Nightstalker47

Arachnoking
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
2,612
Ahhh...you're close, but waaaay off, as Homer Simpson would say...lol.

First, it is a GBB adult female. Secondly, it was a pic sent to me by a local keeper in panic...I saved the pic to use as an educational tool. I've never lost any t to a feeder personally, but I don't leave that to chance.
Avics are literally the only general I don't worry about due to the reasons I listed.

btw, I didn't think you were being condescending, I just couldn't figure out what you meant....but I get the misunderstanding now.
All makes sense now lol. My bad for the mixup.
 

Wendymacca

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 7, 2018
Messages
14
this thread will go over what beginners and vets alike should be providing their Avicularia. i find it quite sad that so many Avics are subject to low vent cages and doomed to die. even experienced keepers can have difficulty with them. anyway, there are a few main concepts to keeping Avics that should always be considered.
1) ventilation- this is the key to keeping avicularia. they will die in a low vent cage, period. for slings and younger spiders that still fit in 16 and 32oz deli cups, i like to put 3 rows around the upper side, a total of about 60 small holes. my lids are also well vented but that is unnecessary. there is a thing such as too much ventilation. this will cause dishes to dry out ridiculously quick and just results in more maintenance to be done of your part. as they grow i like to put them into either exo tera nanos or tall plastic tubs from walmart. same kind of vent set up if you have a cage you have to put the vent in yourself. exo tera do have screens that can be replaced with acrylic. personally, i use them with no issue for my arboreals, but replacing them completely is your best bet. you can try putting tape around the edges on the bottom of the lid, about 2" or so. this is meant to discourage climbing on the underside of the lid.

2) humidity/water dishes- this is where avic care gets a little complicated, and opinions begin to differ. when Avicularia were new to the hobby, people kept them very humid. unfortunately, this was usually in a low vented cage. the spider soon passed and SADS(sudden avic death syndrome) was born! IME, Avics dont really give a poop whether their in a jungle or a desert, as long as they have constant access to water. i have kept and raised Avicularia dry and wet and as long as vent was high, they did fine. i personally keep all mine mainly dry with a dish. ive noticed no significant difference keeping them moist. as for water dishes, the only dispute is whether the dish should be on the ground or elevated or if it even matters. ive used elevated dishes in the past in tighter cages so theyre easier to access, but never tried them with Avicularia. i imagine theyd work fine but can be a pain to initially set up, not to mention making sure they dont fall in time. i keep mine on the ground and will continue to until i notice a advantage in elevating them. when Avicularia molt, they usually do so in a web nest high up in the cage, generally all entrances and exits are sealed off with webbing. now, this is where some could argue about the water dishes, i like to lightly mist my avics every other day or so until they begin eating. i do this to ensure they have access to water i their weakened state. last thing i want is for a recently molted avics to die because it couldnt manage to reach its dish. obviously a elevated dish would render my misting useless, right? well, maybe. i think if a avic cant climb down its cage to the dish, it cant climb over to the dish. misting just ensures it gets water and you get to avoid the hassle of setting up a elevated dish. just my 2 cents. mind you, misting can be avoided entirely, its just something that helps my peace of mind.

3) Setup- now that youve got vent and humidity down, youre at the fun part. this is where you get to decide how the overall setup will look and eventually how the spiders web will spread. you want lots of anchor points high up to provide plenty of options for the pinktoe to attach their webs to. this just overall lets them feel more secure overall. plastic plants work well for this, ive also used sphagnum moss for anchor points for smaller spiders. i use hot glue to attach the plants to the sides of the cage and/or the cork bark. cork bark looks great and avics will sometimes adopt their hide around it. (assuming its leaned against the side or back of the cage.) ive had success with cork rounds as well. i like to use deli cups, exo teras, and amac boxes for my avics.

4) feeding- now this is more for the beginner hobbyist, as most experienced keepers know how to feed arboreals. hint hint, theres no secret. :) just throw that sucker in and watch the fun. it might be tempting to tong feed your avic, as in holding the prey item in your tongs and dangling it by the spider and letting it touch it. i very strongly advise against this is you do not have tongs with soft tips at the end. i dont feel safe tong feeding unless its with tongs with a very thick covering at the end. i dont like to use superworms or mealworms for avics for this reason. they will tunnel at the bottom and your avic will miss them. now, if your avic has extensive webbing in its cage, as a comfortable avic should, you can simply crush the prey itmes head and drop near the avic. itll take it when it wants. as for slings, ive noticed they are some of the pickiest eaters ive ever owned, this can be very discouraging and stressful for beginners and experienced keepers alike. ive had success feeding them smaller meals more often, rather than large meal once or twice a week like i normally do. you can tell when theyre hungry as theyre go into a sort of hunting posture, facing down with their legs sprayed in front. or perhaps sticking their pink toes out of their web labyrinth if theyre feeling a bit shy. as slings, i feed 2-5 times a week, once they hit 2" plus, i cut that back to once or twice a week. larger juvis and subadults, no more thn once a week. and adults i wouldnt worry about feeding them more than a big meal every couple weeks to once a month. just make sure to keep the opisthosoma (abdomen) as large, preferable larger, than the carapace. slings put all those nutrients into growing, as they grow and get closer to their max size, they dont need as much of those nutrients. it all goes straight to their abdomen. they are arboreal and thus should look built for climbing, not sitting in a hole in the ground all day like those lazy terrestrials. ;)

