A. Avic my first arboreal

[Haksilence]

I never would have imagined that people's feelings would be hurt so much from a simple discussion. The elitism is astounding.

 

[viper69]

This tells him how to feed crickets...I thought it pretty obvious that there should be sub in the lid, as its now the base.

He asked about cleaning and feeding, I told him more about part that gets asked about the most on inverted setups. I'd think if one can figure that out, they can realize how to clean it. If not, they have issues hahahah

 

[cold blood]

If posters don't want to clarify what they mean when they give advice, then they probably shouldn't get offended (if any taken) when other users don't understand what they are trying to illustrate.

A picture would work well to explain this to those of us who are having trouble imagining how it works better to invert a container that would then have a shallower, narrower base than it would if used the way it was intended to.

The "my experiences trump yours" attitude that is coming across from some people on discussions around here since I returned is really not something I'm enjoying seeing, and it seems worse than when I was an active poster previously. I don't feel that sort of attitude contributes to dialogue that helps new or seasoned keepers. Questioning is how we learn, after all.

The worst teachers are those that only lecture

You do realize I was talking about the experiences of many OTHER people, right? I have no experience with inverted enclosures, I was just trying to help clarify something that was misunderstood.

 

[cold blood]

The elitism is actually imagined.

 

[viper69]

I never would have imagined that people's feelings would be hurt so much from a simple discussion. The elitism is astounding.

There's no elitism here IMO, just people with more experience than you providing information for what has worked for them for Avic husbandry. It doesn't mean their feelings are hurt if people disagree. We are all adults here, though some people don't act like one, I'm not referring to you.

because I have eyes.

This made me laugh, I guess Poec, Cold Blood and myself forgot to mention we are all blind It doesn't matter if you have eyes, Ts can move faster than you, case closed. So when you are screwing that cap down, and not all the way mind you, is it POSSIBLE your T might get its leg/s damaged in a race to the top.. MAYBE, MAYBE NOT. All we were pointing out is the reason/s we don't like to use screw on caps. It doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't use them Johnny Dangerous

we are talking about a quarter inch of sub that will go everywhere every time you feed and get in the way of the threading. I respect everyone's experience since I'm fairly new to tarantula keeping. But as an engineer this concept actually made me laugh

I think in this case your engineering background is not serving you, and experience would be better. I've used this inverted method with some sub and never had it go all over the place. Also, if you are concerned about the sub, don't put it in the cap, I've done that as well. The T won't care either way IME.

I'll just live on the edge and toss and turn at night with the thought that the tarantula might get his leg pinched in the lid.

Have fun Johny Dangerous, these are wonderful animals to observe!

 

[Rogerpoco]

I am left-handed as heck. I play guitar right handed,not amazing,but certainly competent.
You may use a riding mower with great success,but your neighbor may insist on a pushmower to get it right.
You may take a second job for T money,I may bum it from my neighbor. Prolly shouldn't,he doesn't like that...(kidding).

Point is-I'm all for listening to/believing/respecting experience. But we are all different,and as long as the basic requirements are met,anyone that says they know the only way to do any one thing is being closed minded.

TOTALLY understand the worry about catching a leg in a screw top. I'm pretty careful about how much time I open them anyway,but I use(silly,I know)twist ties,little poking devices,haha,to make sure that they are clear of the lids. If in premolt and habitating in the lid,I get water in through a vent hole,nbd.
I have 28 in screw top containers,and understand that others have many,many more,wouldn't have time for this.
Caution and preperation are everything-if you make the thing you are doing(i.e.,screwing on a screw-top)the only thing in the world that matters at that moment,you seriously decrease your chances of screwing up.
Not enough people keep T's. Hate seeing that some that do don't seem to like each other very much.

 

[viper69]

That didn't say anything about substrate. Do you just put none in there at all? What about a water dish? Is the corkbark or whatever you use glued to the inside? Wouldn't it be top-heavy and tip over?

I want to see a picture of what you're talking about because frankly, I don't see how that is better for the tarantula or easier for the keeper.

I don't see myself doing it because I do not like being forced to hold the enclosure while doing feeding or maintenance, because that is how every single tarantula has ended up on me - I had one hand on the enclosure and they ran out of the enclosure and onto me. Now I get that it's not really a big deal for an Avic to crawl on you, but I personally prefer to avoid that to begin with, because I'd rather just avoid a spider-in-the-shirt or "I've been bit" scenario altogether.

I've never had a spider get a leg caught in a screw-on lid in the, oh, thousand or so times I've screwed those lids back on. And it's not as if a leg can't get caught in every lid, ever. All lids close, which means all lids have a chance for a spider to get in your way while you are shutting it. That just seems like a really nitpicky thing to be concerned about.

If you don't like these Mainstay enclosures, don't use them, but there really is no point in arguing against something that has worked for countless tarantula keepers so far simply because YOU don't like it. Can you propose a readily available (e.g. I can get it locally, no shipping costs) alternative that costs $3 and takes up the same amount of space? Maybe you are rich and can spend any amount of money you want on tarantulas, but there's a lot of keepers out there who are making due with what they have. I could buy the more expensive cubed whatevers, but I choose not to, because I have other hobbies I'd like to spend money on too, and frankly, I honestly do not think the tarantulas care at all if their enclosure is square, round, or triangle, so long as they have access to food, water, shelter, adequate airflow, room to molt, and aren't freezing or roasting.

I'll address some of your questions with my limited time, particularly because I raised the inverted container suggestion. I will not copy and paste your questions, so you'll have to follow along, which I KNOW you can do.

