Metallic Pink Toe Slings won't eat

[WillyWonker]

Hi, my son and I have 2 metallic slings...we've had them about 4 or 5 weeks now...this past week they stopped eating...his will still attack but not eat...I feed with tongs since they are small amd I don't want the cricket running around their cups...I've read they may be molting... just don't want them to die...thanks!

 

[moricollins]

Don't tong feed, it presents an unnecessary danger

Chances are they're either full or in pre-molt (or both).

Read through these thread for care advice on this species

https://arachnoboards.com/threads/avicularia-care.291340/

https://arachnoboards.com/threads/avicularia-husbandry.282549/#post-2461396

 

[WillyWonker]

is this a bad setup?its an exo terra Critter cage...it doesn't have side vents...I dont how I'd get the holes unless info a dremel...i put a piece of bark and a piece of the vine in the cup recently...I just put the cup in there cause I have a heat pad on the bottom...

 

[moricollins]

Unless your house is REALLY cold then the heat mat is not needed and is likely to overheat the tarantula.

For Avicularias , ventilation is critically important. They need a ton of air flow.

Is the tarantula in the cup or the tank?
If it's in the cup, put vent holes throughout the cup on the sides and lid. And take it out of the tank.

 

[WillyWonker]

I live in Tennessee so we keep the air going in the summer...about 67°- 69° in the house...I have holes on the sides and top of the cup...the heat pad is a small 4 watt...and the tank is zoo med I'm sorry not exo terra... so what would be my best option you think?I read both those links thanks so much...I wish people wouldn't make care sheets with the wrong info...

 

[wesker12]

It's awesome to see that you care enough to make an effort for your little guy, everything mori has said has been spot on. Ventilation, ideally, cross ventilation is generally recommended to make sure you don't create a moist, overly stuffy environment. I love Metallica's, one of the most gorgeous blue, white hair tipped fuzzy delights. Generally rule of thumb is if your comfortable, the tarantula is comfortable temperature wise BUT temps can vary within a room due to other variables (sun spot makes particular spot hotter, bottom shelf generally bit cooler than top etc so keep an eye out!).


Also inverts can easily go weeks, months without eating but just make sure they have access to a water dish! What size are they?

Heat pads are more for reptiles, the little solar charging mini dinos.

 

[WillyWonker]

they are maybe the size of a quarter...my son's is a tab bit bigger I think his came from a different hatch...I try to keep my thermostat turned up for the trantulas but my wife turns it down...like I said normally its between 67 - 69...during the summer...I've had a Metallica before my son was born and loved it...and he just turned 10 I wanted to get him in the hobby and that's what he picked out so I got 1 as well...I just want to make sure they are good and comfortable and taken care of...

 

[wesker12]

What would the temp be like without the thermostat turned up? 67-69 is pretty chill, most tarantulas can handle a pretty good range of temps and higher temps def boost their metabolism so they grow, eat, and molt faster. Your son's got great taste, same as you! Metallica was my first full grown arboreal, almost 6.5 inches and so gentle yet would go after 3.5 inch blaberus gigantea like a tiger (world's largest roach).

I would def poke more holes in the cup! Is the other Metallica in an identical setup?

 

[WillyWonker]

yea same setup but I went ahead and took both out of the tanks and just have them setting on bookshelves now...both have a piece of bark and vine in its cup...haven't put a bottle cap for water just yet waiting to see how they web up so I can have easy access to it...I spray the sides every few days...I have 16 holes on each side of the cups on both trantulas...

 

[Thekla]

I hate to say this but that cup within a poorly ventilated tank looks like a death trap to me. I can't see sufficient ventilation at all.

Please read this thread:

Tarantula Information for Beginners (and More)

Below are some helpful resources. (Rather than having half a dozen or more pinned threads, which clutter the top of the board, we are pinning this index.) While the focus is on beginners, there are other threads on health and more advanced species that may be useful to more experienced keepers...

arachnoboards.com

There's a great section on Avics you need to read.

Edit:
I just read you got the cups out of the glass tank. Good! Could you please post some pictures of the cups themselves? It seems they're way too moist. Humid and stagnant conditions are the no 1 killer for Avics.
So, don't mist! Put a bottle cap as a water dish in there and provide a few drops of water to the sides or onto the webbing once in a while.

