Avicularia avicularia slipping

[Ijusswannaspiderr]

I have had the juvenille t since Sunday. I learned from this site that slipping from the sides of the enclosure is a sign of premolt, my concern is this: the t is using the cork bark and foliage to climb to the top corners of the acrylic enclosure- where there is no foliage- but begins to slip. I prevented one disastrous fall by placing a spoon beneath it and catching it. I know it is an arboreal species, but a fall of 14" would no doubt be fatal.

What do I do? Would misting the sides provide more traction?

I understand that this is probably an annoying question, but I didn't encounter arboreals falling from the top of their enclosures in my research. Please help.

Pictures of the enclosure are below.

 

[EtienneN]

The enclosure looks good. Arboreals wear down the pads on their feet, called the scopulae pads when nearing a moult. Now ordinarily, this shouldn’t present a problem because nine times out of ten they either just don’t climb when this happens or they manage not to take a header onto the floor.
Does your spider have a web? Could be it’s looking for a drink without having crawl down to the water dish? If I were you I would try spraying some light squirts of water ‘up high’ to give it a varied drinking opportunity. This is particularly important in the days leading up to a moult as water retention is necessary to successfully complete the moulting process.
EDIT/ I wanted to also point out that you could roll up something soft like a thick wad of paper towels and gently place them under the spot the spider is slipping at and that should be enough of a cushion to prevent serious injury. This method of fall prevention is sometimes used during ‘particularly precarious’ moults of arboreal Ts, so they don’t roll out of their web hammocks and fall to their deaths.

 

[Ijusswannaspiderr]

The enclosure looks good. Arboreals wear down the pads on their feet, called the scopulae pads when nearing a moult. Now ordinarily, this shouldn’t present a problem because nine times out of ten they either just don’t climb when this happens or they manage not to take a header onto the floor.
Does your spider have a web? Could be it’s looking for a drink without having crawl down to the water dish? If I were you I would try spraying some light squirts of water ‘up high’ to give it a varied drinking opportunity. This is particularly important in the days leading up to a moult as water retention is necessary to successfully complete the moulting process.

Thank you. I appreciate the prompt reply.

It is definitely trying to climb as high as possible despite the significant wear of its foot pads. If I had not caught it earlier, it would have fallen the entire 14".

It has not made a web. It has also refused all offered food.

It was in the water dish on the ground earlier today while struggling to climb the acrylic. I will spray the foliage near the top just in case. I also added more foliage near the top to give it more to climb on to prevent the chances of a fall.

Oh, that's a great idea! I will add paper towels right now.

Thank you so much.

 

[viper69]

There's nothing you can do to prevent climbing.

FYI water makes things slippery.

I know it is an arboreal species, but a fall of 14" would no doubt be fatal.

For Avics-no... They do jump you know. I had one take a dive once on purpose, and it dropped about 5 feet. It survived no problem.

 

[Ijusswannaspiderr]

There's nothing you can do to prevent climbing.

FYI water makes things slippery.

Okay, thank you

 

[Vanessa]

Wow, nice setup. A++

 

[Angelala]

@OP Can I ask where you got that enclosure?

 

[Demonclaws]

@OP Can I ask where you got that enclosure?

Looks like Jamie's.

 

[ShyDragoness]

just saying.. beautiful set up my man!

 

[Ijusswannaspiderr]

@OP Can I ask where you got that enclosure?

So sorry for the late reply, I missed a couple messages somehow. It is indeed a Jamie's enclosure.

 

[RezonantVoid]

I never thought id see a newcomer nail an avic setup as good as this when most newcomers seem to house then terrestrially or without sufficient ventilation. Excellent job!

 

[Craig73]

I was all happy to see this thread and then realized it’s almost a year old.

Totally can relate, I have an arboreal sling that literally looks like it’s base jumping every time it slips from the top. It’s webbed a hammock below so at least it’s got some smarts to not face plant on the sub. Six falls and counting. Hard not to notice when it’s right above the desk.

 

[Ijusswannaspiderr]

I was all happy to see this thread and then realized it’s almost a year old.

Totally can relate, I have an arboreal sling that literally looks like it’s base jumping every time it slips from the top. It’s webbed a hammock below so at least it’s got some smarts to not face plant on the sub. Six falls and counting. Hard not to notice when it’s right above the desk.

still getting its sea legs yeah for me it was my first T, so I had a mini meltdown every time it fell haha

 

[Craig73]

Yes it is. After the 3rd fall I was like whatever floats your boat little man. More focus on molting and less on shenanigans would be nice.

 

[Ijusswannaspiderr]

More focus on molting and less on shenanigans would be nice.

Play time's over let's see those new threads