry and wet and as long as vent was high, they did fine. i personally keep all mine mainly dry with a dish. ive noticed no significant difference keeping them moist. as for water dishes, the only dispute is whether the dish should be on the ground or elevated or if it even matters. ive used elevated dishes in the past in tighter cages so theyre easier to access, but never tried them with Avicularia. i imagine theyd work fine but can be a pain to initially set up, not to mention making sure they dont fall in time. i keep mine on the ground and will continue to until i notice a advantage in elevating them. when Avicularia molt, they usually do so in a web nest high up in the cage, generally all entrances and exits are sealed off with webbing. now, this is where some could argue about the water dishes, i like to lightly mist my avics every other day or so until they begin eating. i do this to ensure they have access to water i their weakened state. last thing i want is for a recently molted avics to die because it couldnt manage to reach its dish. obviously a elevated dish would render my misting useless, right? well, maybe. i think if a avic cant climb down its cage to the dish, it cant climb over to the dish. misting just ensures it gets water and you get to avoid the hassle of setting up a elevated dish. just my 2 cents. mind you, misting can be avoided entirely, its just something that helps my peace of mind.
> ...


What's the green one called that's lush



Wendymacca said:


> What's the green one called that's lush


That's been really helpful ty for all the help people have gave me am new to this a been so worried about brain(pink toe) she got me stressed. I will change her enclosure tomorrow hope she likes her new home


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## Venom1080 (Jun 7, 2018)

Wendymacca said:


> What's the green one called that's lush


Ybyrapora diversipes. They look much different as adults. That's just sling colors. Glad it helped.


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## AngelDeVille (Jul 22, 2018)

I’m so excited... here is my enclosure for critique...

Water dish on the ground?  I had seen one where it was glued to the cork?

Reactions: Like 1


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## Venom1080 (Jul 22, 2018)

AngelDeVille said:


> I’m so excited... here is my enclosure for critique...
> 
> Water dish on the ground?  I had seen one where it was glued to the cork?


Water dish on ground is fine. Make sure that large piece of bark can't shift too much if you move the cage. I've added some hot glue to stabilize pieces like that.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## AngelDeVille (Jul 22, 2018)

Venom1080 said:


> Water dish on ground is fine. Make sure that large piece of bark can't shift too much if you move the cage. I've added some hot glue to stabilize pieces like that.



Thanks!

The cork is well rounded at the bottom, almost closed, and I have it tilted slightly back with LEGO pieces under the substrate.

I was just thinking of hot glueing it to the glass for added security.


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## Venom1080 (Jul 22, 2018)

AngelDeVille said:


> Thanks!
> 
> The cork is well rounded at the bottom, almost closed, and I have it tilted slightly back with LEGO pieces under the substrate.
> 
> I was just thinking of hot glueing it to the glass for added security.


If you can gently shake the cage without it moving, it's good.

Reactions: Like 1


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## AngelDeVille (Jul 23, 2018)

24 hour update...

When I got her she was in a bare enclosure with no hides or structures and wet swampy substrate.

She compensated by building a small web 3/4 of the way up in the corner of the glass.

Last night she started webbing on the glass on the left side toward the back.

Today I tilted the cork completely back against glass hoping she would realize there is a much better place to stay.

As far as I can tell she has spent the entire day on the glass.....


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## Ungoliant (Jul 24, 2018)

AngelDeVille said:


> I’m so excited... here is my enclosure for critique...


I would add more leafy clutter in the top half of the enclosure.  (This serves as clutter and anchor points for webbing.)

Reactions: Agree 3


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## AngelDeVille (Jul 24, 2018)

AngelDeVille said:


> 24 hour update...
> 
> When I got her she was in a bare enclosure with no hides or structures and wet swampy substrate.
> 
> ...





Ungoliant said:


> I would add more leafy clutter in the top half of the enclosure. (This serves as clutter and anchor points for webbing.)


I was thinking of adding more, I think I'll switch them out for silk maybe.


