Avicularia Vivariums

[RYAN500]

Left is Versicolor, Right is A. metallica.

Freshly molted Versi out drinking water droplets off the creeping fig

(Note - water dishes removed for pics)

 

[vespers]

Looks like someone bought those Josh's Frogs arboreal tarantula viv kits...

 

[RYAN500]

Yep! And I love them! Thanks.

 

[vespers]

Couple of points regarding those:
-There is no drainage layer, you'll need to be extremely careful about watering the enclosure. Especially for avics that won't appreciate excessive moisture.

-The CFL bulb can heat up such a small viv quickly. It's only 8x8x12, with a 13 watt bulb just a half-inch above the screen.

-Both of those plant species will take-over/out-grow that enclosure relatively fast, if the conditions are right. Particularly the Ficus pumila. But you know this considering you work for a certain dart frog/vivarium supply company...

I like Josh's Frogs quite a bit, good company and I purchase things from them. But you should be upfront about working for JF though, instead of just agreeing that you bought them. Makes it seem like you're being a shill to drum up interest in your new kit. Your first post (of only 4) shows your company email address, in a WTB ad for the pictured avic:
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/sho...or-Any-sexable-size-age&p=2346004#post2346004
Why not post a FS ad in the classifieds?

By the way, the kit should probably come with a water bowl too...instead of just saying "water dishes removed for pics".

 

[RYAN500]

Vespers -

Yep, I work for Josh's Frogs. Sorry for the confusion. I am very passionate about these new kits and i've had great success with them. I most certainly am trying to drum up interest in them, but i posted this as a hobbyist of the forum, not as an employee of Joshs. I value feedback as a hobbyist, from the hobby....No shades of grey in that regard.

You are correct. There is no drainage layer due to the lack of height in the 8x8x12 nano. So yes, people obviously need to be careful not to flood the enclosures.

I heat my room up to around 72-75 degrees. With the CFL on top of the enclosure, this bring it to right around 80 degrees, which I consider ideal. Yes, this is something people have to consider, and we will certainly be upfront about that. Also, a kit can always be purchased without a hood/bulb.

Yes, as with most planted vivaria, over grown plants need to be trimmed back.

Yes, I posted a wanted ad for an adult female Versicolor.

If you are asking why we don't just post an ad for the vivariums in the FS section, we just simply haven't gotten that far yet. Hopefully soon! This was not intended to be a "for sale ad"...Just looking for feedback

Thank you for your input in regards to a water dish. I've noted that a fresh bowl of water should always be provided for your animals in the product description. I did however, remove the water dishes I personally use (bromeliad mimic and/or water jug cap) for pictures. Simply put, im still working as way to incorporate these into the kit. Suction cup film cans, ceramic water dishes, etc. All being considered.

Are you by chance attending the Arachnogathering and/or the Tinley show? If so I'd like the chance to talk about the kits more in person and get some more feedback.

Thanks again!

---------- Post added 03-11-2015 at 04:40 PM ----------

I forgot to mention - the animal pictured I obtained quite a while back as a juvenile. He/she has been in my care, living in the vivarium since. No animal was purchased as a result of that ad. As it turns out, sexed female Versicolor are quite hard to come by....

 

[vespers]

Yep, I work for Josh's Frogs. Sorry for the confusion. I am very passionate about these new kits and i've had great success with them. I most certainly am trying to drum up interest in them, but i posted this as a hobbyist of the forum, not as an employee of Joshs. I value feedback as a hobbyist, from the hobby....No shades of grey in that regard.

That's cool; I can respect that.

Thank you for your input in regards to a water dish. I've noted that a fresh bowl of water should always be provided for your animals in the product description. I did however, remove the water dishes I personally use (bromeliad mimic and/or water jug cap) for pictures. Simply put, im still working as way to incorporate these into the kit. Suction cup film cans, ceramic water dishes, etc. All being considered.

Perhaps the Exo Terra extra small water dish would be a good option. Its small enough to fit in there with the cork and plants, yet semi-natural looking so that it doesn't look terribly out of place in an aesthetic enclosure.

Are you by chance attending the Arachnogathering and/or the Tinley show? If so I'd like the chance to talk about the kits more in person and get some more feedback.

Unfortunately no, though it would be really cool to go. Besides being an online customer, I've also dealt with Josh's Frogs in person twice at the Baltimore, Maryland Repticon.
I'm sure I'll be ordering from you guys again soon, as I'm planning on building a 29 gallon viv for my living room in the next few weeks.

 

[RYAN500]

Thank you for your input! In your opinion, do you think that the Exo dishes are too deep for say a 2" juvenile? I've always used something a little more shallow than those dishes so I have no experience using something that deep. Always feared they would somehow drown.

I've considered using the Exo Terra feeding dish as it is much more shallow, but even the small is just too big for the Nano enclosures.

On a side note, Sorry to hear you can't make it to Tinley. I'm pretty sure ill be vending the next Repticon in Baltimore, so be sure to stop by and talk Ts for a minute!

Also, good luck on the next viv build! If you don't mind, post some pics after its done! I enjoy seeing other people's approach on vivaria.

 

[vespers]

Thank you for your input! In your opinion, do you think that the Exo dishes are too deep for say a 2" juvenile? I've always used something a little more shallow than those dishes so I have no experience using something that deep. Always feared they would somehow drown.

I've considered using the Exo Terra feeding dish as it is much more shallow, but even the small is just too big for the Nano enclosures.

I wouldn't worry too much about any tarantula drowning. Especially Avics. Here's a pic of an Avic resting on the surface of the Amazon:
http://www.natgeocreative.com/comp/MI/001/1332172.jpg
It's not breaking the surface tension of the water.
And here's a video of one traversing across the water:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuwaPwcTJMU

The Exo Terra X-small water dish (PT2809) has dimensions of 2.5" x 2" x 1"...it should fit in the corner of a nano enclosure reasonably well, and a depth of an inch isn't anything to worry about.

On a side note, Sorry to hear you can't make it to Tinley. I'm pretty sure ill be vending the next Repticon in Baltimore, so be sure to stop by and talk Ts for a minute!

Also, good luck on the next viv build! If you don't mind, post some pics after its done! I enjoy seeing other people's approach on vivaria.

Sure thing, Ryan. I expect to be at Repticon Baltimore in May, and may purchase a few things from JF while I'm there. I'll also post some pics of the viv when its done as well.

 

[RYAN500]

Oh Awesome! Thanks a ton man I appreciate the info. That's really interesting...

Im going to play around with the extra small dishes today at the shop.

Sounds good! Looking forward to potentially talking with you!

 

[King Sparta]

WOW!!! Pretty sweet Ts and enclosures!!!
-King Sparta

 

[RYAN500]

Thanks King!