C. Versicolor Tips tricks & experiences.

AshS

Arachnosquire
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Apr 21, 2017
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I am ordering a Versicolor sling tomorrow. I'm very excited! I kept T's before for a few years, but had a break when my kids were born. I am now getting back into the hobby, and already have a Acanthoscurria Genticulata. I now want another T, but I have only ever kept terrestrial species before. I have read as much as I can find about aboreal set ups, Ventilation, humidity and vesicolors themselves. But any advice, experiences or tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks guys.
 

Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
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But any advice, experiences or tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks guys.
A good starting point, if you haven't already found it, is this post by @viper69. If you have any specific questions after reading that, feel free to post them.

One thing you may want to do, since this is your first arboreal, is post pictures of your setup to get feedback before you add the tarantula.
 

Trenor

Arachnoprince
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Jan 28, 2016
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I am ordering a Versicolor sling tomorrow. I'm very excited! I kept T's before for a few years, but had a break when my kids were born. I am now getting back into the hobby, and already have a Acanthoscurria Genticulata. I now want another T, but I have only ever kept terrestrial species before. I have read as much as I can find about aboreal set ups, Ventilation, humidity and vesicolors themselves. But any advice, experiences or tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks guys.
What size C.versicolor are you planing on getting?
 

AshS

Arachnosquire
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Apr 21, 2017
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What size C.versicolor are you planing on getting?
Small sling between 1-2cm (sorry metric) depends on what is available. I like start with slings and watch them develop.
 

Trenor

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1-2cm (sorry metric)
Haha no worries. I can work with metric pretty well. :)

Give them lots of ventilation. I use corkbark for a base and provide a lot of cluttered anchor points for webbing. I use a water dish.

Here is my preferred Avic/Caribena setup. I'm not sure what you have available but I like a bottom opening enclosure for them. All of mine have climbed to the top and made their web funnels there.


You can also use a top opening enclosure like this one.
 

Lokee85

Arachnoknight
Joined
Feb 8, 2017
Messages
195
I am ordering a Versicolor sling tomorrow. I'm very excited! I kept T's before for a few years, but had a break when my kids were born. I am now getting back into the hobby, and already have a Acanthoscurria Genticulata. I now want another T, but I have only ever kept terrestrial species before. I have read as much as I can find about aboreal set ups, Ventilation, humidity and vesicolors themselves. But any advice, experiences or tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks guys.
Watch out for top-opening enclosures with versicolors and avics. While it's not impossible to use them by any means (lots of keepers do it successfully), I've had more escape attempts by my versicolor slings in top opening enclosures (32oz deli containers) because they webbed up the lid and they go up when startled.

I flipped the 32oz deli cups over so they open from the bottom, hot glued a vine and branch to the inside, then cut about an inch off the bottom of a 16oz container and hot glued it to the lid so I can add substrate and a water cap. Both my versicolors made their webs in the top, and I've had zero escape attempts since. My picture is bad quality (I only have a cheap cell phone camera), but hopefully it's enough to see it.
 

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AshS

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Well the Versicolor sling is Ordered, hopefully be here by Tuesday.

Watch out for top-opening enclosures with versicolors and avics. While it's not impossible to use them by any means (lots of keepers do it successfully), I've had more escape attempts by my versicolor slings in top opening enclosures (32oz deli containers) because they webbed up the lid and they go up when startled.

I flipped the 32oz deli cups over so they open from the bottom, hot glued a vine and branch to the inside, then cut about an inch off the bottom of a 16oz container and hot glued it to the lid so I can add substrate and a water cap. Both my versicolors made their webs in the top, and I've had zero escape attempts since. My picture is bad quality (I only have a cheap cell phone camera), but hopefully it's enough to see it.
I have made a small top opening pot enclosure for the time being. I am going to make a front opening enclosure out of a Ferrero Roche (Spelling?!?!) Tub. Like the one @petkokc made.
 

Lokee85

Arachnoknight
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Feb 8, 2017
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Well the Versicolor sling is Ordered, hopefully be here by Tuesday.



I have made a small top opening pot enclosure for the time being. I am going to make a front opening enclosure out of a Ferrero Roche (Spelling?!?!) Tub. Like the one @petkokc made.
I love the video on how to make those. :happy: Front opening are definitely best, IMO. Easiest to feed, clean, and prevent escapes. I used Hobby Lobby display cases like @CyclingSam and other members for my husbands juvie and my subadult avics.
 

