4th avic sling dead curled

archieph

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jan 6, 2011
Messages
115
omg.. another avicularia dead... it's my fourth death... my huriana, amazonas, geroldi, now my spec purple!!!!!!! what's going on!!!!!!!! they js die, yesterday it was ok, even fed it... i'm so depressed!!!! what's going on?!!!! others are doing fine with exactly the same conditions and treatment.... omg!!!!!
 

tarantulagirl10

Arachnobaron
Joined
Oct 15, 2010
Messages
537
Maybe if you could post pictures of their enclosures and describe how you are keeping them someone could help you a little more. So sorry for your loss. I have heard that small avics are sometimes hard to keep although (knock on wood) I've had my little ones for 4 months so far and they are doing well. I do worry about my avic slings more than my others because of this.
 

Midknight xrs

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
May 25, 2010
Messages
132
that one looks like it's in the avic scrunch more then the death curl. does it smell?
 

jbm150

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 18, 2009
Messages
1,650
I'm sorry for your losses, thats tough. But I gotta say, you might look at some of your husbandry practices. In another thread, you said you were feeding a sling honeybees (of all things!) the day after it molted and now concerned about it. Not to say its all related but if you're feeding wildcaught prey, especially those that can defend themselves, that might be something to consider not doing. With slings especially, Its all about minimizing the risks to give them the best possible chance of surviving to adulthood.
 

Zman181

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jun 5, 2010
Messages
258
So sorry for your loss :( Where are you getting your water from? Do you have any other pets in your home? Has the spray bottle you have been using ever been used for anything else before?
 

Suidakkra

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Messages
146
Hmm, what are the temps you are keeping them in? Also are you providing enough ventilation, cannot tell from the pic but it looks like you barely have ventilation on the sides of your enclosures. Avics need lots of ventilation.

And like Zman181 asked, have you checked for cross contamination, has anything been sprayed in our around the area you keep them (Hairspray, Lysol, etc)? It doesnt have to be near them, if sprayed in a neighboring room it could circulate to the T room.

Also, try to refrain from feeding wild caught prey. There are tons of nematodes, mites , pesticides and other contaminates that could easily kill a vulnerable sling.

Just some ideas to check for.
 

archieph

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jan 6, 2011
Messages
115
answers..

at day its about maybe 80-100 farenheit.. at night can drop to 60 faranheit lowest.. my ventilation is ok, i think.. as for the sprayer.. it's new.. even use bottled water to load it.. mites im not sure.. havent seen one, will keep that in mind when checking them.. my other avics in my picture thread are doing great with the same conditions.. i guess <edit> does happen.. wish they were given to me free hehe.. i realy think there are weak slings that comes with hundreds of them in a sac.. what you say of that? i mist them every 2 days

 
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Zman181

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jun 5, 2010
Messages
258
Everything sounds ok. How often have they been eating what have they been eating?
 

archieph

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jan 6, 2011
Messages
115
eating..

been js giving them lats.. this one has been feeding maybe twice a week before it went like this been with me for only a month.. but my other babies are doing great with the same feeding.. i usually js put and put until it wont take its prey, only time i stop.. also when i see nearing a molt, dark coloration and webbing.. sucks..
 

crawley07

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 27, 2010
Messages
38
y would u do that

If ur gona keep pets. At least buy their food don't catch it from the wild u broke dude
 

archieph

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jan 6, 2011
Messages
115
haha

who says i got honeybees from wild.. they are from my hive brother from another mother ;P
 

captmarga

Arachnobaron
Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
339
Not trying to stir up anything... but unless a hive of bees is kept in a jar, they have access to outside. There is a suspected virus killing bees - try googling it. Now, I don't know enough about bees to know if a bee virus could be zoonotic - ie, it can transfer to other animals OTHER than bees, but things like this are what cause various diseases to spread. The disease mutates, spreads to a previous unaffected species, etc.

THE SAME could happen with any other feeder animal - crickets, worms, roaches, etc. But bees aren't normal feeders that we know of.

Just FYI. What you feed your Ts is your business. I am just sharing a fact.

