Is my Avic sling okay or exhibiting typical behavior?

[Seemannnni]

Hey guys, my sling recently (which I suspect premolt) has been pretty lethargic, though not exhibiting symptoms that I believe are of concern. I've tried feeding it though it does not attempt to hunt at all, largely remaining in the same two positions which (without anthropomorphizing it) appears to be synonymous with a stress pose. My photos aren't very clear but I hope it helps with a proper diagnosis. Should I change something? Or is this just premolt behavior? It has webbed and remained in its cocoon, only moving time to time for the past few weeks. I've noticed very little eating in the three attempts at feeding in this state.

 

[rock]

sorry, i cant really see the animal in your photos. tarantulas often remain in the same position for long periods of time, its not really a cause for concern by itself. i would keep fresh water available and offer prey items once or twice a week. Can we have more information about the sling and maybe a picture of your entire enclosure?

On closer inspection, your tarantula looks a little balled up, can you make it move at all?

 

[Seemannnni]

sorry, i cant really see the animal in your photos. tarantulas often remain in the same position for long periods of time, its not really a cause for concern by itself. i would keep fresh water available and offer prey items once or twice a week. Can we have more information about the sling and maybe a picture of your entire enclosure?

sure, also fascinated you have that account name for such a young account lol, it's approx. 1/5" Avic. Juruensis and here's the entire enclosure. I'll circle it in this next photo. It's quite comfortable up there so I imagine there's not much incentive to move.

 

[Craig73]

Could use a little more height and not seeing any cork bark or wood . Bark at an angel with foliage near the top to create more security. If you suspect premolt wait to do any enclosure changes until after it molts. The light is temporary for the pic?

With that said, do you know when it last molted and approximate size It is now? Could be premolt or could just be being a typical Avic. My juvenile Avic premolts can last 5+ weeks. As long as the abdomen is a healthy size, keep the water dish full, and put some water on its web hammock/tube you should be good. You could place pre killed food on its web, if it doesn’t eat it in a day remove.

 

[Poonjab]

Looks curled up. That light isn’t on regularly is it?

 

[Seemannnni]

Looks curled up. That light isn’t on regularly is it?

Only during the day, swapped into red during the night. Might change that to just red at night now, good point

Could use a little more height and not seeing any cork bark or wood . Bark at an angel with foliage near the top to create more security. If you suspect premolt wait to do any enclosure changes until after it molts. The light is temporary for the pic?

With that said, do you know when it last molted and approximate size It is now? Could be premolt or could just be being a typical Avic. My juvenile Avic premolts can last 5+ weeks. As long as the abdomen is a healthy size, keep the water dish full, and put some water on its web hammock/tube you should be good. You could place pre killed food on its web, if it doesn’t eat it in a day remove.

There's a bunch of foilage up there, just conveniently chose that spot (surrounded in the moss and plants but right next to the plastic.) Gonna keep the lights off during the day from now on, abdomen size I wish I could capture properly but it does seem to be nice and full for a sling. Thank you for the pointers!

 

[Poonjab]

Only during the day, swapped into red during the night. Might change that to just red at night now, good point

It’s not even the color. But the heat. You’re essentially creating an easy bake oven for your tarantula leading to dehydration, I’m not there to observe it obviously. But from pic alone, I don’t like that curled position it’s in.

 

[Seemannnni]

It’s not even the color. But the heat. You’re essentially creating an easy bake oven for your tarantula leading to dehydration, I’m not there to observe it obviously. But from pic alone, I don’t like that curled position it’s in.

Yeah the curled position is of concern, but these LED lights don't produce nearly enough heat to be of substantial worry (I've been using them for a year now, never noticed heat production or localization.) I'm taking the possibility into account though, thanks for the notice.

 

[Craig73]

Agree with @Poonjab

Not something for consideration, something that should be changed. Remove the light and I bet it’ll eventually go into the typical stretched out pose as it relaxes. If you feel the need to light It up you should at least have the light a good distance from the enclosure and not a white light. I don’t do lights, so not my area of experience other than knowing the very basics.

 

[Seemannnni]

Agree with @Poonjab

Not something for consideration, something that should be changed. Remove the light and I bet it’ll eventually go into the typical stretched out pose as it relaxes. If you feel the need to light It up you should at least have the light a good distance from the enclosure and not a white light. I don’t do lights, so not my area of experience other than knowing the very basics.

Gotcha guys, will follow up on your advice. My only reasons for hesistation is the experience that I have had with these, with VERY little heat being omitted (that I've noticed, there could certaintly be the discrepency of what it is feeling in the enclosure versus my finger at touch.) In addition, I've had the spider for around a month now, with the light remaining present for it (and two others). Behavior has not changed with them on or off, but there might be a difference with the other two given how small the enclosure is and how close the light may be. Thank you guys for your help, I'll remove it for a few days and update with possible results.