Good news! I placed an adult male dubia with a crushed head wedged behind the plant on the left.

This morning she was on the cork with the roach firmly in her clutches, I'm hoping she decides to stay on the cork!


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## Ungoliant (Jul 24, 2018)

AngelDeVille said:


> This morning she was on the cork with the roach firmly in her clutches, I'm hoping she decides to stay on the cork!


They like to hunt from cork.  The cork is basically a hunting platform, with the leaves nearby for webbing and cover.

Reactions: Like 2


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## AngelDeVille (Jul 24, 2018)

Ungoliant said:


> They like to hunt from cork. The cork is basically a hunting platform, with the leaves nearby for webbing and cover.


I was a little worried about her because it sounded like she had been at petco for a couple months in a swamp with nothing to climb on, but leave it to her to remember how to be a spider....

What do you think? glue maybe two more bunches of leaves at about the same level?

I am going to see if I can pack the cocofibre a little better, as it looks a little loose. but I'm leaving it fairly dry.

Water dish is on the ground, and once she webs maybe a spritz of water in her web once a week.


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## grayzone (Jul 24, 2018)

AngelDeVille said:


> I was just thinking of hot glueing it to the glass for added security.


No need honestly. If it rocks enough to bother the Avic, it will simply web it stiff

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Ungoliant (Jul 24, 2018)

AngelDeVille said:


> What do you think? glue maybe two more bunches of leaves at about the same level?


Yes, add more leaves at that level.




AngelDeVille said:


> I am going to see if I can pack the cocofibre a little better, as it looks a little loose. but I'm leaving it fairly dry.


I wouldn't worry too much about the substrate.  Healthy Avics barely spend any time on their substrate anyway.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Venom1080 (Jul 24, 2018)

I have a lot more Poecilotheria pictures than avics, but here's a few recents.


Avicularia aurantiaca. Anyone in Canada with a male, please contact me!



Ybyrapora diversipes fresh molt




Avicularia avicularia morphotype probably #1


New undescribed species I got from a import I was lucky enough to be a part of.
A sp pulchra.

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## ShyDragoness (Jul 24, 2018)

Venom1080 said:


> I have a lot more Poecilotheria pictures than avics, but here's a few recents.
> View attachment 281949
> 
> Avicularia aurantiaca. Anyone in Canada with a male, please contact me!
> ...


That last image is a stunner!!

Reactions: Agree 1 | Love 1


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## cold blood (Jul 24, 2018)

AngelDeVille said:


> I’m so excited... here is my enclosure for critique...
> 
> Water dish on the ground?  I had seen one where it was glued to the cork?


I agree, lots more plants up top...how many depend on what you have available.



Venom1080 said:


> Water dish on ground is fine. Make sure that large piece of bark can't shift too much if you move the cage. I've added some hot glue to stabilize pieces like that.


I have never glued any wood in place for any t,  I just don't see it as necessary and its not something I want to have to scrape off next time I use the enclosure.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Venom1080 (Jul 24, 2018)

cold blood said:


> I agree, lots more plants up top...how many depend on what you have available.
> 
> 
> I have never glued any wood in place for any t,  I just don't see it as necessary and its not something I want to have to scrape off next time I use the enclosure.


It generally isn't. I haven't glued anything in years to be honest. Just a last resort thing I keep in mind. 

More sub, particularly around the hide being used, is just as effective honestly.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## NaCon (Jul 24, 2018)

Getting my first T in a few weeks, funnily enough it’s a Caribena Versicolour, this thread was super helpful and it’s given me a lot more knowledge on the standard care then I have read. Thanks

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## Aracnophob (Aug 26, 2018)

Just doing research. Thinking about getting a T. I almost died from an unidentified spider bite. And I'm looking to break my fear. This thread has been amazingly helpful.

Reactions: Like 2


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## justice1986 (Mar 11, 2019)

This is my enclosure for my avic I will be doing moss and a water dish it is in a 8 by 8 by 12 exo Terra just was wondering if it needs anything else or if it is good..


