Microclimate for Poecilotheria slings?

[Trenor]

Push pin? Only for 1/8" or 1/4" slings. That's not enough airflow for bigger slings.

Right, I use a bamboo skewer to make them bigger once they get some size.

I use a soldering iron (pointed tip, not a soldering gun). I either make small round holes or slash marks. I periodically file the tip, so i's sharp and can make small holes. For deli cups with large slings/small juveniles, I'll poke the soldering iron all the way thru. I use a ceiling fan when doing this, and never in the spider room.

Ahh, you file yours down. I use one too but even my smallest tip on the soldering iron would make too big a hole for .5 inch slings. I usually use it for 3/4' or 1" enclosures.

In the soft plastic of the deli cups I use the pin and then the sharp point of a skewer to widen it till I have the size I need. If it's hard plastic like acrylic I drill.

Not sure about prey, but as long as you put it high at use no fliers, there should be no issues. I feed my T's big-ish prey, so I've never had the problem

Yeah, none of the prey I feed has ever been small enough to get out the vent holes. Small day old dubia nymphs still can't squeeze like crickets can.

 

[mistertim]

Yeah I've done the soldering iron as well as the push pin/skewer combo (that idea was actually thanks to @Trenor from another thread). Interesting idea from @Poec54 about sharpening the point of the soldering iron tip. I might try that, because when I got my P. irminia and H. pulchripes slings, the soldering iron holes were fine for the irminia but were a bit big for the pulchripes. I ended up leaving the P. irminia deli as it was but changed to a deli with the push pin/skewer holes for the H. pulchripes. I've also never put holes near the bottom either...just 2 or 3 rows up top and that seems to work well so far.

 

[Trenor]

Yeah I've done the soldering iron as well as the push pin/skewer combo (that idea was actually thanks to @Trenor from another thread).

That idea was actually @cold blood and I 'borrowed' it from him in one of the other threads.

The soldering iron is quick but if the plastic is thick it's a hassle wiping off the plastic buildup from the iron and it smoking. The last few hard plastic boxes I've made up I've just drilled. The soft plastic ones I do use the iron on for lack of a better thing to use.

 

[Poec54]

The soldering iron is quick but if the plastic is thick it's a hassle wiping off the plastic buildup from the iron and it smoking. The last few hard plastic boxes I've made up I've just drilled. The soft plastic ones I do use the iron on for lack of a better thing to use.

There's not much plastic build up doing deli cups, as the plastic's thin. With the larger clear plastic storage boxes, that have thicker plastic, I push the end of the soldering iron all the way thru, and most of the plastic comes off when you do that. If you keep an old wet washcloth next to you, you can quickly wipe the soldering tip on that.

 

[Steve Rankin]

So I'm getting my first Pokie tomorrow. Its a 1" P. regalis sling. Setting up its enclosure now (32 oz deli) and was wondering if they are best off without ventilation on the lid (just cross ventilation) so that a microclimate can form, as is the case with Avics. What do you all generally do for them?

FORGET MICRO CLIMATE AND PLEASE VENT OTHERWISE T WILL GET VERY SLUGGISH AND COULD DIE.

 

[14pokies]

Lol @Steve Rankin

 

[Poec54]

FORGET MICRO CLIMATE AND PLEASE VENT OTHERWISE T WILL GET VERY SLUGGISH AND COULD DIE.

What the hell does that mean?

 

[mistertim]

FORGET MICRO CLIMATE AND PLEASE VENT OTHERWISE T WILL GET VERY SLUGGISH AND COULD DIE.

Thanks. I just transferred it to a fully mesh ball. Should be good to go now.

 

[advan]

Push pin? Only for 1/8" or 1/4" slings. That's not enough airflow for bigger slings. I use a soldering iron (pointed tip, not a soldering gun). I either make small round holes or slash marks. I periodically file the tip, so i's sharp and can make small holes. For deli cups with large slings/small juveniles, I'll poke the soldering iron all the way thru. I use a ceiling fan when doing this, and never in the spider room.

How much air do you think they need? You could not give them any holes and it would be plenty of oxygen. A weekly feed and water would provide enough air exchange. My incubators don't have any holes and with 80-100 slings, there is still enough oxygen in them(sometimes I don't open the incubators for weeks!).

 

[Poec54]

How much air do you think they need? You could not give them any holes and it would be plenty of oxygen. A weekly feed and water would provide enough air exchange. My incubators don't have any holes and with 80-100 slings, there is still enough oxygen in them(sometimes I don't open the incubators for weeks!).

I want enough air exchange so I don't have mold or mites. Remember, I'm in a subtropical climate with 50+" of annual rain. Another reason for extra air holes is the spinning that some arboreals and OW's do; I've had some web over most of their airholes, which I don't like. I know, personal preference.