Welcome to Avics

Nephrite

Arachnoknight
Joined
Mar 1, 2016
Messages
151
So I decided to add a straw to the side of the enclosure 45 degrees as a place to hang and hide. Started with
the already active a. Avicularia sling doing repetitively circles around the lid. As soon as I opened the top, it kept doing the circulat motion as if it thought the lid was still on. As soon as it discovered if wasn't, it zoomed out of the container. Luckily I did this in my sink with the drain covered. I had it crawl over me and kept attempting to put it back into it's enclosure without it escaping first. Took about a good 20 minutes. Was bending over the whole time so my back feels real good. Ah... let me welcome myself to the world of Avics.
 

magicmed

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 4, 2016
Messages
404
I hear these stories about avics making the mad dash, I guess I got lucky with my versicolor, it hangs out in its web all the time, doesn't even move when I open the top to feed or water :)
 

CEC

Arachnoangel
Arachnosupporter
Joined
Feb 28, 2011
Messages
952
Have you ever considered an upside down container? Avics are much easier to direct up into a contianer than down. Amac clear boxes make great enclosures for slings and juvies.
 

Nephrite

Arachnoknight
Joined
Mar 1, 2016
Messages
151
Have you ever considered an upside down container? Avics are much easier to direct up into a contianer than down. Amac clear boxes make great enclosures for slings and juvies.
It's a bit too small for an enclosure like that right now. Do they come in various sizes?
 

Nephrite

Arachnoknight
Joined
Mar 1, 2016
Messages
151
Wow that is actually really interesting and will buy that enclosure for my Avic when I get the chance. Where do I buy them? Online or some store like Wal-Mart? I asked the employees if they held plastic dram vials, they had no idea so I'm just wondering.
Also how much substrate on the bottom? Also, did you hot glue that thing attached to the top? I don't have access to a hot glue gun currently. Is adding something to the top mandatory, if so I could also grab some DIY tools I'll need one day, like a dremmel. Anything else I need to know?

EDIT: The enclosure is acryllic right? I need to also drill some holes, forgot the most important thing, oops.
 
Last edited:

CEC

Arachnoangel
Arachnosupporter
Joined
Feb 28, 2011
Messages
952
Wow that is actually really interesting and will buy that enclosure for my Avic when I get the chance. Where do I buy them? Online or some store like Wal-Mart? I asked the employees if they held plastic dram vials, they had no idea so I'm just wondering.
Also how much substrate on the bottom? Also, did you hot glue that thing attached to the top? I don't have access to a hot glue gun currently. Is adding something to the top mandatory, if so I could also grab some DIY tools I'll need one day, like a dremmel. Anything else I need to know?

EDIT: The enclosure is acryllic right? I need to also drill some holes, forgot the most important thing, oops.
Yes, you will need to add a decent amount of holes, put a few on top and cut a small branch off a plastic leaf bunch and stick the stem through a hole at the top, glue from outside. You won't need much substrate, You can get the enclosures from The Container Store, a location near you or online.
 
Last edited:

chanda

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Messages
2,229
Also, did you hot glue that thing attached to the top? I don't have access to a hot glue gun currently. Is adding something to the top mandatory, if so I could also grab some DIY tools I'll need one day, like a dremmel. Anything else I need to know?
Yes, it is important to have something securely attached to the top. That is what the spider will build its web on. Avics will make little web "tunnels" around the bit of cork bark or plastic plant. Because the entire web structure is attached to the top of the enclosure, you can just lift it out - spider and all - without damaging the web when you need to open the enclosure for maintenance or feeding. It also makes escapes less likely because the spider feels secure in its web - and, if it does decide to bolt, its instinct is to go up.
 

Nephrite

Arachnoknight
Joined
Mar 1, 2016
Messages
151
Yes, it is important to have something securely attached to the top. That is what the spider will build its web on. Avics will make little web "tunnels" around the bit of cork bark or plastic plant. Because the entire web structure is attached to the top of the enclosure, you can just lift it out - spider and all - without damaging the web when you need to open the enclosure for maintenance or feeding. It also makes escapes less likely because the spider feels secure in its web - and, if it does decide to bolt, its instinct is to go up.
How to feed the Avic? Chuck a cricket up to it's web? Or do I just leave a cricket down on the bottom and he'll just come down and hunt when he's hungry. Jeez arachnoboards is so useful.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
It's a bit too small for an enclosure like that right now. Do they come in various sizes?
You need this, comes in all sorts of sizes more or less. You are LUCKY your Avic didn't jump off you and land onto the floor. You do know they can jump right?

