A purpurea spiderling set up questions

[Trinity]

My new avicularia purpurea baby is about an inch in leg span if that. Its currently in the container it arrived in, which is a plastic cylinder about 4.5 inches high and 2.25 inches in diameter. It has a plastic lid that I poked lots of holes in. There is about 2 inches maybe of a paper towel and some substrate at the bottom. Its made a small web at the top of this.

My questions are this.

It is okay to leave it in that until it gets bigger?
If I do so, should I use small cloth mesh or something instead of the plastic lid?

The alternative is a small critter keeper. It is approx. 5" long by 3.5" wide by 4.5 tall.

If I move it to this, should I have it on its side with an inch of substrate at the bottom (because of the way the lid opens)?

Would the spider be harmed if for some reason it fell from the top? Or does this an issue when terrestrials climb the glass?

Should I use it setting the regular way until the spider gets bigger?

I'd like something thats good for the spider, and also allows it to be gentley nudged out onto my hand.

My question may seem silly, but I'm not new. I've had an A. Avic for three years, but she wasnt this tiny when I got her. I'm just a way over protective spider mommy.

Could you post pics of things you might have set up? I may add pics to this when I get home from work. The 'ling is just so cute! Although, its still enough to strike fear into my husband, who insists its going to bite him!

Thanks!

 

[xanderTluv]

I keep all my spiderlings in those vials until they grow out of them! Then when they grow out of the vials I switch to baby food jars, and small condoment jars! I also have been using old spice jars! I fill it 3/4 's with peat and Im set! You don't have to worry to much about small speck spiderlings falling and hurting themselves in those vials! They are really light weight when they are just specks, Id avoid using rather tall jars when they grow outta the vials!
Hope this helps!

 

[L_mactans]

I've been using the Beanie Baby type set ups for my smaller avics. They come in so many sizes, that as they grow, they up-grade to the size they fit in best. I just drill various air holes around the home and glue a corkbark onto one side. They seem rather content in it, and have the whole area webbed up. The bottom has a basic potting soil/vermiculite mix that I keep moist (not wet). When they get too large I am going to have to give them more appropriate homes, but at 2" they are good in them.

Kelly (L_mac)

 

[xanderTluv]

Originally posted by L_mactans
I've been using the Beanie Baby type set ups for my smaller avics. They come in so many sizes, that as they grow, they up-grade to the size they fit in best. I just drill various air holes around the home and glue a corkbark onto one side. They seem rather content in it, and have the whole area webbed up. The bottom has a basic potting soil/vermiculite mix that I keep moist (not wet). When they get too large I am going to have to give them more appropriate homes, but at 2" they are good in them.

Kelly (L_mac)

Are these those acrylic display cases? I use alot of these too. At first just the tall ones, but I went to a store called stingers here localy and they have a large selection of sizes, from I'd say 9inx4inx4 rectangular, all the way up to one large enough to enclose T-blondi! They are rather nice and I'll be using these from now on for juvies to adults! Just a couple drill holes and your set!
Thanks Sean and Hazel! And Brandon for giving me the info! You guys rock!

 

[Lostkat]

I wouldn't put him in a small critter keeper. It's just too big for such a small spider. It's not because of the falling distance - I really wouldn't worry about a spider (especially an arboreal) that small falling such a short distance, they're pretty much bulletproof at that size. I've had Taps jump 4ft off my tall desk onto the floor with no damage. If you use a tank that big, your little avic will just hide in one corner. It's much better (in my opinion) to give them a smaller space, which they tend to make better use of and live in the whole container rather than up one corner. It's also easier for them to catch cricks.