 

[Poonjab]

Gotcha guys, will follow up on your advice. My only reasons for hesistation is the experience that I have had with these, with VERY little heat being omitted (that I've noticed, there could certaintly be the discrepency of what it is feeling in the enclosure versus my finger at touch.) In addition, I've had the spider for around a month now, with the light remaining present for it (and two others). Behavior has not changed with them on or off, but there might be a difference with the other two given how small the enclosure is and how close the light may be. Thank you guys for your help, I'll remove it for a few days and update with possible results.

Like I said, without being there, it’s all based on speculation on my part. One pic obviously doesn’t give me the whole story. Just trying to spitball some ideas and things to try. If you notice that position stays, I’d personally advise trying to get some water to it. Hope everything works out

 

[Seemannnni]

Like I said, without being there, it’s all based on speculation on my part. One pic obviously doesn’t give me the whole story. Just trying to spitball some ideas and things to try. If you notice that position stays, I’d personally advise trying to get some water to it. Hope everything works out

Agreed, I'm mostly concerned at the lack of activity (and the pose attributed) so I'm thinking its hydration. Gonna shoot some water up there and keep the light off even though I've been keeping the water dish as full as possible each week. Maybe it'll drink a little. Will update!

 

[Poonjab]

Agreed, I'm mostly concerned at the lack of activity (and the pose attributed) so I'm thinking its hydration. Gonna shoot some water up there and keep the light off even though I've been keeping the water dish as full as possible each week. Maybe it'll drink a little. Will update!

Ive had avics be weird and not use a dish. Only drink off web, so I think that’s a smart move. When you keep T’s long enough, you just kinda know when something seems off ya know. Even if it annoys them a bit, I think it’s better to intervene and get to the bottom of what’s going on, rather than waiting it out. If it turns out it’s just being a lil weirdo and perks up and is completely fine, then oh well... minor inconvenience for your T. If not then well... you know you did the right thing by checking so you can adjust enclosure, hydrate, etc..

 

[Seemannnni]

Ive had avics be weird and not use a dish. Only drink off web, so I think that’s a smart move. When you keep T’s long enough, you just kinda know when something seems off ya know. Even if it annoys them a bit, I think it’s better to intervene and get to the bottom of what’s going on, rather than waiting it out. If it turns out it’s just being a lil weirdo and perks up and is completely fine, then oh well... minor inconvenience for your T. If not then well... you know you did the right thing by checking so you can adjust enclosure, hydrate, etc..

Well, you'll be pleased to hear you were right - hydration. Put some in right next to it (which it initially seemed quite annoyed with) and just saw it pounce on the liquid opportunity. Woo hoo!

 

[Poonjab]

Well, you'll be pleased to hear you were right - hydration. Put some in right next to it (which it initially seemed quite annoyed with) and just saw it pounce on the liquid opportunity. Woo hoo!

I don’t even care about being right. Glad to hear that the issue has been potentially solved. All you can do now is keep an eye out and monitor. Best of luck.

 

[Seemannnni]

I don’t even care about being right. Glad to hear that the issue has been potentially solved. All you can do now is keep an eye out and monitor. Best of luck.

Update to the update, little guy is substantially more active now. Thank you both for the help!

 

[Seemannnni]

Any telltale signs to an Avic premolt? I'd imagine the typical fasting, lethargy, etc. - but I've noticed someone said webbing is a good example too. Can anyone reaffirm or elaborate a little, from your experience?

 

[Poonjab]

All of what you mentioned. I don’t like the term lethargy as I associate that with illness. But not moving around much or staying in one spot. Heavy webbing as they prepare their place for molt. Loss of appetite isn’t always an indication as I e had multiple T’s eat up to the day of molt. Swollen abdomen. But you should know that based on how recently fed and size of feeder. If it ha as by eaten in weeks and abdomen is plump and it’s exhibiting all other things mentioned, then it will probably be molting in the coming week/s

 

[Envoirment]

Personally I wouldn't keep a light on a tarantula, even if an LED. They can be light sensitive and most of the time they remain in shaded/low light environments in their burrows/hides/webs. It could be stressing out your tarantula.

 

[Seemannnni]

Personally I wouldn't keep a light on a tarantula, even if an LED. They can be light sensitive and most of the time they remain in shaded/low light environments in their burrows/hides/webs. It could be stressing out your tarantula.

Thus whenever I have it on it's typically on red, which isn't visible in their light spectrum. I get the point though, gonna keep it off the majority of the time given how it may dry out the enclosure.