3 dead versicolor slings!

[Jonathan Rice]

I'm asking this on behalf of a friend of mine. He really doesn't have the time to learn how to work the boards. This past week he lost (3) 3/4" versicolors and I was asked the question, "why?" Could be any number of things I told him. Ventilation, humidity, temperature..

Here is what he told me, and here is what I know. The versicolors did not have adequate ventilation for approx. 2 weeks then had plenty of ventilation 2 weeks until their untimely deaths. They did not die all at once, one by one, about a few days apart. The room's temp is 80-85 degrees during the day and around 73-78 degrees at night and the air is purified using a sharper image A.P. 24-7. He mists 3 times a week and assures me the substrate is never dry and never wet, something in the middle.

My guess is, I have no guess. Any number of things could have led to their demise. They didn't die of dehydration. Possibly poor ventilation?

What do you think? I've never lost a versicolor, so I'm quite stumped!

 

[Dr Pies]

More than likely due to ventilation, but without being there it could be anything.
The joys of keeping avics...

 

[Sheazy]

2 weeks without adequate ventilation could have been long enough for mold or bacteria to form, possibly affecting the book lungs. I am no expert, but I will bet that would definitely have helped snuff out this already notoriously hard to keep (alive) species...since ventilation is a matter of literally life and death to them.

Sorry for his losses...

 

[Mina]

There is no one simple answer on this. It could have had something to do with the poor ventilation for a time, and it could not. It could have been a simple failure to thrive. Baby T's die sometimes for no reason that we can see at all. They were avics as well, and in my opinion and experience, they are harder to keep healthy as tiny ones.
Please express my condolences to your friend on his loss.

 

[KaineSoulblade]

He mists 3 times a week and assures me the substrate is never dry and never wet, something in the middle.

3 Times a week is not enough moisture. If you have proper ventilation in a avics enclosure all the misting should be evaporated in about 12 hours. He should be keeping the substrate just damp not saturated. That may only need to be misted lightly a few times a week. However avics drink from the web and enclosure walls. They dehydrate fast if you don't give them drops of water to drink. I mist the sides and drop a couple single drips in the web every morning and double check at night. Again do not mist the sides so heavily that they form large drops and run down into the substrate.

I have done this consistently with my avics and all avics in my care and none have died.

 

[Varden]

I mist my Avicularia only if they are potentially gravid females being induced to drop a sac. Otherwise, none of my Avicularia are misted, ever. The only Avicularia I've ever lost was due to a hungry cricket in the container when it was trying to molt, waaaaaay back in the beginning when I first started keeping Ts. Misting, in my experience, isn't necessary unless you don't give them a waterdish.

My guess would be ventilation and possibly temperature. We are coming into summer months. Is it possible temps could be getting above 85 where his Ts are? Perhaps they're cooking.

 

[KJE]

I think some people just take too good of care of their avics and mist them too much. Mine are kept with a small water dish. Even my slings only get a few drops of water once a week. I haven't lost any yet by using this method...knock on wood. I think mold plays a huge roll in the death of avics.

 

[lunixweb]

well, I guess all avics are pretty delicated to keep, I'm nervous 'cause yesterday arrived my first sling of avic versicolor and it is 1 cm. legspan I've never seen a sling of that size, but I think I must to keep an eye on it and extreme cares. ;P