Anyway, I know that food jars etc. don't look so fancy, but they really are best for your little avic. I keep my arboreal slings in a small clear perspex jar (which was supposed to be a pencil holder) whilst they're less than about 1.5". I drill very small holes around the bottom of the jar at around the same height of a substrate to help ventilate it and prevent mites & mould - it works extremely well (if you're wondering, those little white dots in the aren't mites, they're part of the peat mix ). I then secure a cut-up pair of tights over the top with an elastic band. I don't keep them too wet either. Humidity for avics is far too overstressed in my opinion, and ventilation is far more important. I never have condensation on the sides. Arboreals generally don't go down to the substrate at all, so I just keep it damp, which I find gives ample humidity.

This is a T. purpureus, but you get the idea. I used this for my A. purpurea before the tap went in there.

My avic is now in a clear perspex cup with holes drilled around the bottom and some cork bark to climb on. Again, tights secured with elastic bands provide a perfect, well ventilated lid.

As you can see by the amount of webbing... he's pretty happy in there. He's around 2.5" now. He's recently moulted and finally started to turn purple - he's now at an intermediate purpley green stage.

And another pic of him. These pics really don't do him justice at all. A. purpurea are stunning. I really must get some more of these.

Hope that gives you some ideas anyway. Like I said, it doesn't look too pretty, but it does the job and the avics, pokes and taps I've kept in this way are all going from strength to strength.

Oh and one final thing... I wouldn't recommend remove the webbing when they moult. I've found that my avics are happiest with as little disturbance to their homes as possible, and as much web as possible

 

[burnpile]

For the more budget minded of us , peanut butter containers work as good as acrylic display cases

 

[Lostkat]

Originally posted by burnpile
For the more budget minded of us , peanut butter containers work as good as acrylic display cases

Dolmeo jars are good too

 

[Bearskin10]

Hi Trinity, Glad to hear the T arrived safe and sound . As for housing, I would leave it in that vile for awhile, just make sure you take out the paper towel, other than that you could do something like lostkat shows in her pictures. Great species I know you will enjoy it. Greg

 

[Trinity]

Thanks Bearskin! After talking to you and getting no emails back from repitledepot, I really wasnt sure if I'd get him at all!

Here's a pic of what he came in and what we put him into. Its not the critter keeper I was talking about. I got this one for $1.50 yesterday at PetSmart and its actually for fish.

 

[Trinity]

Here's a pic of the little guy! On my husbands hand no less!

 

[Bearskin10]

Originally posted by Trinity
Thanks Bearskin! After talking to you and getting no emails back from repitledepot, I really wasnt sure if I'd get him at all!

? I don't know why after talking to me that you would be unsure of getting it, I told you after I got off the phone with them they said they sold the last one. I have dealt with them and trust them very much and was sure it was heading to you.

[/B][/QUOTE]Here's a pic of what he came in and what we put him into. Its not the critter keeper I was talking about. I got this one for $1.50 yesterday at PetSmart and its actually for fish. [/B][/QUOTE]
Those keepers work well for avics up to around 3" or so, I have a few of my avics. in them. There are also larger size enclosers just like them, I think there are 3 different sizes, the small (like you have) a large one and a jumbo one. Nice looking little guy, enjoy. Greg

 

[Trinity]

Originally posted by Bearskin10
? I don't know why after talking to me that you would be unsure of getting it, I told you after I got off the phone with them they said they sold the last one. I have dealt with them and trust them very much and was sure it was heading to you.

I was unsure because I had just ordered a couple hours earlier and you said they told you they sold the last one over the weekend (I ordered it on tuesday). Then I never got any email back from them telling me they got my order or that they were sending it. BUT it arrived only two days after I ordered it (thursday)! I was completely surprised! I had no worries, especially after talking to you. I would totally buy from them again, and I posted a good review in the online dealer forum!

 

[cricket54]

The 2 dealers I have bought from are very good about responding right away and I really appreciate when they do
that. Even if you e-mail them with questions they don't take very long to write me back (Swift's and Spidershoppe). I'm using perscription bottle vials myself. I work in a pharmacy and can gets lots of them. They are easy to put ventilation holes in.

Sharon

 

[St0n3y]

Old coffee jars or sweet jars make good homes for arboreal spiderlings and juveniles..