Uh Oh

[runCMD]

I'd wait a few days before feeding. I would also add a little bit more substrate and push the cork bark into the substrate. Most importantly, remember that they need a mixture of adequate ventilation and moisture.

Will do - thanks. Yeah that's why I have the holes around the outside and I just let a drop of water run down the side. I had watched Tom's husbandry video on these guys as prep.

 

[Andrea82]

One more noob question if I may(which means I probably shouldn't have picked up the A. Versi but at least I don't have any pokies right?!)

I have some pinhead lats I had purchased with my GBB but it's eating dubias. Should I toss one of those in there now without crushing head or wait a day or two? Don't really have to worry about it burrowing or anything right?

If you can take the S.lateralis out without much fuss you could give it a try. Some people feed them on arrival to check if the T is okay and because it will web a little, making it less 'new' to the T.

 

[runCMD]

If you can take the S.lateralis out without much fuss you could give it a try. Some people feed them on arrival to check if the T is okay and because it will web a little, making it less 'new' to the T.

I'll wait till my smaller tweezers arrive from Amazon today.

 

[Rob1985]

Will do - thanks. Yeah that's why I have the holes around the outside and I just let a drop of water run down the side. I had watched Tom's husbandry video on these guys as prep.

Tom is a really good dude! His videos will not steer you wrong! It sounds like you're on the road to raising an A. versicolor!

 

[Venom1080]

ive never raised a avic without a dish before, the cage should always have one.

 

[runCMD]

ive never raised a avic without a dish before, the cage should always have one.

Have you seen how small this vial is? I have a couple dishes right now but if this one were to get one I'd have to figure something out to use if I were to change strategy.

 

[Venom1080]

Have you seen how small this vial is? I have a couple dishes right now but if this one where to get one I'd have to figure something out to use if I were to change strategy.

no i missed the picture you just posted.. i would never recommend raising an avic with no dish. especially your first.

 

[Bugmom]

One more noob question if I may(which means I probably shouldn't have picked up the A. Versi but at least I don't have any pokies right?!)

I have some pinhead lats I had purchased with my GBB but it's eating dubias. Should I toss one of those in there now without crushing head or wait a day or two? Don't really have to worry about it burrowing or anything right?

I don't wait to feed, but I also don't go out of my way to feed as soon as a T gets in. If one arrives on feeding day, it's fed with the others, or if it arrives looking like it needs to eat (e.g. recently molted). Otherwise I wait until feeding day.

No, lateralis won't burrow.

Edit to add: Spray the sides with some water once a week and the sling will be fine for water. No need to add a dish until it's in an enclosure large enough for one.

 

[runCMD]

Necessity breeds innovation. I made this from a drinking straw and a little standoff. Not sure if I'm going to add it or not.

I just read viper's husbandry post from another thread and it seemed like good advice.

The little sling just ravaged a lat.....

 

[cold blood]

Poked some holes in the vial and tossed a piece of bamboo skewer in on top of coco fiber. Anything else I should add for this? Can probably just stay in here until It's ready for the deli container.

Newsflash...its big enough for a deli cup. As someone who breeds avic I will tell you I would never even consider putting one into a vial...they like more room, which allows for proper habitat...wood, plants and a water dish.

Mine get delis as soon as theyre second instar.

ive never raised a avic without a dish before, the cage should always have one.

Both this and the ventilation factor are why a deli cup is a vastly superior choice to a vial. A 16 oz deli is great, but even a 32oz deli is just fine.

It will web up that little vial...and along with that, all the vent holes.View media item 37300

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• cold blood
• Nov 26, 2016
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[Trenor]

for an A. Versicolor? I assumed it would web up the vial, but I do know slings behave differently sometimes.



Definitely should have done that.

All Avics love clutter when setting up their homes. The more webbing points they have the faster they will settle in.

 

[viper69]

for an A. Versicolor? I assumed it would web up the vial, but I do know slings behave differently sometimes.

Curious, why did you assume it would, why did you assume it wouldn't need cover to feel secure? In the wild, at least in Peru, some Avics web together leaves and use that as their hide. They aren't orb weavers

If you have questions, keep them coming. Rather see you succeed then have a dead Avic. I get the impression you did some research, but maybe not enough before you bought this blue jewel.

Have you seen how small this vial is?

Your straw is a great idea. ALSO, on Amazon there are various sized ink holds for tattoo artists, those would well too.

When it gets larger, you can make this http://www.tarantulasus.com/showthread.php/4353-A-tip-for-a-Tip-resistant-water-dish

 

[viper69]

vastly superior choice ....but even a 32oz deli is just fine.

The Choice of Champions!

 

[cold blood]

The Choice of Champions!

Or maybe just successful keepers

 

[viper69]

Edit to add: Spray the sides with some water once a week and the sling will be fine for water. No need to add a dish until it's in an enclosure large enough for one.

@runCMD

I disagree with the above as a complete hydration solution, esp for what seems to be a first time Avic owner, here is why.

Aside from examining the size of the abdomen, or body posture, ie death curl, an owner has no idea if a T is thirsty or not. I have Avics with FAT abdomens that drink water.

The droplets will likely evaporate before the Avic even drinks, I see this all the time. Spraying the sides may result in the below, esp with an inexperienced owner

1. Increased wetness, stuffy air- the number 1 killer of Avics with new owners, esp slings
2. A dehydrated/dead T because an owner assumes the Avic will drink, when it may not drink at all.

Now, is adding water to the leaves or sides wrong even if a water bowl is present, not it is not because not all Avics will drink from a bowl, and sometimes they seem to "forget" they have a water bowl, I've observed this frequently. Both strategies are necessary IMO.

 

[viper69]

Or maybe just successful keepers

thus we are champions

 

[user 666]

All Avics love clutter when setting up their homes. The more webbing points they have the faster they will settle in.

I have found with my gabonensis that the fake leaves in the vial made it easy to transfer the T to a larger enclosure.

The T had webbed everything into one clump, so I picked up the clump with tweezers and moved it wholesale to the larger enclosure, and then surrounded it with more leaves - which the T is helpfully adding to the clump.

 

[Trenor]

I find water dishes a necessity for all my Ts. Mainly this is because my pet room has reptiles in it and the temp is usually kept pretty hot. Even with dishes, I water 2-3 times a week with a lot of my Ts. If I sprayed they would have to drink pretty quick before it evaporated. not everyone has a setup like mine but water dishes for me are just needed.

As others have mentioned it doesn't hurt to get a little over sized on the enclosure for these guys if it means they get a water dish. When I first got the A.avics from CB I put them into pretty big enclosures and they did fine.

 

[runCMD]

Thanks everyone.

Here are my takeaways.

I'm going to get a deli cup when I pick up my daughter from school. By then it should be done with it's first meal.
I will make smaller holes the same way I did in the vial(with an RC plane push-rod heated by propane torch).
I will give it a proper hide(just move from the other deli cup).
I will provide some sphagnum, and perhaps some leaves if I can find any.
I will provide the water dish(again, just moving from the other cup). I had seen the anti-tip dish and liked it but I'll just see if my wide dish works.

EDIT: I have a free 8x8x8 Exo Terra btw, but assuming that is too big .

 

[Andrea82]

From what I've gathered, the vial is a temporary enclosure because the actual enclosure had holes too big for the size of the spider.
So i think a new enclosure is in progress
Edit: see post above