I have heard that all avic's have a " danger zone " where at anytime they can be afflicted by " Sudden Avic Death Syndrome : S.A.D.S. ". I have an A Versicolor that is 1/2 an inch in size. How big will it need to be to be out of the " danger zone " ?
" Welcome to the Danger zone " A. versicolor
- Thread starter Nitibus
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Never experienced any danger zone, though I agree that they become much more tolerant of dry conditions after around an inch...
Personally, I think SADS is a load of crap, and no more than an excuse for less-than-proper-keeping deaths. Just an opinion.
Personally, I think SADS is a load of crap, and no more than an excuse for less-than-proper-keeping deaths. Just an opinion.
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I think plenty of people care for their avic slings as well as anyone can but still the loss % seems high. Personally ive never lost one yet though...
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I think if you deal with slings there is always a chance of getting a weak one that just won't make it. I don't think avics are any worse than others though... Not in my experience anyway....
Maybe the percentage is high due to the popularity of avics, their generally colorful eye-catching appearance, and the good beginner T reputation.
I'm not knocking anyone, but I know that some beginners have to go through a couple T's to get the hang of things, and those couple slings have a good chance of being avics.
Bottom line though OP is that you shouldn't worry too much. You know what you're doing, and with the exception of getting one of the weak links, I'm sure your versi will lead a healthy life.
Maybe the percentage is high due to the popularity of avics, their generally colorful eye-catching appearance, and the good beginner T reputation.
I'm not knocking anyone, but I know that some beginners have to go through a couple T's to get the hang of things, and those couple slings have a good chance of being avics.
Bottom line though OP is that you shouldn't worry too much. You know what you're doing, and with the exception of getting one of the weak links, I'm sure your versi will lead a healthy life.
I think that maybe the Avics require more 'attention' as babies than most other T's. I have also read some posts about these lil fellows and was a bit worried, but when my supplier had a small sling(2nd instar i think) I couldn't refuse. I have wanted one for awhile now and they are not that readily available where I am. Anyway, there is enough info on caring for them so I am not worried about it. Just makesure that the conditoins are correct.
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I got an 2 1/2" to possibly 3" A. avic (so she had made it out of the 'sling stage) and she had a 'failure to thrive' situation that led to not a "sudden death" thing but she didn't last very long after I purchased her.
I got a lot of good information on the boards about making an Intensive Care Unit for her... but ultimately she died. I found out later that she was a 'wild caught' instead of a 'captive bred' and I've read that makes some difference. I'll search and see if there's a poll on it and if not, maybe I'll post a poll.
I now have an small (1") A. versicolor and she is just so much more active and healthy seeming than the A avic. even thought she's quite small. I did all I could to provide the best habitat possible for the A. avic - but really, it seemed like she was doomed from the start. She never ate one cricket - ever and you would have thought she was a 'rosie' becuse she just never really moved about at all. And, this little T is just so vastly different; she feeds and webs really well and is very active.
Good ventilation is key w/ the versicolors (arboreals). I know that Scott C mentioned that he believes the sudden death thing is a "load of crap", but as I said, my A. Avics conditions were ultra optimal. Again, maybe it was because she was a WC instead of a CB. Good luck and take care. Kim Ski
I got a lot of good information on the boards about making an Intensive Care Unit for her... but ultimately she died. I found out later that she was a 'wild caught' instead of a 'captive bred' and I've read that makes some difference. I'll search and see if there's a poll on it and if not, maybe I'll post a poll.
I now have an small (1") A. versicolor and she is just so much more active and healthy seeming than the A avic. even thought she's quite small. I did all I could to provide the best habitat possible for the A. avic - but really, it seemed like she was doomed from the start. She never ate one cricket - ever and you would have thought she was a 'rosie' becuse she just never really moved about at all. And, this little T is just so vastly different; she feeds and webs really well and is very active.
Good ventilation is key w/ the versicolors (arboreals). I know that Scott C mentioned that he believes the sudden death thing is a "load of crap", but as I said, my A. Avics conditions were ultra optimal. Again, maybe it was because she was a WC instead of a CB. Good luck and take care. Kim Ski
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For the most part this is true, but I have heard of even adult Avicularia spp. die randomly. Though, they are MUCH more tolerante and hardy when older compared to sling stages.