Good luck with your babies. I lost a little Avic earlier this winter. Fine one day, about to molt, dead in it's cube the next. I understand it does happen with Avicularia slings.

Marga
 

archieph

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jan 6, 2011
Messages
115
yeah..

thanks you, i appreciate ur thoughts.. good to know, but bad, that its not my complete failure to lose something so beautiful.. i strongly believe there are weak slings in an egg sac,, well for avics especially.. worst news is that slings aren't free.. :barf:
 

Poxicator

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 16, 2007
Messages
354
Some things to consider:
  • Try feeding moths, crickets, locusts, not too many at once, infact I prefer one food item per feed the same size as the abdomen. I'd avoid bees completely.
  • Avics are arboreal, provide some twigs or plastic plants for them to attach their webbing to, they don't do well on just substrate.
  • Make sure there's plenty of ventilation, you could replace the lid with fine netting - the holes should also be on substrate level to encourage air flow.
  • Provide a large tub, I don't find they survive well in small enclosures.
  • Keep the substrate slightly off dry, wetting perhaps once a week but don't keep it permanently wet. Certain species do much better on dry substrates than wet and it seems the Peruvian ones do well despite coming from rather moist environments.

This is how Ive adapted my keeping of Avics. Ive lost loads and I'd consider them the most fragile of tarantula but changing to the husbandry above and shown success.
 

archieph

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jan 6, 2011
Messages
115
much appreciated!!!

thanks you my good neighbor :cool:

---------- Post added 01-12-2011 at 12:08 AM ---------- Previous post was 01-11-2011 at 11:19 PM ----------

your reply to my post has made my little critters very happy!!!! here are pictures of wat i did (to all my avic slings) instantly after reading ur post.. i have a couple of questions.. if avics are among the fragile kinds to keep, y then are they always in best BEGINNER ts list??? also in most sites ive read, they say constant misting is required.. i mist mine almost everyday.. u think that's one reason they die, too much misting? i lost my geroldi.. amazonas... huriana... spec purple... haayz may u all rest in peace.. and hopefully that will be my last death.. will purchase more avics this year.. my collection set back again.. another question my friend.. wat are the avics? i mean maybe some have different names but in reality are just the same









---------- Post added at 12:27 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:08 AM ----------

for some strange reason... and i'm serious.. after the ts consume a bee.. its colors light up.. the colors really come out..
 

Poxicator

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 16, 2007
Messages
354
I'd be a little concerned about the size of your holes as it may allow your feeders to get out. Bees has a sting, I certainly would avoid anything that poses a threat to my slings.

Avics are often considered great beginners species. I think its a bad choice and we even have the phrase SAD (sudden avic death) roaming around some forums. They're considered a good starter because they'll willing walk on you, they're rather "fluffy" and often quite colourful. But, they're very susceptible in captivity, they don't do well in small enclosures, they don't do well in permanently damp enclosures, they don't do well if they have no furnishings on which to web, etc. Not even adults settle well on rehoming.
Its good that you've changed, I hope it proves right and I hope that you have more success. Keep the misting down to slight droplets on the web, just off dry on the substrate.
Avics come from all over South America, from Brazil, Peru, Guyana and out to the Islands of Martinique, Dominica and Isla Margarita. Out of the 30+ hobby species only about 6 have a properly ID. The rest are provided names based mostly on their location. Whilts its not apparent whether these are all different species its obvious there are differences between many of them. Its rather a minefield but its being worked on at the moment, just don't expect to see too much soon.
If you want a more detailed insight into the Avic Genus I strongly suggest a read of this thread: http://www.the-t-store.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=8120&st=0
 

Midknight xrs

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
May 25, 2010
Messages
132
Do you know if they are still spraying for dengue or malaria over there? I would say that those bees could easily be exposed to those pesticides, if they still spray for it.
 

archieph

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jan 6, 2011
Messages
115
nope

not in my province sir.. possible pesticides.. but if ever very minimal...

---------- Post added at 02:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:30 PM ----------

factors that may have caused it:

too wet
lack of ventilation
weak sling to begin with
avics js die
not enough space
possible disease
 
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