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## MrWotiWo (Jun 10, 2019)

This is a great thread. Thank you. I currently  own a A. Avicularia. Lots of good information. I been going through these forums, and I have learned a lot in these past few days. I do have some questions for Ventilation. On my tubware(its tall) I have holes at the bottom and the lid. Is that ok? I've watched some youtube videos, and thats how they said to do it.


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## arachnidgill (Jun 11, 2019)

MrWotiWo said:


> This is a great thread. Thank you. I currently  own a A. Avicularia. Lots of good information. I been going through these forums, and I have learned a lot in these past few days. I do have some questions for Ventilation. On my tubware(its tall) I have holes at the bottom and the lid. Is that ok? I've watched some youtube videos, and thats how they said to do it.


Post a picture of the enclosure. Youtube is generally not a good source for accurate tarantula info.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Andrea82 (Jun 11, 2019)

MrWotiWo said:


> This is a great thread. Thank you. I currently  own a A. Avicularia. Lots of good information. I been going through these forums, and I have learned a lot in these past few days. I do have some questions for Ventilation. On my tubware(its tall) I have holes at the bottom and the lid. Is that ok? I've watched some youtube videos, and thats how they said to do it.


At the bottom? Under the substrate? Or do you mean at the bottom of the sides? Pics can work better than words in this case

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


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## MrWotiWo (Jun 11, 2019)

arachnidgill said:


> Post a picture of the enclosure. Youtube is generally not a good source for accurate tarantula info.





Andrea82 said:


> At the bottom? Under the substrate? Or do you mean at the bottom of the sides? Pics can work better than words in this case


I will take some pictures today and post them.


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## cold blood (Jun 11, 2019)

Location isnt always critical, as long as there are multiple points of ventilation, it will promote air movement.

Having vents at the bottom and top should provide this.

Reactions: Helpful 1


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## MrWotiWo (Jun 11, 2019)

cold blood said:


> Location isnt always critical, as long as there are multiple points of ventilation, it will promote air movement.
> 
> Having vents at the bottom and top should provide this.


Thank you. That helps.



	

		
			
		

		
	
 This is what i was asking. I added more holes as you can see, but i was tought to create a cross flow from the bottom to the top. I also made more holes the lid.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Andrea82 (Jun 12, 2019)

MrWotiWo said:


> View attachment 311309
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's a perfect Avicularia sling cup  well done!

Reactions: Like 1


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## mortys mom (Jun 26, 2019)

Hi guys! So I am new to tarantulas and got most of my information from a family friend. This is Morty, my pinktoe! This has been the set-up since my boyfriend and I got him/her in December. Morty seems to be happy in this setup, webbing in the cork log and molting, and growing. Is there anything I can do to the terrarium to make it better? We're thinking of adding live plants, but haven't made the jump yet.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Ungoliant (Jun 27, 2019)

mortys mom said:


> Morty seems to be happy in this setup, webbing in the cork log and molting, and growing. Is there anything I can do to the terrarium to make it better? We're thinking of adding live plants, but haven't made the jump yet.


Hygrometers are useless.  There is no need to try to maintain some arbitrary humidity reading.

Make the cork log more vertical.

Keep it simple: stick with fake plants.  The conditions that live plants and tarantulas require are often incompatible.  For example, most plants need sunlight, but placing the enclosure in direct sunlight is a good way to cook your tarantula.  Additionally, live plants give off a lot of moisture, and without excellent ventilation, this can contribute to a stuffy enclosure.  (Moist, stuffy enclosures are the #1 Avic killers.)

The plants should be in the top half of the enclosure.  A healthy Avic seldom spends much time on the ground, but they love leafy clutter in the top half of the enclosure and will use it for cover and anchor points for webbing.

Although not everyone agrees that that screen/mesh lids are hazardous for arboreals, I would personally replace or cover it.

