When your T webs the top of it's enclosure to the side, what do you do?

[jrzyspider]

My GBB sling went to the top of it's containter and webbed from the top to the side. Now I can't open it without destroying it's web. Do I just destroy the web or leave it for awhile? Eventually I have to put food & water in there so I guess the answer is obvious.

I guess I'm just thinking out loud.

 

[tmanjim]

Mine does the same thing once in a while. Just destroy the web by gently removing the top. She will get the picture and reweb. No worries.

 

[jrzyspider]

Thanks. I guess I just feel bad destroying it's little home-made hut.

 

[Rob1985]

they'll get over it. Try using a deeper enclosure next time.

 

[Moltar]

In theory, once you've destroyed that web a few times it will stop webbing in that spot. Some T's are a little quicker on the pickup than others, though.

Edit: What do you have in there for cover? Maybe if you add some debris, litter, sticks, or whatever it will make more of a home in/under that rather than making a home in the perceived safety of that ceiling corner.

 

[fomoiri]

i have a GBB that's done that as well, i try not to open it too wide for dropping a cricket in, but with these guys they'll just re-web it in no time.

 

[astraldisaster]

I have a similar problem with the OBT sling I got yesterday...it's been hanging out at the top since I put it in its vial, and has made a web to hang out on pretty far up. Knowing how fast these guys are, I dread opening the lid to feed it and losing it in the process. I'd put a stick in there for it to web on, but last time I used twigs from outside in a spider enclosure they got moldy. Can't think of too much else that's small enough...

 

[Moltar]

Rob alluded to this but I'll go ahead and elaborate. Both species mentioned here (P. murinus and C. cyaneopubescens) have similar requirements for keeping. As slings they do well on dry soil with a regularly moistened side or corner. Make the enclosure taller than a normal terrestrial. Think tall deli cup, etc. Something the size roughly of a Sysco cup. 1-2 inches of soil is plenty. Add some fluffy dried moss/grass/whatever. They will tunnel around under this moss, webbing it all together into a nice little hide. A slightly larger specimen can get some small sticks piled up so they create a shelter near the bottom. Nothing should go up to the top of the enclosure. About 2/3 of the way up is high enough.

The goal here is to provide them habitat they want to work with at the bottom of the cage, instead of the top. They are climbing and webbing at the lid because whatever is at floor level isn't satisfactory to them. It may just be a moisture thing as these guys want things pretty dry, even as babies. It may also be that nothing down there gives them a feeling of security so they are climbing into the corner.

For larger specimens approaching adulthood you take basically the same formula and apply it to a 2.5-5 gal aquarium tank, exo-terra, or what have you. Again, just a couple inches of substrate, loose debris and a tangle of logs/sticks. Imagine that you are recreating the base part of a thick bush that they will make a nest in the middle of. Don't extend anything all the way to the top so they don't go up there.

I have a new enclosure for my GBB that illustrates this pretty well. If I can get to it today I'll put up a picture.

Edit: BTW astral, if you are getting mold in an OBT enclosure it is definitely too wet in there. They need so very little moisture...

 

[RyTheTGuy]

My Avic Avic does this ALL THE TIME! and she still doesn't get it. Planning on putting more stuff at the top of enclosure so she doesn't web to the top.

 

[astraldisaster]

Rob alluded to this but I'll go ahead and elaborate. Both species mentioned here (P. murinus and C. cyaneopubescens) have similar requirements for keeping. As slings they do well on dry soil with a regularly moistened side or corner. Make the enclosure taller than a normal terrestrial. Think tall deli cup, etc. Something the size roughly of a Sysco cup. 1-2 inches of soil is plenty. Add some fluffy dried moss/grass/whatever. They will tunnel around under this moss, webbing it all together into a nice little hide. A slightly larger specimen can get some small sticks piled up so they create a shelter near the bottom. Nothing should go up to the top of the enclosure. About 2/3 of the way up is high enough.

The goal here is to provide them habitat they want to work with at the bottom of the cage, instead of the top. They are climbing and webbing at the lid because whatever is at floor level isn't satisfactory to them. It may just be a moisture thing as these guys want things pretty dry, even as babies. It may also be that nothing down there gives them a feeling of security so they are climbing into the corner.

For larger specimens approaching adulthood you take basically the same formula and apply it to a 2.5-5 gal aquarium tank, exo-terra, or what have you. Again, just a couple inches of substrate, loose debris and a tangle of logs/sticks. Imagine that you are recreating the base part of a thick bush that they will make a nest in the middle of. Don't extend anything all the way to the top so they don't go up there.

I have a new enclosure for my GBB that illustrates this pretty well. If I can get to it today I'll put up a picture.

Edit: BTW astral, if you are getting mold in an OBT enclosure it is definitely too wet in there. They need so very little moisture...

Thanks for the info. I do have my OBT in a tall vial, though I could probably stand to remove an inch or so of substrate and add some sphagnum moss. The mold I was referring to was on some sticks in my A. versicolor (that I no longer have)'s vial a few years ago. I took the twigs out right away when I noticed. The OBT has actually started hanging out at the bottom of its vial now, so maybe it's feeling a bit more secure. Might as well ask, as we're on the subject: what would be some good furnishings for a P. ornata sling's enclosure? Just received one of those yesterday, as well. I don't think it feels secure right now, since it's mostly been huddling on the bottom with its legs scrunched together (though it did just eat a cricket).

 

[jrzyspider]

Great info! Thank you.

 

[Blurboy]

Avics are reknowned for webbing right up at the top so I bought a front opening enclosure and it's perfect. In it right now is a large piece of corkbark with an amazing "sock" of a web that's attached to two sides of the enclosure and the back of the bark and it looks amazing :}