My avic. avicularia

[AmberDawnDays]

A.avicularia can be feisty?
I don't keep A.avicularia, but my versicolor and metallica have never so much as lifted a leg in warning...

I don't really know her body language yet. When I opened the top of the container the 1st night I got her to start re-homing her, she spread out real big and lifted her front two legs. I left her alone. A few hours later I did the same thing and she didn't move, so I successfully rehomed her without issue. Then last night when I fed her a cricket (for thr first time) she got into that same stance where she spread her legs out really wide and watched the cricket, then attacked. Looking back I think when I originally opened the lid of the container she came in she got into that position that I called feisty because she thought food was on its way. She was ready to hunt.

 

[Andrea82]

I don't really know her body language yet. When I opened the top of the container the 1st night I got her to start re-homing her, she spread out real big and lifted her front two legs. I left her alone. A few hours later I did the same thing and she didn't move, so I successfully rehomed her without issue. Then last night when I fed her a cricket (for thr first time) she got into that same stance where she spread her legs out really wide and watched the cricket, then attacked. Looking back I think when I originally opened the lid of the container she came in she got into that position that I called feisty because she thought food was on its way. She was ready to hunt.

That sounds like (the start) of a threatposture, although they usually raise four legs; the pedipalps and first pair of legs. Indeed a feisty Avic
Don't blame her though, coming from that horrible enclosure at the LPS.
I was half joking with my post , just because mine don't threat doesn't mean that other Avicularia don't threat as well. I was just surprised, it being a species that is fairly mellow. It goes to show that every spider has its own set of rules.

 

[Olan]

A.avicularia can be feisty?
I don't keep A.avicularia, but my versicolor and metallica have never so much as lifted a leg in warning...

My versicolor can be a little feisty. I've seen several threat postures over the years. Seems to be if I startle her. Otherwise she's like a teddy bear. Except towards the superworms. She releases her primal fury on them.

 

[Paiige]

Congratulations on your first baby! She's a cutie pie. Post pics of the enclosure if you can!

 

[LD67]

Word of warning, those suckers are FAST! Good luck!

 

[Andrea82]

My versicolor can be a little feisty. I've seen several threat postures over the years. Seems to be if I startle her. Otherwise she's like a teddy bear. Except towards the superworms. She releases her primal fury on them.

My versicolor is more skittish, and doesn't hesitate to run laps when startled, and using the emergency exit at the other end of her webtube, if i startle her.
My metallica lazily lifts a few legs, webs some safety lines, but doesn't care what i do, not even when i touch her.

 

[cold blood]

A.avicularia can be feisty?
I don't keep A.avicularia, but my versicolor and metallica have never so much as lifted a leg in warning...

I've seen more threat postures from my AF Avic avics than all my other Avics combined. And I have 2 adult female urticans....lol.

 

[Jlw13194]

I just fed my Avic Avic who's exactly around the size of yours and she also was doing a happy dance! Sorry this isn't my post but I wanted to ask if it's common for an Avic Avic to not web for the first week being in her new enclosure. She's eaten 3 trimes since being in there, i have the eco earth coconut coir in as substrate which i mist daily along with the sides of the enclosure (being sure not to mist my Avic Avic, who i've decided to name Peach.) I have some natural sticks in there for her to climb and a water dish that's re-filled daily. Is it common for Avic Avic's to do this?

 

[BobBarley]

I just fed my Avic Avic who's exactly around the size of yours and she also was doing a happy dance! Sorry this isn't my post but I wanted to ask if it's common for an Avic Avic to not web for the first week being in her new enclosure. She's eaten 3 trimes since being in there, i have the eco earth coconut coir in as substrate which i mist daily along with the sides of the enclosure (being sure not to mist my Avic Avic, who i've decided to name Peach.) I have some natural sticks in there for her to climb and a water dish that's re-filled daily. Is it common for Avic Avic's to do this?

Don't mist daily, but yes, it's normal for it to not web. Do you have lots of ventilation in the enclosure?

