Avic Slings

[Fayt]

I have been a lurker on here for a wile now but I finally decided to join today and I must say this is an awsome site.

Anyway.
I am planing on purchessing my second Tarantula ( I currently have a G.Rosea lol what else ) after looking around I think I found a couple species that seem like that would be great. But sense I would be getting them as slings from botarby8s I'm kinda unsure on how to care for such small T's, they seem like they would be realliy fragile. The first genus that sounded promising were the Avics ,they sounded perfect for what I was looking for but, I heard that the slings are really delicate and can die for no reason, but everything else I have seen about them says they are not so, I am kinda confused:?

The Second was somthing from the Poecilothereia genus, after reading about them on this forum it sounds like they are not the Monters that all the books I have read make them out to be.I do not plan on handling it so I am not to worried but I do not want somthing that threatens to bite everytime I open the tank for some reason or another ( moving to larger tank etc) but any added points about heat and humidity for adults and slings would help me alot :worship:

I have tried to read all the articals on here that sounded like they would answer but I could not find any that answered the quistions I had for these particular species. But I did not look at any post farther back than the first page in this topic but if there are already a million threads about these T I apologize.

thanks:worship: :worship:

 

[Brian S]

If you want a strong spider go with the Poke. Avic slings are delicate and even experienced keepers have them die for no reason.

 

[Talkenlate04]

I agree, I have kept plenty of Ts and the ones that still make me nervous are avic slings. One day they are fine the next dead and I am left scratching my head. I am better with them now but still have the once in a while death.
Pokies are defensive yes but they dont try to bite your arm off if you are adding water and food....... they might throw a threat display or run (which the do quite well I might add) But just like any other T they are awesome. And Pokies are fun the setup is more fun the feeding can be fun I love them..... BUt not as much as I love brachys just had to make that clear.

 

[8legs2shave]

My second and third T's were both avic slings, an A versicolor and an A avic. They were tiny and I figured they would die just because of all the horror stories. My friend told me to make sure I used tons of vent holes on the enclosures. They did fine and are healthy juvs now. I think an A. avic sling would be a safe start..good luck with whatever you decide to get.

 

[Alice]

if you are not nervous around ts with relatively strong poison and a LOT of speed, go for a pokie. they are hardy and fun, but i must admit that i would have been really uncomfortable moving one of them that early in my t-carreer. avic slings are not as bad as they're reputation, and they are gorgeous. i've never lost a single one - keep them on the drier side with a lot of ventilation and mist them at least twice a week. but with enough ventilation that the tank will be completely dry before you mist again. i keep mine that way and they all thrive.

 

[Fayt]

Thanks for the help After reading your replys , they sound like they would both be awsome SO I am still unsure. But the pros of each species sound like the they out weigh the cons and both sound like what I am looking for so.....I thought about getting both but I am still considering the pokie but, they sound pretty cool. Even though the pokie slings are a higher price I think it will be worht it, I want to have any spider I chose for a long time to so I do not want it to keel over on me as a baby. But what Poecilotheria should I chose? they all are excedingly beutiful so it is kinda hard to decide:? any suggestions?I Also wanted to make a planted vivariam for the pokie with one of those new tall exo-terra tanks when it gets big enough but, I am worried about putting a light on the tank since the plants would need that, but don't most spiders abhore light? It seems like aboreal tarantulas would be exposed to dapled sun light so I thought that it would not bother it to much (?). As for the Avic sp I think a humble Avic, avic would be nice, I just do not want the little guy to die at such a early age.

I have one more quistion lol. How would I care for such small spiders? what would I keep them in? Everything I have read says that small viles or "deli" cups work well and to move them to jars as the get larger, but it seems like those little cantainers would not be very stable in the way of humidity and air flow but, I am probably wrong And what I feed such small little guys? I have heard flightless fruit flys work but were would I find such things?

Sorry for the long post. I am still new at this. I just want to make sure I do everything right

 

[Mushroom Spore]

If you're thinking of getting a pokie, you need to be sure to read some bite reports first: http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/forumdisplay.php?f=16

 

[wicked]

I use these for my little avics.
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showpost.php?p=643069&postcount=1

I put a row of holes around the bottom, a row of holes around the top and lots in the lid.

I love avics and have had good luck with them.

 

[scottyk]

I also bucked the trend with Avics, having purchased an A. avic sling as one of my first attempts at raising baby T's. I've had her at about 8 months now and she's doing great. I'd be a bit hesitant to start out with a Pokie until I was more experienced with fast T's.

