C. Versicolor sling still hasn't eaten almost 2 weeks post molt?

[downvotestuff]

Hey everyone on March 13th I received my Caribena Versicolor... I was led to believe it would be bigger than it was, but it was around 1 in or 1inch+ .. I rehomed it into an enclosure temporarily, and rehomed her again, and she ended up molting a few days after that.. I wasn't aware that she was about to molt. She has not taken any food since I got her. The only time she touched a mealworm, was to pick it up and move it further away from her web nook (this was right before she molted little did I know) . . She's only been moving a matter of centimeters, and not leaving her nook... I don't believe she has touched the water at the bottom of her enclosure or the magnetic dish that's half way up the enclosure. . . I did end up pulling her old molt out a day ago, because it was all dried up and she hadn't touched it . I waited until 10 days post molt to offer a meal worm , put right up by her web so she didn't have to look for it... And she wouldn't touch it. Not interested at all. Temps in the room are usually at 80ish and sometimes go down to 75ish. Humidity is no less than 50 and no higher than 65/70... Been keeping it consistently 60 lately. . . Seems like a good in-between. Also located in wife's plant room. Lots of hard working greens in there. . . I also have a small fan center of the room that blows across the room and gets air flow to her enclosure. (Added sir holes to bottom of enclosure before I moved her in, so that should be sufficient) ... Pictures included .. that's not humidity on the front of the enclosure, it's smudge. I have missed it only a couple times in her enclosure, I think with the ambient humidity and her water dishes, that there should be plenty for her there?... I'm going to try offering her a small dubia, maybe she would go for that? Ugh I don't know ... I am open to any suggestions or personal experience, or takes on what might be going on here, or even things I can do to improve her enclosure? Even if I have to do a rehome again. I just want what's best for her, and I'm very concerned.. hope to find some direction here. Thank you.

 

[TheraMygale]

give it time.

offer food again, every now and then, close to the opening of its “web hide”.

space the food offerings, so dont “rush it”.

it is still very “small”. Place a few water droplets on the web, near the tarantula.

 

[cold blood]

Versicolor are actually pretty good eaters normally....but they like movement and many are reluctant to eat mealworms....plus a whole mealworm would be too large and possibly intimidating....crickets get a much better response.

A smaller enclosure would help with the prey interaction.

You're way too focused on humidity....this focus can be deadly.....sounds like you got care info from a care sheet.....humidity needs are basically non-existent. Being too damp is probably the most dangerous thing for Avic types. Throw away the hygrometer and you will instantly be a better keeper.

 

[TheraMygale]

did i confuse avic with caribeana? In terms of “poor eaters”?

 

[viper69]

Versi are excellent eaters - one of the best NW eaters!!

But mealworms aren’t good they don’t move much

Use crickets

Setup is too large unless you put a lot of crickets in there. I’d drop that Avic into something smaller than a 32 oz deli

Roaches are useless in my experience- they will sit in one spot as long as tarantulas!!

Crix, smaller container, and don’t pay attention to humidity

Read my avic link in sig file

 

[cold blood]

did i confuse avic with caribeana? In terms of “poor eaters”?

Well caribena is closely related to avics...hence my calling them Avic types....but within all the avics and Avic types, there are indeed some poor eaters, but within that group there are also a bunch of really good eaters....versicolor just happens to be one of those generally good eaters.

 

[TheraMygale]

@cold blood thank you for that precision. I understand now. For me, i see categories or families, now i know its very specific.

 

[downvotestuff]

Versi are excellent eaters - one of the best NW eaters!!

But mealworms aren’t good they don’t move much

Use crickets

Setup is too large unless you put a lot of crickets in there. I’d drop that Avic into something smaller than a 32 oz deli

Roaches are useless in my experience- they will sit in one spot as long as tarantulas!!

