Seeking opinions on new A.Avic

[JohnxII]

Hi fellow T lovers! I've had my 1st T, which is an AA, for about a week. Appetite is good so far (had 3 crix). However, it is not readily building its web retreat on the upper vivarium as described by most popular T books. Would it feel safe enough resting on the sides of clear plastic walls? I covered the vivarium top with a large camo-printed handkerchief...

And any opinions on my tank setup?

- 1.5-2 in. substrate
- water dish with cotton
- drift wood (didn't bake or sterylize)
- hydro/thermometer on bottom corner (can't measure the arboreal's nearby conditions, but I fear one day it would fall and potentially crush my T if I mounted it near the top)
- heat mat at the back
- plastic fake leaves (more at the top which the attached pic can't show)

 

[JohnxII]

Also, I read about Rick West's sexing method... but I have zero experience on this... could someone give me a hand? I think it's still young (about 3 in.) Is Pinky (as in little finger, not baby mice...) a he or she? Or is the pic not good enough? Many thanks for your help in advance!

 

[Bearskin10]

Hi and welcome to the T world, Your set up looks pretty nice the only suggestion I can give you on it is "get rid of the cotton" cotton is bad as is supports mold and bacteria, as for webbing, some web up there enclosure quicker than others and even a few will not web much at all. Sex looks to be a male to me but the picture is pretty dark and hard to tell for sure. Greg

 

[the new guy]

i definately agree that you should get rid of your cotton. ive had my a. avic for about 3 months now and it hasnt webbed anything at all. i wouldnt worry about it much. welcome to the boards and the addiction.

 

[JohnxII]

Thanks guys, I shall remove the cotton immediately when I get home. However, should I keep the dish at all? Since it seldom touches the ground...

If no webbing is no problem, I'm pleased. Less silk production = conservation of energy, yes? And vavarium looks nicer too... will post a better picture of Pinky's underside...

BTW, fellow A.avic owners, how do you know if your T is having its ultimate molt? And do adult males have "boxing glove" palps and hooks like some other Ts?

 

[the new guy]

i would keep the water dish in there. i have seen my avic face down in the dish even with misting daily.

 

[abstract]

I'm impressed john...it looks like you've done your research

It sounds like you're spending a lot of time worring about setting up the "perfect" environment for your new little pet - assuming you got rid of the cotton - it looks like your setup now is next to perfect.

Just keep putting the crickets in there - (removing if not eaten in a day or two) - and you're AA will be the happiest little spider that you can imagine.

RE: web-spinning vs. energy conservation - i don't think you should even begin to worry about it

Ultimate molt is hard to tell on a female (unless someone knows a trick that I don't) - but if it is a male, it will get the "gloves".

 

[JohnxII]

Removed the cotton from water dish... thanks for all your input!

Yeah I sure have been reading a lot about my new pet. I'm proud to say that of all the pets I've had, most lived past their average expected lifespan... even 1.5 times in some cases. Just wana take good care of them and learn during the process.

Thanks again!

 

[stu]

yeah, welcome to the boards John,

As others said, don't worry about the webbing, I had my avic for a few months before he made his web - now he hardly ever comes out of it except when food is around, then he comes out in a flash.

Good luck with your little fella - I'm guessing your collection will just get bigger and bigger

cheers,

Stu.

 

[JohnxII]

Thanks stu. I sure would like to keep more, but the current apartment I live in and the amount of personal belongings are just... unforgiving. Once we move into a bigger place, I might get lucky and have a small room modified into a mini zoo!

 

[Kevo]

I find they only really web alot when they are slings and when sub adult/adult as they approach the moult.

 

[JohnxII]

That's invaluable info, Kevo. I definitely will keep that in mind, thanks! Meanwhile I will start feeding him/her gut-loaded crix tonight... I special-fed the "singing" males so hopefully my family can enjoy a few nights of serenity...

BTW, do arboreals, especially A.Avic, molt on higher grounds inside their web retreats, or would they go down bellies-up on the ground?

 

[Bearskin10]

Originally posted by JohnxII

BTW, do arboreals, especially A.Avic, molt on higher grounds inside their web retreats, or would they go down bellies-up on the ground?

Most of the time they make a hammock up high but I have also had a few that made a mat and molted on the ground. Greg

 

[G_Wright]

I've had my avic for about a year and only now has it decided to spin a web.

 

[JohnxII]

A hammock? Awesome! Coconut trees... white sand... the sun & the sea... now how many pairs of sunglasses would my T need?

Saw your site GW, very informative. I like the idea of pebbles in plastic cup. Cheers!