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I second this. Nine out of ten times it's a result of the slightest bad conditions killing them, which is a direct result of the owners care.
Thank you for the kind words. Thank you everyone for the great advice. This versi has been a challenging picky eater, and something new to me. I guess I worry too much. Yet, I guess it better than not worrying at all...
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I'm sorry, but Scott and Kaine, I do not agree. I have been keeping T's for two years now, and two of my early slings were avics, one A. avic, one A. purpurea. I raised them both to healthy, mature males.
Six months ago I got two more A. avic slings, and I kept them as I keep all of my avics, and in the exact manner that had successfully gotten me two adult males. Both slings died. A few months later an A. minatrix sling, kept in the same conditions, died, another shortly followed. Meanwhile, I have raised two versicolor slings to 1 1/2 inches, and another A. purpurea.
If it were the care they got, I wouldn't have raised two males to maturity successfully, nor would my other avic slings be thriving. I keep over 20 slings, I have had one B. albo death, several B. smithi deaths, one A. chalcodes death. That is four sling deaths in two years that were non avic, compared to 4 avic deaths in six months after success with others.
Six months ago I got two more A. avic slings, and I kept them as I keep all of my avics, and in the exact manner that had successfully gotten me two adult males. Both slings died. A few months later an A. minatrix sling, kept in the same conditions, died, another shortly followed. Meanwhile, I have raised two versicolor slings to 1 1/2 inches, and another A. purpurea.
If it were the care they got, I wouldn't have raised two males to maturity successfully, nor would my other avic slings be thriving. I keep over 20 slings, I have had one B. albo death, several B. smithi deaths, one A. chalcodes death. That is four sling deaths in two years that were non avic, compared to 4 avic deaths in six months after success with others.
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No need to apologize for disagreeing 
My experience has left a different impression though.
My experience has left a different impression though.
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Are vials appropriate for A. versicolor slings? It seems that with the ventilation needs that holes in the lid of a vial wouldn't be enough. I have some slings coming and was planning on using vials but now I'm not so sure....
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i think that is part of the problem....
affinis (Nicolet, 1849)....................Chile
alticeps (Keyserling, 1878)....................Uruguay
ancylochira Mello-Leitão, 1923....................Brazil
anthracina (C. L. Koch, 1842)....................Uruguay
aurantiaca Bauer, 1996....................Peru
avicularia (Linnaeus, 1758) *....................Costa Rica to Brazil
avicularia variegata F. O. P.-Cambridge, 1896....................Brazil
aymara (Chamberlin, 1916)....................Peru
azuraklaasi Tesmoingt, 1996....................Peru
bicegoi Mello-Leitão, 1923....................Brazil
borelli (Simon, 1897)....................Paraguay
braunshauseni Tesmoingt, 1999....................Brazil
caesia (C. L. Koch, 1842)....................Puerto Rico
cuminami Mello-Leitão, 1930....................Brazil
detrita (C. L. Koch, 1842)....................Brazil
diversipes (C. L. Koch, 1842)....................Brazil
doleschalli (Ausserer, 1871)....................Brazil
exilis Strand, 1907....................Surinam
fasciculata Strand, 1907....................South America
fasciculata clara Strand, 1907....................South America
geroldi Tesmoingt, 1999....................Brazil
glauca Simon, 1891....................Panama
gracilis (Keyserling, 1891)....................Brazil
guyana (Simon, 1892)....................Guyana
hirsuta (Ausserer, 1875)....................Cuba
holmbergi Thorell, 1890....................French Guiana
huriana Tesmoingt, 1996....................Ecuador
juruensis Mello-Leitão, 1923....................Brazil
laeta (C. L. Koch, 1842)....................Brazil, Puerto Rico
leporina (C. L. Koch, 1841)....................Brazil
metallica Ausserer, 1875....................Surinam
minatrix Pocock, 1903....................Venezuela
nigrotaeniata Mello-Leitão, 1940....................Guyana
obscura (Ausserer, 1875)....................Colombia
ochracea (Perty, 1833)....................Brazil
palmicola Mello-Leitão, 1945....................Brazil
panamensis (Simon, 1891)....................Mexico, Guatemala, Panama
parva (Keyserling, 1878)....................Uruguay
plantaris (C. L. Koch, 1842)....................Brazil
pulchra Mello-Leitão, 1933....................Brazil
purpurea Kirk, 1990....................Ecuador
rapax (Ausserer, 1875)....................South America
recifiensis Struchen & Brändle, 1996....................Brazil
rufa Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1945....................Brazil
rutilans Ausserer, 1875....................Colombia
soratae Strand, 1907....................Bolivia
subvulpina Strand, 1906....................South America
surinamensis Strand, 1907....................Surinam
taunayi (Mello-Leitão, 1920)....................Brazil
tigrina (Pocock, 1903)....................Uruguay
ulrichea Tesmoingt, 1996....................Brazil
urticans Schmidt, 1994....................Peru
velutina Simon, 1889....................Venezuela
versicolor (Walckenaer, 1837)....................Guadeloupe, Martinique
violacea (Mello-Leitão, 1930)....................Brazil
walckenaeri (Perty, 1833)....................Brazil
with so many species from so many coutries, there is no 1 way of keeping Avic.
