My first T, want to make sure I'm doing it right. A. Avic

[zoogirl]

Hi everyone! My husband has been begging me for over a year to let him get a tarantula. I finally gave in and now after a month of him having his, I'm hooked and got myself a T. I've been reading as much as I can on them, read as many of the posts on these boards as I could find and I think I am learning a lot but I want to share pics of my set up and get any pointers on anything that can be improved. My cage is a homemade cage that measures 9 inches high, 4 1/2 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches deep. From what I've read, I'm thinking more plants up top? She/he is an A. Avic, don't know how old she is. I've had her just under a week and she is eating well, a cricket every other day so far.....should I feed her more often?

 

[Venom1080]

Wasting space with all the sub. One inch is enough. Looks fine otherwise.

Here's how I do it.
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/avicularia-care.291340/

 

[Nightstalker47]

Ventilation looks good. I would personally change that cork piece to another with more surface area, those cork hollows tend to just encourage hiding IME. Especially in relatively barren setups.

One of the flatter pieces would be most ideal, leaned against its side. Avics like lots of cover, they will make better use of that shaped cork, hide behind it, climb up on it and attach webbing. You could also use some more fake foliage towards the top of the enclosure.

 

[zoogirl]

Thank you Venom, I think I've read your post two or three times haha. I'm so scared I'm going to kill this poor thing and she's so cute that I don't want to hurt her....or him. Wasn't sure about how much sub to have in there, tried to bring it up close to the edge of the door.

 

[zoogirl]

Ventilation looks good. I would personally change that cork piece to another with more surface area, those cork hollows tend to just encourage hiding IME. Especially in relatively barren setups.

One of the flatter pieces would be most ideal, leaned against its side. Avics like lots of cover, they will make better use of that shaped cork, hide behind it, climb up on it and attach webbing. You could also use some more fake foliage towards the top of the enclosure.

Awesome, thanks for the advice. I'll see what other cork bark we've got here and switch it out and put some more foliage up top.

 

[cold blood]

More elevated plants...feed less...a lot less. Feed a cricket or two a week. Excessive feeding won't necessarily harm the t, but it will cause it to enter pre-molt sooner...which means a long time with an inactive t that you mat not even see for a long time.

Remove the rocks.

Otherwise looks good, especially for your first.

 

[Vanessa]

Don't be too worried if they don't web immediately. They tend to leave that until they are just about to moult. They are the least webbing of all my arboreals.

 

[CyclingSam]

Don't be too worried if they don't web immediately. They tend to leave that until they are just about to moult. They are the least webbing of all my arboreals.

Well, I'll throw an Agree in with those disagrees because mine also doesn't web much. If she does, she pulls it down as fast as she puts it up. My C. versi. has filled half her enclosure though.

 

[Vanessa]

Well, I'll throw an Agree in with those disagrees because mine also doesn't web much. If she does, she pulls it down as fast as she puts it up. My C. versi. has filled half her enclosure though.

Yes, it is more about who says it than what is being said. There have been a number of people who have made the same observation as I have, and commented the same on other posts, who have not gotten any negative ratings on that comment.
If there is one thing I can always count on from some people - it's pettiness.
That is what the ignore function is for.

 

[PidderPeets]

They are the least webbing of all my arboreals.

mine also doesn't web much

Your Avics are weird



All joking aside, @zoogirl I know you said you read Venom's care sheet, but I just want to double check that you aren't keeping the substrate moist. At least on my screen, the sub looks a little moist, and the addition of sphagnum moss just makes me want to make sure.

 

[zoogirl]

The bottom layer on the substrate is moist but the top layer is completely dry.

 

[darkness975]

The bottom layer on the substrate is moist but the top layer is completely dry.

Let it dry out. A water dish is all they need, especially at that size.

Feed a lot less. Like @cold blood said a cricket a week or every other week is really all you need to do. I don't have a set feeding schedule for my collection, I feed them whenever I remember to do it. Often times the crickets or super worms outlive their stay in captivity and die before they get fed off. Just the nature of having more feeders than critters that eat them.

If you are using abdomen size to gauge when to feed, remember that arboreals are usually not as large abdomened as terrestrials. They are sleeker for their lives in the treetops and a lumbering back side would be detrimental.

Also, you should add a bit more plant cover on top for it to web into.

A new piece of cork, one that is flatter, would not be a bad idea if you wanted.

 

[PidderPeets]

The bottom layer on the substrate is moist but the top layer is completely dry.

As already stated, it'd be good to just let the substrate dry out and keep it dry after that. Avics can suffer if the substrate is moist and there isn't a ton of ventilation to prevent the enclosure from getting stuffy. Your ventilation is good for a dry setup, but there could be problems if you routinely moistened the substrate. The substrate for both my adult female A. avic and my juvie C. versicolor is almost always completely dry and they've never had any complications.

Additionally, I just want to say that although everyone else is suggesting a cork flat as opposed to a tube, don't take it as you absolutely have to replace it. My Avic has a hollow bamboo tube in her enclosure. She ended up partially webbing up the tube opening, and then building a much larger den around it, as you can see in the picture I posted earlier. She retreats to the tube if I startle her (like in the pic), but for the most part, she's always in the big open web den part. The tube doesn't hinder my viewing of her at all. You can obviously change it if you want, just know that isn't the only option

 

[Garth Vader]

Very nice looking T! Great that you are seeking out advice on making its enclosure as comfy as possible.

I agree with adding more foliage up top. Mine webs up at the top and hangs around there pretty much all the time. I have noticed that it webs a lot in general, but definitely more right before a molt.

 

[beaker41]

Very good first attempt, usually these 1st timer posts picture a 10 gallon with bark, a screen top and a heat lamp.