While arboreals are better climbers, their tarsal claws can still get stuck in a fine mesh.  My _Avicularia_ did seem to have trouble walking across the screen.  Sometimes, she would pull her foot free and keep moving, but once she fell in the attempt.  Fortunately, she landed in the water dish and was unharmed, but I took that for a warning and fixed it.

not my tarantula, but:





A common replacement is acrylic with holes drilled into it.  If you're handy, you can make an entirely new lid.  If you're less handy, here is basin79's fix:





See also: Replace screen tops!

I devised an even easier fix, which I initially intended as temporary but kept using because it worked.  I cut a square of very thin cotton from a worn-out bedsheet.  I removed the screen lid, placed the sheet of cotton over it so that it covered the mesh, and then replaced the lid.  The result is a sheet that is loosely draped below the mesh inside the cage.



This effectively discourages my arboreals from climbing on the ceiling, as they seem to realize that they aren't getting secure footing.  (I've seen them take a tentative step or two onto the cloth and then turn back.)

Reactions: Helpful 2


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## cold blood (Jun 27, 2019)

mortys mom said:


> Hi guys! So I am new to tarantulas and got most of my information from a family friend. This is Morty, my pinktoe! This has been the set-up since my boyfriend and I got him/her in December. Morty seems to be happy in this setup, webbing in the cork log and molting, and growing. Is there anything I can do to the terrarium to make it better? We're thinking of adding live plants, but haven't made the jump yet.


I like the wood how it is...it leaves a space behind the wood.

The only thing id change would be to move the plants closer to the wood....they work together and should be in contact with one another.


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## Andrea82 (Jun 27, 2019)

Ungoliant said:


> Hygrometers are useless.  There is no need to try to maintain some arbitrary humidity reading.
> 
> Make the cork log more vertical.
> 
> ...


Looks especially good in the picture! Almost like a cozy tent or something 
The cotton doesn't impair ventilation?


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## Venom1080 (Jul 1, 2019)

Venom1080 said:


> this thread will go over what beginners and vets alike should be providing their Avicularia. i find it quite sad that so many Avics are subject to low vent cages and doomed to die. even experienced keepers can have difficulty with them. anyway, there are a few main concepts to keeping Avics that should always be considered.
> 1) ventilation- this is _*the *_key to keeping avicularia. they will die in a low vent cage, period. for slings and younger spiders that still fit in 16 and 32oz deli cups, i like to put 3 rows around the upper side, a total of about 60 small holes. my lids are also well vented but that is unnecessary. there is a thing such as too much ventilation. this will cause dishes to dry out ridiculously quick and just results in more maintenance to be done of your part. as they grow i like to put them into either exo tera nanos or tall plastic tubs from walmart. same kind of vent set up if you have a cage you have to put the vent in yourself. exo tera do have screens that can be replaced with acrylic. personally, i use them with no issue for my arboreals, but replacing them completely is your best bet. you can try putting tape around the edges on the bottom of the lid, about 2" or so. this is meant to discourage climbing on the underside of the lid.
> 
> 2) humidity/water dishes- this is where avic care gets a little complicated, and opinions begin to differ. when Avicularia were new to the hobby, people kept them very humid. unfortunately, this was usually in a low vented cage. the spider soon passed and SADS(sudden avic death syndrome) was born! IME, Avics dont really give a poop whether their in a jungle or a desert, as long as they have constant access to water. i have kept and raised Avicularia dry and wet and as long as vent was high, they did fine. i personally keep all mine mainly dry with a dish. ive noticed no significant difference keeping them moist. as for water dishes, the only dispute is whether the dish should be on the ground or elevated or if it even matters. ive used elevated dishes in the past in tighter cages so theyre easier to access, but never tried them with Avicularia. i imagine theyd work fine but can be a pain to initially set up, not to mention making sure they dont fall in time. i keep mine on the ground and will continue to until i notice a advantage in elevating them. when Avicularia molt, they usually do so in a web nest high up in the cage, generally all entrances and exits are sealed off with webbing. now, this is where some could argue about the water dishes, i like to lightly mist my avics every other day or so until they begin eating. i do this to ensure they have access to water i their weakened state. last thing i want is for a recently molted avics to die because it couldnt manage to reach its dish. obviously a elevated dish would render my misting useless, right? well, maybe. i think if a avic cant climb down its cage to the dish, it cant climb over to the dish. misting just ensures it gets water and you get to avoid the hassle of setting up a elevated dish. just my 2 cents. mind you, misting can be avoided entirely, its just something that helps my peace of mind.
> ...


