Avic Versicolor

[Charlotte]

Hi all,

I have a versicolor sling coming and I want to make sure I have everything set up correctly.

I have read many conflicting things about Versicolor enclosures so I'm really just looking for some straight forward advice,

Some say keep on dry substrate others say keep it moist,then there's misting and what not to do,what to put in the container etc

I have a tall rearing jar which the spider shop recommended, coco fibre and vermiculite for substrate
Do I mix this up or put one on top of other?

Also will Cork bark be ok or is there something better? I'm struggling to find something so small.

Any info will be really helpful

 

[Denny Dee]

Hi Charlotte,

There is a lot of confusion surrounding the care of avics. The set ups that I have seen to deliver the best results are to use an appropriate sized arboreal enclosure. Make sure there are vents for decent air circulation. Use cork bark to allow the spider to climb freely.

The substrate should be cocoa fiber. I always mix in a 30% mix of vermiculite. They need to be mixed together. This allows for better drainage and helps prevent mold. Avics should have a water dish in the tank. The dish should provide most of the humidity that the spider needs. The soil should only be moist enough to provide the appropriate humidity level for your species. Do not saturate the soil. This is the biggest mistake people make with Avics. You can also lightly mist the webbing once or twice a week.

Hope that helps.

 

[Charlotte]

@Denny Dee

Thank you, that helps!

I am just going to use a tall rearing jar and put lots of holes in it for ventilation. I have also ordered a sling water bowl and cork bark.

I'm a bit worried about disturbing the web each time I take off the lid but I can't find anything small enough for a sling that opens at the side. No doubt it will try and escape when I take the lid off!

do you find that the cork bark needs changing often? I've read they can get a bit nasty but I can imagine that would have something to do with it being to humid or moist?

Thank again

 

[Denny Dee]

I have never had to change out my cork bark but would recommend it when you upgrade your enclosure. Cork bark is amazing.

 

[Chubbs]

No need to change it unless it's moldy. Don't worry about disturbing the web. Usually they'll take a hint eventually and make a web a bit lower. My Avicularia diversipes has webbed so much that it has pretty much sealed the container shut. I do have to destroy a bit when I go to feed it, but the spider always rewebs anyway. It's just something you learn to deal with.

 

[Charlotte]

@Denny Dee @Chubbs How often shall I feed my versi Sling and what is best to feed her/him?

 

[Chubbs]

I usually feed mine twice a week. It also depends how close they are to molting. A sling with a large shiny abdomen is likely going to molt fairly soon, so I'll feed it less. I feed mine either live or prekilled crickets.

 

[Charlotte]

I usually feed mine twice a week. It also depends how close they are to molting. A sling with a large shiny abdomen is likely going to molt fairly soon, so I'll feed it less. I feed mine either live or prekilled crickets.

How many do you feed them twice a week? he/she is only 1cm had first molt.

 

[Chubbs]

Just one at a time for slings.

 

[Denny Dee]

I agree with Chubbs.

 

[Charlotte]

@Chubbs You feed one twice a week? so two a week? Should be receiving tomorrow

 

[Chubbs]

@Chubbs You feed one twice a week? so two a week? Should be receiving tomorrow

Honestly, you can feed them more. In fact I like feeding my slings as much as possible between molts to get them past that fragile state.

 

[Charlotte]

@Chubbs How long after I get him/her shall I attempt to feed? I know you should let them settle in but is it okay to try and feed them sooner?

Thanks for your help

 

[Chubbs]

@Chubbs How long after I get him/her shall I attempt to feed? I know you should let them settle in but is it okay to try and feed them sooner?

Thanks for your help

Whenever you want.

 

[Charlotte]

@Chubbs My versi will be delivered within the next hour. What would be the best way to keep the temperature up in the enclosure as I have made loads of holes for ventilation, it's getting a bit colder now it has been 75-78F room temp but it's dropped to 70F and still going down slowly. My G.Porteri is ok with this temp atm but I don't think my versi will be.

 

[Denny Dee]

My temperature range for the Avicularia versicolor is 75-85 degrees. Can you up the room temp? I use a space heater in the winter.

 

[Charlotte]

@Denny Dee Skittles seems to be doing good atm, I have put the heating on in the room where my Ts are, the temp is going up. Will I have to keep it on all the time? Without it the temp drops again.

Only made a really small web on the cork bark around the cricket it has rolled up and seems to be guarding it. I thought I'd see a big web this morning but still hasn't made one.

 

[Chubbs]

@Denny Dee Skittles seems to be doing good atm, I have put the heating on in the room where my Ts are, the temp is going up. Will I have to keep it on all the time? Without it the temp drops again.

Only made a really small web on the cork bark around the cricket it has rolled up and seems to be guarding it. I thought I'd see a big web this morning but still hasn't made one.

Might be days or even weeks before you see a web.

 

[Denny Dee]

I usually shut my space heater off in the evenings and fire it back up in the a.m. But I would not let it get cooler than about 68 degrees fahrenheit for any extended period of time. In the wild, it does get cooler at night. Webbing is a marathon not a sprint. If the sling is healthy, it will web in no time.

 

[Charlotte]

@Denny Dee the temp never goes below 21C it's usually around 23C and around 24-26C with heating.

It's now been a week and Skittles likes it on one particular part of the cork bark, pretty much stays there and even when feeding stays in that spot and makes a small web near it, it's a very tiny web. From what I read they like to web up near the lid but Skittles doesn't seem interested in anything but the one spot.