I'm working my way up slowly, and am now raising some P.murinus and P. cambridgei slings. The Chrevrons have already surprised me a few times with thier speed, including one launching itself out of its shipping vial the second I cracked the lid!

Pokies will be next, after I get some more time with arboreals under my belt. I may even go with a P. irminia as a next step before I do...

 

[scottyk]

I use these for my little avics.
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showpost.php?p=643069&postcount=1

I put a row of holes around the bottom, a row of holes around the top and lots in the lid.

I love avics and have had good luck with them.

I don't know if it's coincidence, or beginners luck on my part, but I used the exact same cube with a few less holes to successfully raise my avic. The only other difference was I used a piece of cork bark instead of the flower. They did seem to stay airy but humid, and I never had any problems with mold or fungus. I'd add a second vote for these containers..

 

[Fayt]

Those cantainers sound great, were could I find them, Sporting goods stores?. As for the pokie, I think you are right about waiting tell I have had my fair shair of the more docile species mabye a A, Versicolor instead.

But I would love to get a pokie at some point, mabye once I have more experiance under my belt

Would the Avics work in the vivariam I plan on doing? or would I be better just using fake plants?

 

[scottyk]

Craft stores like Micheals have them for about $2 apiece, which is another reason to use them. I have them in several sizes which is great for moving them up as they grow.

I would think an Avic is a perfect species for a natural vivarium setup. The live plants and deeper soil will help with their humidity requirements. You need to get it up closer to adult size first though...

 

[Fayt]

Yeah that is what I was planing to do. $2 apiece awsome, those sound like they would work perfectly Mabye I will go pick those up tommorrow

how would I make holes without cracking the plastic?

 

[Midnightrdr456]

the only problem i see with your vivarium idea, is that avics dont get very large, 5" roughly as the top size, so an exoterra is a little bit big for them. But they are gorgeous T's possibly my favorite. I have a litte 2" Veriscolor that I love.

 

[scottyk]

how would I make holes without cracking the plastic?

I drill them, but the trick is to do it "gently". Don't apply any real pressure, and let the bit cut it's way through. At $2 apiece, it's probably worth it to buy an extra pair in case you make a mistake on the first one...

I believe some folks also use hot nails or soldering irons to melt holes. I have no experience with this other than to recommend you do it outside due to the fumes from the melting plastic.

 

[funnylori]

I use ferro rocher candy boxes for a lot of my slings. Its the same sort of idea, except you get to eat all of the candy out of them first.

As for the slings, I have an Avicularia avicularia, purpurea, and versicolor, as well as a Poecilothereia regalis. They are all slings. I started with Avicularia purpurea as my first sling ever, and it is a year later and went from smaller than my thumbnail to about 2-3 inches legspan. My P. regalis sling was a bit larger and seems to be doing just dandy. It is like lightning, blink - gone, just something to watch out for. I worry over my tinyest slings like crazy though. I got a Brachypelma smithi and albopilosum and they seem to be slightly less delicate than the Avics, and they make cool burrows. But, honestly I am in love with the arboreal tube webs the Avics make.

 

[Fayt]

Thanks for the help

Now that you mention it funnylori, I did not think about getting another terrestrial T but I think I will look into more of them to lol.

Thanks again for all your help, I really appreciate it

 

[ScorpionFanatic]

I use these for my little avics.
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showpost.php?p=643069&postcount=1

I put a row of holes around the bottom, a row of holes around the top and lots in the lid.

I love avics and have had good luck with them.

Here is a few pics up my A. avicularia enclosure. Mind you this is for a sling and I as of yet have not found small enough fake plants to fit it as it is roughly 1.5"T x 3"W it was a toothpick holder to begin with that I found at "Albertsons". But it's a basic idea if you have a small sling like mine. I do agree to even an adult avic though the Exo's are a bit large and open for such T.

 

[scottyk]

Here is a few pics up my A. avicularia enclosure. Mind you this is for a sling and I as of yet have not found small enough fake plants to fit it as it is roughly 1.5"T x 3"W it was a toothpick holder to begin with that I found at "Albertsons". But it's a basic idea if you have a small sling like mine. I do agree to even an adult avic though the Exo's are a bit large and open for such T.

I have a few at that size as well. Interesting twist using it upside down like that. Have you seen an advantage to that?

 

[ScorpionFanatic]

If I somehow manage to startle the T while feeding, it will being arboreal tend to run to the highest point it can find. This way I lift the top, place a cricket in the bottom and the T doesn't rush out.