5)Handling- handling tarantulas should be avoided as much as possible. if youve handled your spiders once or twice, its not the end of the world, but it very well could be for them. handling is dangerous even with normal tarantulas. Avicularia on the other hand are probably the worst spider to handle. they are notorious jumpers. they are well adapted to life in the trees and have evolved and perfected this method of escaping predators. they expect a dense canopy or branches and plants to be below them, not a hard wood floor. even carpet is dangerous at heights. no matter how soft. they are so prone to this behavior that one must be careful even during routine maintenance. when disturbed, they will climb upwards, when they reach the top of the container and cant climb any higher, they may climb down the other side or risk a jump into the unknown. you can never be sure. no matter how adapt they are at this and how theyre evolved to survive falls, its still a detrimental practice to put your pet through and should be avoided. if they are rubbing their bums on you, they arent trying to display affection, they are trying to rub off urticating hairs on you to discourage your touching of them. they are also poop cannons. no, thats not a mistype. they will spray their feces at your general direction if you disturb them enough. beware. ;)

6)Temps- same as most other tarantulas, they do fine at 70-90. higher and you should probably move them, thats a little intense.. of course, the cage should never have direct sunlight on it. it will turn the cage into a oven very quickly.. as slings, id be nervous keeping them even overnight at temps lower than 65. make no mistake, they are very fragile tropical slings.

7) rehousing tips- be prepared for bursts of immense speed. i mean faster than you can blink. these guys do not typically bolt, but dear god when they do... being arboreal and mostly blind, it generally is not a good idea to go blindly sprinting through the trees.;) 9/10 though, you will have a calm spider slowly climbing into a new cage. its beneficial to be prepared though. dont be surprised if you suddenly have a spider crawling up your arm though, these guys dont stop moving till they feel secure. try not to let it get in your shirt sleeves obviously. i like to do rehouses shirtless for this reason. only with arboreals mind. and even then, only really the larger ones. 4"+. its just a bit of a safety precaution, weird as it sounds.

all in all, this is probably my favorite genus. def in the top three. i love their colors, patterns, attitude, and of course the fluff. they are spectacular when properly set up, their webs are mesmerizing, given time, they will completely web up any cage to the brim. i really hope this helps some of you beginners that actually use the search function. ;) i am very active on here(maybe too active..) and am usually available through pm. ill try my best to answer any Qs you may have. please note, i am far from a Avic expert. ive been addicted to these beauties for only about 2.5 years, almost three. there are a plethora of much more experienced Avic keepers and breeders youll most likely be better off talking to. i do not own any adult Avicularia. i have not raised one sling to adult. i currently own 7 Avicularia, ive raised my A avic from 2" to the 4" subadult it is now, ive been raising Avic slings for about 2 years now, only one loss 6 years ago when i first started. learn from my mistakes and dont listen to online caresheets. :)
(suggestions to improve this thread are always appreciated, also, to be clear, this is meant to be a discussion of Avicularia, feel free to move if deemed necessary. )

pics: http://arachnoboards.com/threads/cecs-picture-thread.275165/#post-2385479 (CECs picture thread, a good way to get hooked on Avics)
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/genus-avicularia.20103/ (the official Avic picture thread)
a couple of mine..
View attachment 232216
View attachment 232218
View attachment 232219
View attachment 232223
View attachment 232224
View attachment 232225
View attachment 232226
What's the green one called that's lush

What's the green one called that's lush
That's been really helpful ty for all the help people have gave me am new to this a been so worried about brain(pink toe) she got me stressed. I will change her enclosure tomorrow hope she likes her new home
 
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AngelDeVille

Fuk Da Meme Police
Joined
May 7, 2018
Messages
274
I’m so excited... here is my enclosure for critique...

Water dish on the ground? I had seen one where it was glued to the cork?

 

Venom1080

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Sep 24, 2015
Messages
4,611
I’m so excited... here is my enclosure for critique...

Water dish on the ground? I had seen one where it was glued to the cork?

Water dish on ground is fine. Make sure that large piece of bark can't shift too much if you move the cage. I've added some hot glue to stabilize pieces like that.
 

AngelDeVille

Fuk Da Meme Police
Joined
May 7, 2018
Messages
274
Water dish on ground is fine. Make sure that large piece of bark can't shift too much if you move the cage. I've added some hot glue to stabilize pieces like that.

Thanks!

The cork is well rounded at the bottom, almost closed, and I have it tilted slightly back with LEGO pieces under the substrate.

I was just thinking of hot glueing it to the glass for added security.
 

Venom1080

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Sep 24, 2015
Messages
4,611
Thanks!

The cork is well rounded at the bottom, almost closed, and I have it tilted slightly back with LEGO pieces under the substrate.