1. I don't have time to take and post pics all that much, wish I did. The inverted idea I find is much better for dedicated arboreal Ts (eg Avics) because they spend their time at the top in tubes/canopies NOT at the bottom. If your Avic is hanging out at the bottom, something is wrong. It's easier because I place a cricket at the bottom and like magic the various Avic species and localities I own come down and eat, and I didn't have to disturb them or their webbing. Don't get me wrong, if you tear apart their web because the lid's on the top it won't "bother" them per se, they spin web like bees make honey.

Inverted-- With the OPs type of container, I generally put nothing in the cap, but the water dish. I have put substrate, but found it useless for my Avics in such a container as the OPs. The corkbark I used was not glued, I cut all my corkbark to fit the containers. It's slightly top heavy because the base is only the lid. However, in my care there was no way for it to tip over. Alternatively, one could put supports around the container's "bottom"

2. Do what works for you!

3. I tend to be nitpicky with exotic luxury pets, and Ts are a luxury item when it comes to live. Regarding lids, yes, Ts can get crunched in ANY lid. Personally, I have found it much easier to look for Ts legs at only 3 sides (square lid closing down or square lid moving up on an inverted), than 4 sides with a round screw-on lid. I had an adult Avic rush up cork bark and almost get 2 legs between the lid and screw-cap. I've never had this issue with an inverted setup because they like to remain at the top! In the end refer to Answer 2!

4. I personally cannot recommend what is available to you or anyone else locally, one would have to be crazy to think that another person would know your locality, or have the time do so. Feel free to map out all the container/hobby/plastic selling stores in the country, and I BET you get 6 months of Arachnosupporter level for such work! I'm not rich either, I spend my money carefully and limit my hobbies so I can provide for the exotic pets in my care. I do not think for a second that AMAC boxes or anything else for that matter is the best solution. I use AMAC boxes because they are crystal clear, that's all. I also use Thorton vials, I find them invaluable for small slings!

You are absolutely correct the Ts don't care per se.

 

[Haksilence]

There's no elitism here IMO, just people with more experience than you providing information for what has worked for them for Avic husbandry. It doesn't mean their feelings are hurt if people disagree. We are all adults here, though some people don't act like one, I'm not referring to you.



This made me laugh, I guess Poec, Cold Blood and myself forgot to mention we are all blind It doesn't matter if you have eyes, Ts can move faster than you, case closed. So when you are screwing that cap down, and not all the way mind you, is it POSSIBLE your T might get its leg/s damaged in a race to the top.. MAYBE, MAYBE NOT. All we were pointing out is the reason/s we don't like to use screw on caps. It doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't use them Johnny Dangerous



I think in this case your engineering background is not serving you, and experience would be better. I've used this inverted method with some sub and never had it go all over the place. Also, if you are concerned about the sub, don't put it in the cap, I've done that as well. The T won't care either way IME.



Have fun Johny Dangerous, these are wonderful animals to observe!

I understand all of the worries of folks but all In all just seems impractical. I'm not saying it doesn't work, not saying its not better. Just saying in my opinion, the concept seems more trouble than it's worth.

How do you leave the climbing material in place without it falling through the gigantic hole in the bottom?

It just seems like overkill for the CHANCE that it's leg MIGHT get pinched

I never meant to offend anyone, but someone being willing to go as far as blocking an individual because there wasn't 100% agreement seems like elitism or feelings hurt. I apologize if this isn't the case.

 

[viper69]

I understand all of the worries of folks but all In all just seems impractical. I'm not saying it doesn't work, not saying its not better. Just saying in my opinion, the concept seems more trouble than it's worth.

How do you leave the climbing material in place without it falling through the gigantic hole in the bottom?

It just seems like overkill for the CHANCE that it's leg MIGHT get pinched

I never meant to offend anyone, but someone being willing to go as far as blocking an individual because there wasn't 100% agreement seems like elitism or feelings hurt. I apologize if this isn't the case.

Like I wrote to BugMom, See#2 in my post you quoted

It depends on how I designed it, I do a few things, drill holes in the top, and stick plastic leaves (made for herps) through the holes and hot glue them to the container ceiling. I also hot glue cork bark to the ceiling as well. In short everything is suspended/attached to something somehow. I have done a few where the cork bark itself was cut to size and didn't require any physical attachment. I did that for EXACTLY the same container you posted in your thread.

I can see why one would view it as overkill. I'm the type of person that doesn't take chances at all when it comes to Ts and my other exotics, they are sneaky, patient, and creative. Aside from that, a damaged leg could potentially lead to a T bleeding to death. While they have mechanisms to prevent this, it's not a guarantee that a damaged leg won't lead to more harm than good.

I have no knowledge of people blocking others.

In the end do what works for you. The main reason a few of us provided you input is because you appear new to the hobby, and those of us on the board for a while see so many stories of dead Avics. We aren't providing advice because we think you are incapable, in point of fact we have no idea if you are capable or not of raising this Avic to adulthood, however, we took some time out of our day to provide some input. Take it or leave it, it's up to you. All that matter is that your T thrives, nothing more in the end.

Enjoy your T!

 

[cold blood]

@Haksilence I've still been posting, were you actually blocked, I wouldn't see anything to respond to

The inverted thing isn't for me either, but that doesn't mean it isn't a valid way to keep them or that it won't work out great for some people, its just another option.

 

[Psychocircus91]

There's more than one way to skin a cat. That being said, top opening enclosures certainly can be disruptive to arboreal tarantulas. While these pets may be cheap, they are still living creatures, and we have a responsibility to provide optimal care. Sometimes the cheapest/easiest option is not the best option.