Trenor

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I love the video on how to make those. :happy: Front opening are definitely best, IMO. Easiest to feed, clean, and prevent escapes. I used Hobby Lobby display cases like @CyclingSam and other members for my husbands juvie and my subadult avics.
Front opening enclosures are nice for larger Ts, but for Avic/Caribena slings the bottom opening is my preferred. I lift the top off and set it flush on the table top. Sling is secured. My water dish is in the bottom part. I can take it out and clean it if needed or just top it off. I drop my crushed head dubia feeder in the bottom on the dirt beside the water dish. Pick up the top part and put it back in place. Done. There are only two times the sling can make a run for it. When I take it off before it sits on the table and when it goes back on. I've never had one even attempt to leave the top part of the enclosure.

All my Avic/Caribena slings slide down to get their food and water. I've not had any trouble with them not eating because I didn't place the prey in the web or offered it to them with tongs.

Now once they become Juvies I put then in a front opening enclosure. Though I think if I could find a bottom opening enclosure that was big enough for a juvie/adult I'd likely use that for them.

In the end, it's just a matter of choice and all three ways work fine.
 

cold blood

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Watch out for top-opening enclosures with versicolors and avics. While it's not impossible to use them by any means (lots of keepers do it successfully), I've had more escape attempts by my versicolor slings in top opening enclosures (32oz deli containers) because they webbed up the lid and they go up when startled.

I flipped the 32oz deli cups over so they open from the bottom, hot glued a vine and branch to the inside, then cut about an inch off the bottom of a 16oz container and hot glued it to the lid so I can add substrate and a water cap. Both my versicolors made their webs in the top, and I've had zero escape attempts since. My picture is bad quality (I only have a cheap cell phone camera), but hopefully it's enough to see it.

I've never had an issue with top opening deli cups.

Flipping a deli cup seems over-complicated and inconvenient....how does the substrate say in...doesn't it spill out? Don't you have to lift and disrupt the enclosure every time you open it? And you would need to take the whole lid off...how do you keep the water dish from spilling?....sounds like a challenge to be honest....then add the gluing and it seems equally time consuming. I'd be interested to see it.

With a top lid I can just open a small area by peeling back the top, so escapes are nearly impossible. The only time I remove the entire lid is to do a re-house. I don't have to glue anything.
 

Lokee85

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I've never had an issue with top opening deli cups.

Flipping a deli cup seems over-complicated and inconvenient....how does the substrate say in...doesn't it spill out? Don't you have to lift and disrupt the enclosure every time you open it? And you would need to take the whole lid off...how do you keep the water dish from spilling?....sounds like a challenge to be honest....then add the gluing and it seems equally time consuming. I'd be interested to see it.

With a top lid I can just open a small area by peeling back the top, so escapes are nearly impossible. The only time I remove the entire lid is to do a re-house. I don't have to glue anything.
I just cut the bottom off a 16oz container (I think it was a sour cream cup, to be honest, lol) that I had laying around which is glued to the inside of the lid to keep substrate and the water dish in. It doesn't seem to be much different than an inverted AMAC box to open (at least the ones I have). And to be honest, I may be over-complicating things a bit after their escape attempts, but I don't mind the extra project. ;) I'll try to get cleaner pics when I get the chance.
 

AshS

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Apr 21, 2017
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This was my little project tonight. 20170428_184303.jpg It started like this.

Then the tools came out...
20170428_185600.jpg cut the lid in two...

20170428_192302.jpg
Couldn't find any acrylic hinges, and I'm to impatient to wait for them, so used a small brass one.

Final Result...
20170428_205108.jpg

A bit rough around the edges but I'm pleased with how it came out.

Now all we need is for the spider to arrive.
 
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Trenor

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Here is what the enclosure I posted earlier looks like now. :D

The C.versicolor has webbed even more. They both just molted so it might be time for a rehouse.
 

Trenor

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It's an AMAC box that is pretty common over here. I just turn it upside down so the lid is on the bottom. They are really clear ans work great for species that like to go up and web.
 

basin79

ArachnoGod
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Sep 14, 2013
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I won't add any care as I've not.long had an adult. But I gave my girl a big piece of cork bark at the bark with a hole out the front. Also anchor points. She created (to me) a beautiful silk balloon behind her cork bark, has shed and hasn't bothered to web up outside so I'm guessing she's happy.
 
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