I was just thinking of hot glueing it to the glass for added security.
If you can gently shake the cage without it moving, it's good.
 

AngelDeVille

Fuk Da Meme Police
Joined
May 7, 2018
Messages
274
24 hour update...

When I got her she was in a bare enclosure with no hides or structures and wet swampy substrate.

She compensated by building a small web 3/4 of the way up in the corner of the glass.

Last night she started webbing on the glass on the left side toward the back.

Today I tilted the cork completely back against glass hoping she would realize there is a much better place to stay.

As far as I can tell she has spent the entire day on the glass.....

 

AngelDeVille

Fuk Da Meme Police
Joined
May 7, 2018
Messages
274
24 hour update...

When I got her she was in a bare enclosure with no hides or structures and wet swampy substrate.

She compensated by building a small web 3/4 of the way up in the corner of the glass.

Last night she started webbing on the glass on the left side toward the back.

Today I tilted the cork completely back against glass hoping she would realize there is a much better place to stay.

As far as I can tell she has spent the entire day on the glass.....

I would add more leafy clutter in the top half of the enclosure. (This serves as clutter and anchor points for webbing.)
I was thinking of adding more, I think I'll switch them out for silk maybe.


Good news! I placed an adult male dubia with a crushed head wedged behind the plant on the left.

This morning she was on the cork with the roach firmly in her clutches, I'm hoping she decides to stay on the cork!
 

Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
Staff member
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Messages
4,096
This morning she was on the cork with the roach firmly in her clutches, I'm hoping she decides to stay on the cork!
They like to hunt from cork. The cork is basically a hunting platform, with the leaves nearby for webbing and cover.
 

AngelDeVille

Fuk Da Meme Police
Joined
May 7, 2018
Messages
274
They like to hunt from cork. The cork is basically a hunting platform, with the leaves nearby for webbing and cover.
I was a little worried about her because it sounded like she had been at petco for a couple months in a swamp with nothing to climb on, but leave it to her to remember how to be a spider....

What do you think? glue maybe two more bunches of leaves at about the same level?

I am going to see if I can pack the cocofibre a little better, as it looks a little loose. but I'm leaving it fairly dry.

Water dish is on the ground, and once she webs maybe a spritz of water in her web once a week.
 

Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
Staff member
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Messages
4,096
What do you think? glue maybe two more bunches of leaves at about the same level?
Yes, add more leaves at that level.


I am going to see if I can pack the cocofibre a little better, as it looks a little loose. but I'm leaving it fairly dry.
I wouldn't worry too much about the substrate. Healthy Avics barely spend any time on their substrate anyway.
 

Venom1080

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Sep 24, 2015
Messages
4,611
I have a lot more Poecilotheria pictures than avics, but here's a few recents.
IMG_20180722_160958_099.jpg
Avicularia aurantiaca. Anyone in Canada with a male, please contact me!
IMG_20180706_144312_551.jpg IMG_20180706_144312_553.jpg
Ybyrapora diversipes fresh molt
IMG_20180706_144312_553.jpg
IMG_20180609_162012_070.jpg
Avicularia avicularia morphotype probably #1
IMG_20180724_012726_664.jpg
New undescribed species I got from a import I was lucky enough to be a part of.
A sp pulchra.
 

ShyDragoness

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 7, 2017
Messages
369
I have a lot more Poecilotheria pictures than avics, but here's a few recents.
View attachment 281949
Avicularia aurantiaca. Anyone in Canada with a male, please contact me!
View attachment 281950 View attachment 281951
Ybyrapora diversipes fresh molt
View attachment 281951
View attachment 281952
Avicularia avicularia morphotype probably #1
View attachment 281953
New undescribed species I got from a import I was lucky enough to be a part of.
A sp pulchra.
That last image is a stunner!!
 

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,223
I’m so excited... here is my enclosure for critique...

Water dish on the ground? I had seen one where it was glued to the cork?

I agree, lots more plants up top...how many depend on what you have available.

Water dish on ground is fine. Make sure that large piece of bark can't shift too much if you move the cage. I've added some hot glue to stabilize pieces like that.
I have never glued any wood in place for any t, I just don't see it as necessary and its not something I want to have to scrape off next time I use the enclosure.
 

Venom1080

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Sep 24, 2015
Messages
4,611
I agree, lots more plants up top...how many depend on what you have available.


I have never glued any wood in place for any t, I just don't see it as necessary and its not something I want to have to scrape off next time I use the enclosure.
It generally isn't. I haven't glued anything in years to be honest. Just a last resort thing I keep in mind.

More sub, particularly around the hide being used, is just as effective honestly.
 

NaCon

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 18, 2018
Messages
25
Getting my first T in a few weeks, funnily enough it’s a Caribena Versicolour, this thread was super helpful and it’s given me a lot more knowledge on the standard care then I have read. Thanks :)
 

Aracnophob

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 26, 2018
Messages
1
Just doing research. Thinking about getting a T. I almost died from an unidentified spider bite. And I'm looking to break my fear. This thread has been amazingly helpful.
 
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