 

[Risto N]

I just fed my Avic Avic who's exactly around the size of yours and she also was doing a happy dance! Sorry this isn't my post but I wanted to ask if it's common for an Avic Avic to not web for the first week being in her new enclosure. She's eaten 3 trimes since being in there, i have the eco earth coconut coir in as substrate which i mist daily along with the sides of the enclosure (being sure not to mist my Avic Avic, who i've decided to name Peach.) I have some natural sticks in there for her to climb and a water dish that's re-filled daily. Is it common for Avic Avic's to do this?

Your Avic will Web once it feels comfortable and that may take longer than 3 weeks. Be sure there is plenty of ventilation. Don't mist the enclosure, just be sure to keep up on the filled water dish. Also be sure to provide areas for the T to hide and build a retreat.

 

[Jlw13194]

Don't mist daily, but yes, it's normal for it to not web. Do you have lots of ventilation in the enclosure?

Thank you both for the quick and helpful replies! Means a lot to get so much help as a newcomer in the hobby. I have sticks in there for her which are all leaned against the corners of the enclosure, which i sanitized and cleaned myself, and a small piece of driftwood leaning against the enclosure. Do you guys think a hide is really necessary for an arboreal species? she won't walk on the substrate as is, but i'll do whatever it takes to make her happy. Thanks again for all the input and help! PS I also have a fake plant from petco but I thought it took up too much room so i took it out. and yes there is plenty of ventilation in the enclosure.

 

[BobBarley]

Thank you both for the quick and helpful replies! Means a lot to get so much help as a newcomer in the hobby. I have sticks in there for her which are all leaned against the corners of the enclosure, which i sanitized and cleaned myself, and a small piece of driftwood leaning against the enclosure. Do you guys think a hide is really necessary for an arboreal species? she won't walk on the substrate as is, but i'll do whatever it takes to make her happy. Thanks again for all the input and help! PS I also have a fake plant from petco but I thought it took up too much room so i took it out. and yes there is plenty of ventilation in the enclosure.

Pics will help us a lot more, if possible. By "hide" we mean some sort of place that the Avic can make a retreat in. Such as a cork tube, or a piece of wood/work leaned against the wall with anchor points all around.

 

[Jlw13194]

Pics will help us a lot more, if possible. By "hide" we mean some sort of place that the Avic can make a retreat in. Such as a cork tube, or a piece of wood/work leaned against the wall with anchor points all around.

This is her current set up.

 

[BobBarley]

This is her current set up.
View attachment 227573 View attachment 227574

I would add that fake plant in, even if it is gigantic. It'll give way more anchor points, and if it really is too big, you can always cut it with scissors.

Overall, not a bad setup, though personally, I'd use a larger water dish. Make sure it can get its food in there and you should be set.

 

[Risto N]

This is her current set up.
View attachment 227573 View attachment 227574

So that looks like a juvenile. That keeper would be better off stood on its side to give more vertical room. Easily achieved by using stretch wrap on the bottom to hold substrate in. Angled properly, that driftwood might let her create decent hide but a nice cork tube would be ideal.

 

[Risto N]

I'd use a soldering iron or drill to create some cross ventilation whether you stand that keeper or keep it horizontal.

 

[cold blood]

I'd use a soldering iron or drill to create some cross ventilation whether you stand that keeper or keep it horizontal.

The biggest problem with a KK is that they are over-ventilated...adding more ventilation would not only be pointless, but possibly detrimental. In fact, I would cover large portions of that top with saran wrap.

Jlw, definitely add the plant, the more clutter the better, just make sure the plant is situated around the middle to top of the wood. Ground cover is pointless and will only serve as a place for feeders to hide. I like a relatively clear floor for avics to maximize contact between predator and prey.

 

[AmberDawnDays]

I havent been getting notifications for this thread...