Just felt like adding updated pics of the spiders in the post.
A avicularia (pet store M1), Ybyrapora diversipes, A juruensis M2 (ex-sp Peru purple) and a few others. I've been slowly collecting the genus. 


A juruensis M1 (ex aurantiaca)


A variegata M1 (ex amazonica and probably bicegoi)


Also A variegata M1. Juvie colors.


Caribena versicolor (ex Avicularia versi)


Same A avic M1


Bunch of them.


Subadult female Ybyrapora diversipes. About 3.5".


Avicularia juruensis M2. Note the extreme color difference to M1. There's a large size difference as well.this being the larger.


Adult female Iridopelma hirsutum. It should be noted this thread applies to Iridopelma as well. @Ungoliant ?

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## dianemarie (Aug 17, 2019)

cold blood said:


> Resized952016120995124158
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I found your post and ty for putting this up. I have asked a lot of questions and appreciate when you answer. This was a great resource

Reactions: Like 1


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## bumpylemon (Nov 1, 2019)

what are most of you keeping adults in? i see lots of sling enclosures. any good Walmart type of enclosures or ones on amazon? thanks!


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## Venom1080 (Nov 28, 2019)

bumpylemon said:


> what are most of you keeping adults in? i see lots of sling enclosures. any good Walmart type of enclosures or ones on amazon? thanks!


Species under 5" do well in those one gallon clear plastic jars from Walmart. Larger ones get Sterlite tubs. Both are cheap and effective.



Ybyrapora diversipes. Same one as I've posted throughout this thread. Actually a sling in my original post. Amazing how the colors have changed as it's grown.


MM Iridopelma hirsutum. Uncommon to see around. 


Caribena laeta just beginning the transition form the blue sling colors into the mixed brown and blue juvi coloration. Adults are a full brown. 


Probably blurry on a computer screen, but the blue is really insane on young Caribena versicolor. There's no camera flash or editing here. 


A juruensis M1. Freshly molted.

Reactions: Like 3


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## cold blood (Nov 28, 2019)

bumpylemon said:


> what are most of you keeping adults in? i see lots of sling enclosures. any good Walmart type of enclosures or ones on amazon? thanks!


I will second the sterilite tubs.













avic housing-adult



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

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Nessie (Jun 3, 2020)

Hi, 

We got our first T yesterday, a Caribena versicolor sling, only about 1.5 cms. S/he is in a deli cup with cross ventilation holes, coco fiber, moss, leaves, twigs, and bark, so plenty of anchor points, but s/he hasn't made any webbing. Should we be concerned?


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## Venom1080 (Jun 12, 2020)

Nessie said:


> Hi,
> 
> We got our first T yesterday, a Caribena versicolor sling, only about 1.5 cms. S/he is in a deli cup with cross ventilation holes, coco fiber, moss, leaves, twigs, and bark, so plenty of anchor points, but s/he hasn't made any webbing. Should we be concerned?


Not really. If the set up is okay and its eating, theres no real issue. They usually start webbing alot within a week or two. 

Tag me if you have any other questions or directly reply to one of my posts, otherwise i wont be able to see your question in my notifications.


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## Venom1080 (Jun 12, 2020)

Young juvenile Iridopelma zorodes 


Breeding my evil Iridopelma hirsutum. 


Same Caribena versicolor. Slowly growing up.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Taryndactyl0330 (Aug 6, 2020)

Venom1080 said:


> Not really. If the set up is okay and its eating, theres no real issue. They usually start webbing alot within a week or two.
> 
> Tag me if you have any other questions or directly reply to one of my posts, otherwise i wont be able to see your question in my notifications.