 

[Smotzer]

View attachment 351932

This looks like a death trap waiting to happen. I can’t see any adequate ventilation on that cup and to make it worse it’s inside another enclosure. Does the enclosure have cork bark and lots of plant cover up high to hide and web in? .

But it looks like there is a lot of moisture in that enclosure and in the substrate with far too little ventilation.... that’s a no no with avicularia cause it looks like you have been misting in there as well. If you are indeed misting and also moistening the substrate stop doing that ASAP. Keep it dry with a water dish amd don’t mist and when it webs you can administer water directly to it.

 

[WillyWonker]

I'm in the process of letting it dry out...I was misinformed about the humidity...

 

[wesker12]

Slightly moist substrate isn't the worst thing, all you gotta do really is just poke more holes! Bottom and top, cross ventilation will prevent stagnant, overly moist air.

Pet shops are notorious for misinformation on exotics like tarantulas, same with care sheets! Just put the little dude in a catch cup and poke more holes also if you got other pets watch out for flea and tick medication or if neighbors spray pesticides cause in my experience, slings are definitely more susceptible to toxins!

 

[WillyWonker]

awesome! will do...thanks alot! jus make sure they are healthy...just don't wana lose them or have them uncomfortable...

 

[Craig73]

Hi, my son and I have 2 metallic slings...we've had them about 4 or 5 weeks now...this past week they stopped eating...his will still attack but not eat...I feed with tongs since they are small amd I don't want the cricket running around their cups...I've read they may be molting... just don't want them to die...thanks!

I’ve got three avic slings (Kwitara, Versicolor, and Avic Avic (think they were formerly Avicularia Metallica?)). When they stop eating I try dead pray on their web or somewhere I can see it...can be on the ground. If they don’t eat I take it out 5 hours later and try again in 3-4 days. If the second attempt is a no go and their butts are still plump it’s usually a premolt.

Premolt can be hard to tell on mine since they all still look fuzzy and cannot see bald or shinny spots on the butts and I take the defensiveness towards pay and not eating as my primary sign of premolt.

Some good cross ventilation on the enclosure and a bottle cap with water on the substraight does the job and provides water as well as some reasonable humidity without it getting too high I rarely spray the sides of the enclosure since mine do fine, but if you’re worried a light mist will work for drinking....they’re small, so doesn’t take a lot.

 

[WillyWonker]

thanks for the info...same as you I was looking for a bald spot but couldn't tell as well...I just want them to b healthy...I'd be really upset if something happened to them from a mistake I made...

 

[Craig73]

thanks for the info...same as you I was looking for a bald spot but couldn't tell as well...I just want them to b healthy...I'd be really upset if something happened to them from a mistake I made...

I’m the same, I’d be devastated. Ooh and lack of movement is another sign for mine....they just get into their stretches out pose and conserve energy.

These are mine...two on the far right are not avics. The far left in the big enclosure is my ~2” Avic Minatrix. The enclosure is so overkill but he’s got his comfy hide and I get a great display and watch home peak out of his hide. I watch these guys like hawks, and the bigger they get the less stressful it will be for me worrying about the sling stage.

 

[WillyWonker]

thise are cool setups..I just found a store near me that has the AMEC boxes...I'm gona go grab a few of those and switch mine over once I get em set up..

 

[Craig73]

Nice. Cheep and you can drill holes in them easily...just light pressure and take it slow. I’ve already started designing their sub adult setups last night...they got a long ways to go for those. I use plants that require low light/watering, air plants, drift wood, cork bark (not in the enclosures yet) and hydrometer to watch temp/humidity. It’s an addiction for sure. Heck, my feeders will have a palace soon.

 

[RadicalSquire7]

they are maybe the size of a quarter...my son's is a tab bit bigger I think his came from a different hatch...I try to keep my thermostat turned up for the trantulas but my wife turns it down...like I said normally its between 67 - 69...during the summer...I've had a Metallica before my son was born and loved it...and he just turned 10 I wanted to get him in the hobby and that's what he picked out so I got 1 as well...I just want to make sure they are good and comfortable and taken care of...

They need a lot of ventilation here is one of my Caribena Versicolor sling enclosures and it doesn’t have as much as I would like but it has enough. Also if your comfortable your T is comfortable Just a rule of thumb