Crix, smaller container, and don’t pay attention to humidity

Read my avic link in sig file

I would like to mention that I have variety of sizes too so I do offer her much much smaller than adult mealworms. . . . Bummer about the enclosure I was excited for her to have a nice lil home to grow into .. until she is adult sized. . . Do slings not really need a vertical setup? . . I guess I got a lot of bad advice lol ... I will get her a lil 3x3 cube or a 32oz deli like you say. And then save this enclosure for when she gets to maybe 2inch? ... The only reason I was somewhat paying attention to humidity is because I keep her in my wife's plant room and she usually keeps it around 60%... I will stop paying attention to it, definitely will not mist (haven't been anyways) ... And hopefully she perks up a little more in a tighter setup... Wouldn't crickets be too large for her? .. I guess they also come in all sizes, but was trying to stick to mealworms or dubious because that's what we have... But I will look at also picking up crickets... I will say, my OBT and RHB absolutely love the dubias and the mealworms, even pre killed lol so idk if that's abnormal or normal for those species, but thought I'd share that after what you had said is typical! Haha cool how diverse these lil guys/gals can be..

Update: they don't sell crickets locally but my wife is going to a bigger city tomorrow by chance, so she will grab a large amount of them.. we will start keeping a colony. I'm sure my other 2 residents would enjoy some variation too

 

[cold blood]

@cold blood thank you for that precision. I understand now. For me, i see categories or families, now i know its very specific.

No problem.....this group of Avic types are pretty unique....generally there isn't this much variance within a related group.....all Pamps are great eaters, all psalmos are fast, great eaters, all tappies grow fast and eat good, etc. But some groups do have oddballs, and some rare groups see a lot of individual variance amongst the individual species and I would put the world of avics in this group when it comes to many factors like growth rates, size, defensiveness and feeding response.

Do slings not really need a vertical setup?.. And hopefully she perks up a little more in a tighter setup... Wouldn't crickets be too large for her?

Yes, the set up needs to be arboreal, but arboreal doesn't mean large. Here is an example in a 16oz deli cup.

Resized952017030195121305

• cold blood
• Mar 1, 2017

Johnny 2 legs finally got an actual enclosure to enjoy...the recovery process and growth of this...

Crickets come in all sizes.....pinhead crickets are great for Avic slings

 

[Tarantuland]

2 weeks is nothing, crickets might work but I feed my small versi mealworms and if works for them. You just gotta be strategic about placement

 

[cold blood]

I feed my small versi mealworms and if works for them. You just gotta be strategic about placement

True

 

[downvotestuff]

I have either this "cup" with 3 different lids. 1. 1/4-in circles lid width mesh webbing over it. 2. Tiny square holes with mesh rubbing over it. 3. Tiny tiny holes (29guage) with no mesh webbing (could puncture them to be larger too) .... My wife also said she has this container, just needs to put little mesh covering over the top open hole. . . . Just curious what your thoughts are on my immediate choices here? ... And whatever I choose I can throw some coco sub into, sprits a lil bit, and toss some fake leaves on and should be solid.
Again thanks for all the help and direction and input

2 weeks is nothing, crickets might work but I feed my small versi mealworms and if works for them. You just gotta be strategic about placement

Has yours gone eating for much longer?? Just seemed like a lot to me! But I don't know any better , luckily I'm here

 

[cold blood]

I have either this "cup" with 3 different lids. 1. 1/4-in circles lid width mesh webbing over it. 2. Tiny square holes with mesh rubbing over it. 3. Tiny tiny holes (29guage) with no mesh webbing (could puncture them to be larger too) .... My wife also said she has this container, just needs to put little mesh covering over the top open hole. . . . Just curious what your thoughts are on my immediate choices here? ... And whatever I choose I can throw some coco sub into, sprits a lil bit, and toss some fake leaves on and should be solid.
Again thanks for all the help and direction and input

That first one is good....try to mimic the set up I showed.