0.0.1 A. huriana - Lunch.JPG
 
Last edited:

Ellenantula

Arachnoking
Joined
Sep 14, 2014
Messages
2,009
Adding a vote for inverted containers. :) Mine spends 99% percent of time at the top -- even moults there. The inverted containers has made mine such a joy, sans escapes. lol
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
Where do I buy them? Online or some store like Wal-Mart?
Please read the original post that SD provided you. It has the exact information and link for the question you provided.

How to feed the Avic? Chuck a cricket up to it's web? Or do I just leave a cricket down on the bottom and he'll just come down and hunt when he's hungry. Jeez arachnoboards is so useful.
See my post above to answer your question.
 

Nephrite

Arachnoknight
Joined
Mar 1, 2016
Messages
151
You need this, comes in all sorts of sizes more or less. You are LUCKY your Avic didn't jump off you and land onto the floor. You do know they can jump right?

View attachment 217388
Yeah I did know that, I actually read your post of you talking about avics jumping off your hand expecting a branch or leaf to land on. Which is why I did this on the sink with even space everywhere, and no chance for it to get hurt.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
Yeah I did know that, I actually read your post of you talking about avics jumping off your hand expecting a branch or leaf to land on. Which is why I did this on the sink with even space everywhere, and no chance for it to get hurt.
I was doing the most basic of husbandry years ago and I had a 3.5" DLS Avic decide to take a flying leap off my wrist. All 8 legs outstretched ready to catch something. It dropped like a rock, fortunately after free-falling for 4 feet, it caught hold onto the edge of a box. I thought for sure it was going to die until I saw it catch the box. I felt awful just for the leap. It was quite the learning experience. I always knew they could jump. However, I didn't anticipate this specimen was going to take a QUICK run out the container onto my wrist.

In short expect the unexpected. Since them, I'm particularly careful w/ all my Avics. Esp the specimens that always show a tendency to leap, like my A. purpurea and A. sp Kwitara River.
 
Last edited:

Nephrite

Arachnoknight
Joined
Mar 1, 2016
Messages
151
Jeez that's really scary. We are really fortunate for the older members to experience the worst of cases and them to enlighten it to us.
Now that I think about it;
EulersK: Good cop
Viper69: Bad cop
not saying that's bad :p
 
Last edited:

chanda

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Messages
2,229
How to feed the Avic? Chuck a cricket up to it's web? Or do I just leave a cricket down on the bottom and he'll just come down and hunt when he's hungry. Jeez arachnoboards is so useful.
I just drop the cricket into the bottom of the enclosure. Either the cricket will wander up toward the spider or the spider will come down and get it. Either way, the cricket is going to get eaten.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
Jeez that's really scary. We are really fortunate for the older members to experience the worst of cases and them to enlighten it to us.
Now that I think about it;
EulersK: Good cop
Viper69: Bad cop
not saying that's bad :p
I'm not here to sugarcoat information, I tend to provide very direct information. I call it like I see it. Your T may be fine, but you should read up on Ts. :D

I haven't provided you any information in this thread that is inaccurate. :p
 
Last edited:

Nephrite

Arachnoknight
Joined
Mar 1, 2016
Messages
151
I'm not here to sugarcoat information, I tend to provide very direct information. I call it like I see it. Your T may be fine, but you should read up on Ts. :D
Yes I understand your feelings toward people who buy tarantulas first, than ask questions they should already know before they bought it. And I completely agree with you! I know this because, as I said I do have been reading and replying to a LOT of posts on this forum recently. I actually got active member tag recently which has encouraged me to read and soak up even more info about the hobby. Soon I'll be able to answer every trivia question on T's. We need a person like you to slam dunk on the people who don't research before then. Thank you. :)
 
Top