What about removing food from webbing? Everything that I have read about T care says to remove food after 24 hrs to prevent mold & mites. So now I am very nervous, because I also breed isopods, so I know how easy it is to get mites. We recently bought our first two slings, a C. Versicolor & a Grammostola Pulchripes. I read not to disturb the webbing on the arboreal Ts, but I am just so unsure what to do about the nutrigrubs that the C. Versicolor left half eaten in its web. Nothing I research will tell me if this is safe or not, so feeding has been stressful.


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## moricollins (Aug 6, 2020)

Taryndactyl0330 said:


> What about removing food from webbing? Everything that I have read about T care says to remove food after 24 hrs to prevent mold & mites. So now I am very nervous, because I also breed isopods, so I know how easy it is to get mites. We recently bought our first two slings, a C. Versicolor & a Grammostola Pulchripes. I read not to disturb the webbing on the arboreal Ts, but I am just so unsure what to do about the nutrigrubs that the C. Versicolor left half eaten in its web. Nothing I research will tell me if this is safe or not, so feeding has been stressful.


You can use a pair of tongs or forceps to remove the leftover bits of food from the webbing.

Mites pose virtually no danger whatsoever to the tarantula.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Venom1080 (Aug 6, 2020)

Taryndactyl0330 said:


> What about removing food from webbing? Everything that I have read about T care says to remove food after 24 hrs to prevent mold & mites. So now I am very nervous, because I also breed isopods, so I know how easy it is to get mites. We recently bought our first two slings, a C. Versicolor & a Grammostola Pulchripes. I read not to disturb the webbing on the arboreal Ts, but I am just so unsure what to do about the nutrigrubs that the C. Versicolor left half eaten in its web. Nothing I research will tell me if this is safe or not, so feeding has been stressful.


The whole "dont touch the webbing or youre bad" mentality is hugely overrated. I have cages i break webbing everytime i open them. Its not a big deal. 

Id definitely damage some webbing and remove it.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Taryndactyl0330 (Aug 6, 2020)

moricollins said:


> You can use a pair of tongs or forceps to remove the leftover bits of food from the webbing.
> 
> Mites pose virtually no danger whatsoever to the tarantula.


Really? Then what is all the fuss about preventing mites? Mites are literally everywhere, in everything, & hard to avoid so I have been paranoid about them finding their way in with the Ts thinking they pose some sort of harm or significant stress. Haha


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## moricollins (Aug 6, 2020)

Taryndactyl0330 said:


> Really? Then what is all the fuss about preventing mites? Mites are literally everywhere, in everything, & hard to avoid so I have been paranoid about them finding their way in with the Ts thinking they pose some sort of harm or significant stress. Haha


The thought that mites were a huge pest for Tarantulas is decades old now, becoming quite antiquated.
Give this thread a read:
https://arachnoboards.com/threads/all-you-need-to-know-about-mites.309211/

Reactions: Like 1


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## Taryndactyl0330 (Aug 6, 2020)

Thank you guys. I can rest a bit easier now haha. I have done a lot of research on these guys, but half the stuff you read says “not for beginners, super easy to stress & kill” & the other half says “no they’re great! Just don’t keep too wet & provide great ventilation”. Just some background info: I actually got these for my bf. I like reptiles & bugs, but I have a huge fear of spiders. I helped him research the best fit for him, & decided to surprise him with the Chaco Golden Knee, but along the way, I kinda fell in love with the C. Versi & got “him” that one as well. I’m fascinated by them, but its still taking some work to get completely over my fear & now I’m learning that they spray poop & rub their hairs all over your arm?? Oh lordy



moricollins said:


> The thought that mites were a huge pest for Tarantulas is decades old now, becoming quite antiquated.
> Give this thread a read:
> https://arachnoboards.com/threads/all-you-need-to-know-about-mites.309211/


Thank you!!!


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## nxcodxangelo (Jan 11, 2022)

I recently got a 1" A. Purpurea as my 2nd Tarantula. I have been overthinking how they should be cared for since I've read about SADS. 

