RIP Squirt.

seezilla

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 23, 2010
Messages
4
Well, my avic avic died yesterday. :( IDK what happened to it (him? her? IDK and now I never will). I thought s/he was in premolt, due to her not being able to climb well and refusing food. I noticed day before yesterday that her abdomen was really small, but I didn't know what to do about it and since she was still moving and I didn't want to stress her out more than I needed to I figured I'd wait another day or two before asking you guys for advice, make sure she wasn't just about to molt.

Well, last night I went to see how s/he was, and found her in a death curl. I have had such bad luck with avics. D: All three of the Ts that died were avics. So I am not getting anymore until I can figure out whatever it is that I am doing that has caused this. I don't want more avics to die on me needlessly. Anyway, sorry to post something sad on a day like today. But I am thankful that the other 13 or my Ts seem to be thriving.

I'm not sure what I am doing wrong. So I am scared for Skweezeme now. Skweezeme looks great. Nice fat abdomen, bright blue coloration. Wonderful tunnel web. I feed her/him a small to medium cricket once a week and she seems fine. I'm just really tired of seeing my Ts die on me.

I wonder if she wasn't getting enough ventilation. I had holes going all along the sides of her enclosure. I'll post some pics later. IDK. I am just sad about this, although I have been focused on other things, poor little Squirt was always in the back of my mind today.

I feel more like a newb than ever today. :8o:(:(:8o
 

2oCHEVYo0

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Messages
67
Have you been keeping them in more humid conditions? They tend to be better off with more humidity when they are soo small.
 

seezilla

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 23, 2010
Messages
4
Yeah, it was an almost constant 80% humidity in the enclosure. Like I said, I honestly do not know what happened to her/him. :( All I can figure is either I am just having bad luck with avics OR there is something I am not doing right. I'm leaning towards me doing something wrong. :8o
 

NikiP

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 16, 2006
Messages
539
Try buying them a bit larger. Juvies to adult don't seem to have as many problems dying.
 

Alice

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 29, 2006
Messages
976
Hey, sorry for your loss.

I've raised a few avis - even had a few sacs - and never lost a single one to "sudden sling death". ok, some died, but there was always an obvious reason, like weak first instars who got cannibalized by their stronger brethren.

I have no scientifically proved method, but here is how I kept them (havn't got any arboreals anymore because I had to get rid of a large part of my collection when we moved and I changed jobs):

* LOADS of ventilation, the most important thing being: holes on all sides of the container and holes down near the substrate as well as up near the top so that the air can circulate better.
* nearly dry substrate - especially small slings easily die of mould fungus spores in their booklungs.
* mist generously every day or every second day, so that the t can drink plenty - but the ventilation should be so good that the walls and top layer of the substrate can dry before the next misting.

hope that helped.
 

Redneck

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 1, 2009
Messages
1,393
Sorry for your loss.. :(

I have to say though.. All this talk about "alot of vent. & humidity"... Its all crap if you ask me..

I lost my first versi... I was keeping it moist with alot of vent..

The got 2 more versi babies.. I kept them like every other critter.. One matured male & is out breeding now.. The other is a female.. She is still with me..

I kept them in approprite sized enclosures.. My female is 3" in a 2.5 gallon.. She has been in it since she was 2.5".. I know.. It was/is a bit large for her..
The enclosure has a plexiglass lid with 7 vent holes in it.. (Thats not alot for the size of the enclosure..) I have peat moss for substrate & I keep it dry.. I mist her enclosure down & let it dry out completely.. Then repeat the process.. I do keep a water dish in with her.. It is full all the time!

She eats, webs, and is out and about all the time!

I have raised my A. avics the same way! Even produced an egg sac from one in the same conditions! I ended up with 118 EWL (eggs with leggs)..

I incubated them.. Once they hit second instar... I housed them all the same way!

Small enclosure, few vent. holes, dry substrate, ect., ect... I didnt loose any of them!

I think some people just over do it.. All the misting & high humidity.. Its not needed when you have a CB sling..

Others may feel different.. Thats fine.. This is my opinion & how I have had success with raising avics..

Again though.. Sorry for your loss.. Better luck next go..
 

Kathy

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 4, 2009
Messages
852
I'm sorry to hear that too. I have 3 avics here in Phoenix where my house humidity runs about 20%. I mist once a day in their enclosure but I bet it only stays around 35%. I keep the subtrate damp and a water bowl and they are real active and webbing and eating all the time. There are just so many variables that could cause their death, including nothing we did wrong. sometimes it's just their time to die.
 

phoenixxavierre

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 9, 2002
Messages
1,293
Sorry about your loss. I know what that's like. It happens to the best of us, and as has been mentioned by other forum members, it oftentimes has nothing to do with what we did or didn't do.

A. avicularia come from the islands where humidity at this time of year is generally about 70% during the day and rises up to around 90% during the evening. Temps range from mid seventies to mid eighties, so around 80F is good for these.

Don't give up, we all have had similar experiences. I've had spiderling avics die on me as well. Sometimes spiderlings are weak from the get-go and eventually succumb to whatever abnormality they may possibly have.

Personally, I've found that if you move a spiderling from a vial to a jar, with slit holes in the lid for ventilation (too thin for them to crawl through of course), then they seem to do better than in a vial with only a single or more pinprick holes in the top. The adults in my experience did better with more ventilation, such as in a ten gallon I use those tough screen lids that lock on.

These are the type of lids I usually purchase for my 10 gallon setups.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3635622
 

gmrpnk21

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 1, 2010
Messages
319
I had to comment on this thread. I just took out my new Avic Avic and it "squirted poo at me for like the third time in 4 days. My girlfriend advised me to change her name to "Squirt". I am sorry for your loss, and I am a bit nervous about my new girl. I think the shop I got her from had her in a plastic deli container for months, and didn't feed her enough and never handled her. Hopefully that's why she feels the need o squirt crap at me for no apparent reason, and she will get better with time.
 

TigerLily87

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 16, 2010
Messages
11
Sorry to here that, same exact thing happened to mine.
She was eating and active the night before but in the morning she was limp and laying on her side.
I was very sad, she was only 1/4" and especially as it happened out of the blue. I vowed to not get another Avic too until I get my confidence back with them.
 

seezilla

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 23, 2010
Messages
4
Thanks everyone. I am sorry, I've been so busy IRL that this is my first chance to come check the board.

Well, I think I am going to see how well I can raise my last avic sling before getting any other avics. I've had three die since I got into this hobby. :8o I know it's all one sided and the Ts could care less, but I really was attached to Squirt. I've had her almost as long as Rozilla, which I realize hasn't been THAT long, but it's been long enough.

I truly do appreciate all the words of advice and the kind thoughts. (I don't get why newbs come here and don't get along with people, everyone has been absolutely LOVELY to me) You all rock. I want to stick with my NW terrestrials for now and once I've got confidence in myself again I'll get another pink toe. I am going to miss Squirt. S/he was an awesome T.
 
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