here is something on Brazil alone:
http://countrystudies.us/brazil/23.htm
Although 90 percent of the country is within the tropical zone, the climate of Brazil varies considerably from the mostly tropical North (the equator traverses the mouth of the Amazon) to temperate zones below the Tropic of Capricorn (23°27' S latitude), which crosses the country at the latitude of the city of São Paulo. Brazil has five climatic regions--equatorial, tropical, semiarid, highland tropical, and subtropical.
so with these spiders it is a must to know at least roughly the location.
Eddy
Great post Eddy - thanks!
In my area we have had a lot of avic deaths, (smaller slings, around 0.5") and I firmly believe it's a case of focusing on humidity by addressing the moisture question only, and forgetting about ventilation, which is equally important. Since we addressed this issue, there are noticeably fewer 'strange' deaths.
In my area we have had a lot of avic deaths, (smaller slings, around 0.5") and I firmly believe it's a case of focusing on humidity by addressing the moisture question only, and forgetting about ventilation, which is equally important. Since we addressed this issue, there are noticeably fewer 'strange' deaths.
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Metallica, yes, you could have a point. In general, I have always heard that avics require lots of humidity and lots of ventilation.
And I forgot one of my avic slings, I also have a thriving A. bicegoi. (which I was told are hard to raise. Has anyone else heard that?)
And I forgot one of my avic slings, I also have a thriving A. bicegoi. (which I was told are hard to raise. Has anyone else heard that?)
Avics do require ventilation and humidity.
I don't think there is maybe a reason for them to die (unless being kept incorrectly). Apparently, or so it seems, versi seem to be seen dying prematurely more often than other avics. Personally i've never had any problems with avic spiderlings. I guess maybe dehydration is also sometimes a problem. I know many people who have seen avics on their last legs, and once given a drink perk up and are fine again... i guess their requirements are so precise that one fault and they just go downhill.
I don't think there is maybe a reason for them to die (unless being kept incorrectly). Apparently, or so it seems, versi seem to be seen dying prematurely more often than other avics. Personally i've never had any problems with avic spiderlings. I guess maybe dehydration is also sometimes a problem. I know many people who have seen avics on their last legs, and once given a drink perk up and are fine again... i guess their requirements are so precise that one fault and they just go downhill.
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I've heard it, but doing so has helped me formulate my opinion.
And good call Eddy, though I think if you really pay close attention to your T, locale is not required.... Though it'd be nice to have anyway.
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The thing is; People forget without realizing it.
You forget to give some water to your A. Versicolor for one day or even hours too late, it can very well be the death of your sling. The more sensitive they are, greater the risk that the simplest of mistakes will kill them. Maybe a lot of people don’t mist their Avics enough and a lot of their hardier Avic slings just happen to survive the sub par avic care.
You forget to give some water to your A. Versicolor for one day or even hours too late, it can very well be the death of your sling. The more sensitive they are, greater the risk that the simplest of mistakes will kill them. Maybe a lot of people don’t mist their Avics enough and a lot of their hardier Avic slings just happen to survive the sub par avic care.
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I've tried keeping several species of Avicularia slings under many different conditions with no success. If its an Avic under 3", then I can't keep it alive...pure and simple. I've tried every single husbandry method I've come across (humid, little ventilation, lots of ventilation with high humidity)....I'm by no means a "beginner" yet I have zero luck with this genus lol.