I believe asking for feedback regarding my setup would ease my state. Here's my setup: 


I was also told by the seller that I should refrain from putting a water dish and should mist twice a week until it has molted again. Can anyone confirm this?

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Craig73 (Jan 11, 2022)

nxcodxangelo said:


> I recently got a 1" A. Purpurea as my 2nd Tarantula. I have been overthinking how they should be cared for since I've read about SADS.
> 
> I believe asking for feedback regarding my setup would ease my state. Here's my setup:
> 
> ...


Welcome!  Keep the water dish and what I also do is drop a little water on the leaf and bark once or twice a week so that it has access to water both from the water below and higher up. Looks like your ventilation will provide good air exchange which is a great thing because they don’t thrive with stuffy environments.


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## nxcodxangelo (Jan 11, 2022)

Craig73 said:


> Welcome! Keep the water dish and what I also do is drop a little water on the leaf and bark once or twice a week so that it has access to water both from the water below and higher up. Looks like your ventilation will provide good air exchange which is a great thing because they don’t thrive with stuffy environments.


Thank you! Should I keep my substrate fairly dry or should I moist some parts of it?


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## Ungoliant (Jan 12, 2022)

nxcodxangelo said:


> Thank you! Should I keep my substrate fairly dry or should I moist some parts of it?


I keep mine dry, but you can moisten a little so long as there is good ventilation -- what you want to avoid is a damp, stuffy enclosure -- that's probably the #1 killer of captive Avics.


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## ladyratri (Feb 19, 2022)

I have a 1/2" avic sling coming on Tuesday, and was hoping to get feedback on the enclosure I have set up for it. Not sure how much climbing/hiding stuff I need and want to make sure I have enough ventilation...if anyone has suggestions, it would be super helpful! I am a total newbie at this.


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## jrh3 (Feb 19, 2022)

ladyratri said:


> I have a 1/2" avic sling coming on Tuesday, and was hoping to get feedback on the enclosure I have set up for it. Not sure how much climbing/hiding stuff I need and want to make sure I have enough ventilation...if anyone has suggestions, it would be super helpful! I am a total newbie at this.


half inch? I would do a 5 oz deli cup with top ventilation and a few rows around the side.

here is what I keep a few 1” slings in. Its smaller than a 16 oz deli cup if thats what you have pictured.


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## ladyratri (Feb 19, 2022)

jrh3 said:


> half inch? I would do a 5 oz deli cup with top ventilation and a few rows around the side.


Yes that's a 16 oz container. I have some 4 oz size if that would do -- not sure if I have something small enough to fit in it as a water dish though. I'll see what I can put together and post a second set of pictures. Thanks for the input!



ladyratri said:


> Yes that's a 16 oz container. I have some 4 oz size if that would do -- not sure if I have something small enough to fit in it as a water dish though. I'll see what I can put together and post a second set of pictures. Thanks for the input!


Found a smaller cap and a smaller leaf that fit in one of my 4 oz cups. Does this look better? Do I need holes all the way around the sides?


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## cold blood (Feb 19, 2022)

A 16oz deli cup is perfect for an Avic sling IMO.













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__ cold blood
__ Mar 1, 2017



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




But smaller cups can work fine as well.

Reactions: Like 1


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## The Grym Reaper (Feb 19, 2022)

16oz is fine, I house 1cm Aviculariinae slings in 32oz delis and have never had any problems with it.

Reactions: Like 1


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## ladyratri (Feb 24, 2022)

Ended up going with the 16oz container. Sling is actually almost an inch leg span. Unfortunately I think the substrate was too damp, and there's some condensation, but it is drying up nicely around all the vent holes.

As best I can tell, it has only laid a few strands of web so far, but it ate a cricket yesterday, and was very calm about changing out its water dish today. I wiped up some of the condensation while I had the top off to change water, hoping that helps make sure it isn't getting too swampy.

Reactions: Like 1


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