Anyways, just saw that people wanted to see Shelob's enclosure, but I'm already in bed sooooo I'll post pics tomorrow. I just have loose pieces of bark and some fake plants in there now. I'm using coco fiber for substrate and a small water bowl that's basically a trow away. I have a pack of 1 ounce condiment cups I planned to use and throw away as I go when they get yucky. I've topped it off daily. Her enclosure is smaller than I want it to be, but I have a better one on order. I re-homed her into a kritter keeper for now and it's taller and roomier than the one she was in from the pet store. I know it's not the best, but she will get an upgrade soon. I want to get her one of those hollow cork tubes people are talking about. Anyhow I'll be sure to post pics tomorrow. The enclosure I ordered is one that someone is making for me, but at my work today I scoped out a tall pretzel container that I'm claiming as mine as soon as people eat all the pretzels. I might make that container her home. Will re-homing her too many times stress her out? Like if let's say I move her from the kritter keeper to the pretzel container and then to the acrylic container when it gets here. Is it better to leave her in the kritter keeper even though it's not ideal or is it better to move her?

She hasn't webbed at all except the wisps she let out while eating her crickets. Yesterday she ate 2 crickets. Today I offered her a cricket, but she ignored it so I took the cricket out after a couple hours.

I am a little worried about my youngest kitty taking interest in the bugs I have now. He knocked over the cricket keeper and I found him rolling in substrate that had fallen out. I'm not sure how many crickets got out, but I found 2 of them, caught them and put them away. I probably have random crickets hopping around my house now. I just don't want this same scenario to happen with my little avic, so I have to remember to keep my bedroom door closed now. I'm also hoping my kitty never notices Shelob because she doesn't move around much.

I think things are going well so far. My family is really enjoying having her around. She's definitely being a pet rock right now, but at least she ate for me yesterday. That was the coolest thing to watch. I think it took her 4-5 hours to eat 2 crickets.

One question.... When people say overflow the water bowl, how much overflow are we talking? I'm only supposed to overflow once a week right and all the other days just make sure the water bowl has fresh water and the water is full? Just wanted to check. Thanks for all your help and for taking interest. I truly appreciate it.

Lastly, my coworkers all think I'm crazy for having a tarantula and another one coming soon. I had some major surgery earlier in the year and ended up with a blood clot in an artery that feeds my leg with oxygen (this complication is basically unheard of). The blood clot got big enough to 100% block off the artery and I no longer had a pulse in my leg. Came very close to losing my leg. I almost had open abdominal bypass surgery at age 32! Thank goodness they could stent it with literally the largest stent they make. I missed 4 months of work and had my eyes opened to life and how everything can change or be gone in just an instant. Anyways, since that happened I've had several epiphanies. People I work with seem to think I'm going through some sort of medically induced midlife crisis before midlife, so what's that called? Anyways, I think its more along the lines of enjoying everything there is to enjoy in life.

Wow, sorry for the novel.

 

[cold blood]

When people are talking about overflowing water dishes its just enough to make the sub damp, but its not the best practice unless you constantly move the dish around as it will just keep the area around the dish perpetually damp, which can lead to molds and pests. Just sprinkling water in areas and letting them dry out is a better course of action, however, none of this is necessary with avics...dry sub and a larger water dish is good, with an occasional light sprinkle on webbing once its created will suffice.

In winter, if you keep a space heater on and a warm room, it will dry things out, so only during this time will I dampen the substrate, and even then, only when things start to get really dry.

I wouldn't keep moving it constantly. Just wait till you get the enclosure you want, then move it in there.

Those cork tubes are really nice, but theyre also very expensive and not necessary. Leaned wood surrounded by plants works great...I refuse to pay through the teeth for those cork tubes when I can get perfectly good alternatives for free....that is, drift wood.

 

[AmberDawnDays]

I rehomed her today. In this pic you can see her new home on the left, in the middle is her temporary home in a kk, on the right is a cricket keeper to just give you a size reference.


This one is an up close view of the front of her home.


These are side views showing the ventilation.


Here is the top opening.


Here she is successfully rehomed.


Let me know what you think and I'll make whatever changes are necessary.