You don't need to overventilate the lid....just 6 or 8 holes is all I use.....I also punch a ring of holes near the top of the cup (you can see that in the one I posted), and a handful of holes around the bottom just above the substrate.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Hey everyone on March 13th I received my Caribena Versicolor... I was led to believe it would be bigger than it was, but it was around 1 in or 1inch+ .. I rehomed it into an enclosure temporarily, and rehomed her again, and she ended up molting a few days after that.. I wasn't aware that she was about to molt. She has not taken any food since I got her. The only time she touched a mealworm, was to pick it up and move it further away from her web nook (this was right before she molted little did I know) . . She's only been moving a matter of centimeters, and not leaving her nook... I don't believe she has touched the water at the bottom of her enclosure or the magnetic dish that's half way up the enclosure. . . I did end up pulling her old molt out a day ago, because it was all dried up and she hadn't touched it . I waited until 10 days post molt to offer a meal worm , put right up by her web so she didn't have to look for it... And she wouldn't touch it. Not interested at all. Temps in the room are usually at 80ish and sometimes go down to 75ish. Humidity is no less than 50 and no higher than 65/70... Been keeping it consistently 60 lately. . . Seems like a good in-between. Also located in wife's plant room. Lots of hard working greens in there. . . I also have a small fan center of the room that blows across the room and gets air flow to her enclosure. (Added sir holes to bottom of enclosure before I moved her in, so that should be sufficient) ... Pictures included .. that's not humidity on the front of the enclosure, it's smudge. I have missed it only a couple times in her enclosure, I think with the ambient humidity and her water dishes, that there should be plenty for her there?... I'm going to try offering her a small dubia, maybe she would go for that? Ugh I don't know ... I am open to any suggestions or personal experience, or takes on what might be going on here, or even things I can do to improve her enclosure? Even if I have to do a rehome again. I just want what's best for her, and I'm very concerned.. hope to find some direction here. Thank you.

I’d try crickets they are more active.

 

[ladyratri]

and a handful of holes around the bottom just above the substrate.

This part is particularly important, because it makes sure fresh air can come in the bottom. As it warms up, it rises out the top, and that gently pulls more fresh air in the bottom.

Putting any number of holes at the top, but none at the level of the substrate, leads to a stagnant pool of air -- and Avics are more prone to suffocating under those conditions than most other T's.

 

[Ratmosphere]

Avicularia/Caribena: How to create an enclosure for slings.

Before I start, I need to say that this is the method that works best for me when keeping half inch slings. I see so many new people on this forum ask "How do I set up an enclosure for a my Avicularia/Caribena sling?" Hopefully this will help. What you will need: A drill, a 1/16" drill bit...

arachnoboards.com

 

[viper69]

I would like to mention that I have variety of sizes too so I do offer her much much smaller than adult mealworms. . . . Bummer about the enclosure I was excited for her to have a nice lil home to grow into .. until she is adult sized. . . Do slings not really need a vertical setup? . . I guess I got a lot of bad advice lol ... I will get her a lil 3x3 cube or a 32oz deli like you say. And then save this enclosure for when she gets to maybe 2inch? ... The only reason I was somewhat paying attention to humidity is because I keep her in my wife's plant room and she usually keeps it around 60%... I will stop paying attention to it, definitely will not mist (haven't been anyways) ... And hopefully she perks up a little more in a tighter setup... Wouldn't crickets be too large for her? .. I guess they also come in all sizes, but was trying to stick to mealworms or dubious because that's what we have... But I will look at also picking up crickets... I will say, my OBT and RHB absolutely love the dubias and the mealworms, even pre killed lol so idk if that's abnormal or normal for those species, but thought I'd share that after what you had said is typical! Haha cool how diverse these lil guys/gals can be..

Update: they don't sell crickets locally but my wife is going to a bigger city tomorrow by chance, so she will grab a large amount of them.. we will start keeping a colony. I'm sure my other 2 residents would enjoy some variation too

I didn’t say provide a box that wasn’t taller than it is long. I always provide arboreal setups.

Why are crickets too large? You’re not being clear, nor are you reading my reply correctly re container size- reread it.

I order pinheads from Rainbow Mealworms for my slings all the time.

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

Avic types can eat mealworms if they move. A sp Colombia at about 1.5” in a 4x4x7 inverted Amac box.

 

[Ratmosphere]

Avic types can eat mealworms if they move. A sp Colombia at about 1.5” in a 4x4x7 inverted Amac box.

Awesome that the air hole could be used as a feeding hole for this type of build, very convenient!

 

[downvotestuff]

That first one is good....try to mimic the set up I showed.

You don't need to overventilate the lid....just 6 or 8 holes is all I use.....I also punch a ring of holes near the top of the cup (you can see that in the one I posted), and a handful of holes around the bottom just above the substrate.

Got everything situated here. Cut off a piece of corkboard to fit in there. Gives her cover. I don't think there's much room for leaves or whatnot , and probly just enough room for when I drop crickets in. Feels lil small but should be alright for a few months at least . Will be attempting her first feed in it today! Figured I'd see if you think there's anything else to add?