Avicularia Avicularia died for no apparent reason

hennibbale

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 30, 2016
Messages
80
So today I check in on my tarantulas and after seeing that my GBB sling had molted I can't seem to find my Avicularia Avicularia in its enclosure. I look better and I see it on the ground, curled up. Tried to touch it with a brush. No reaction.

Humidity and temps were around 70-80% and 25°C in temp.

What happened?
 

Tarantula20

Arachnosquire
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Oct 19, 2014
Messages
93
Pictures would help, Did the enclosure have good cross ventilation, How large was your Avic?
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
Staff member
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Feb 22, 2013
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3,292
Poor ventilation kills avics more than anything else. Can we see the enclosure?
 

Tarantula20

Arachnosquire
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Oct 19, 2014
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93
So a little over 2 inchs is usually out of the danger zone but if the enclosure did not have good cross ventilation that was most likely the cause.

Pictures will definitely help.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
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Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
That's a standard European glass cube that I'm familiar with. So ventilation shouldn't be an issue. Initially it seemed maybe your T died of dehydration perhaps, but you have a water bowl. A death curl can result from other issues NOT related to dehydration, issues an owner wouldn't necessarily be aware or prevent. Also, not every T is going to make it to adulthood.

How often did you feed it?
 

Tarantula20

Arachnosquire
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Oct 19, 2014
Messages
93
There seems to be enough ventilation so it probably was something beyond your control, sorry for you loss man.
 

louise f

Arachnoangel
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Jul 8, 2012
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936
Sorry for your loss. :( I think i know the problem of the death, too bad ventilation in that enclosure, I`m affraid.
 

hennibbale

Arachnosquire
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Jun 30, 2016
Messages
80
I received it the 29th of July. I tried to feed it twice, both times it didn't want to.
 

Poec54

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Mar 26, 2013
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4,745
Avics are fairly hardy, within a narrow range of conditions. Outside of those, they're delicate. I think the problem was the cage had too much ventilation, especially on top, and there wasn't enough microclimate for a sling. Screen is not a good idea with tarantulas; terrestrials can rip right thru it, and with arboreals, it's often overused. An open top potentially exposes the spider to hot/cold vents, fumes, sprays, etc.

I put all my Avic slings in 16 oz deli cups, which aren't as artsy-fartsy as glass/plexiglass, but they're more practical, weigh less, and cost less. Much easier to get the ventilation right with plastic. The above cage is on the barren side and would be more arboreal-friendly with some plastic plants.

Also, ceramic water bowls look nice, but arboreals spray their feces all over, and invariably some will get in the water bowl, which you may or may not notice. If the water bowl is fouled at all, the spider may not drink from it, which can lead to dehydration. Water bowls in tall cages should be in the center of the cage, away from the sides. Even arboreals fall sometimes (leaping at prey, etc) and landing on a water bowl can split open an abdomen.
 
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