A.Versicolors

[Kurt Nelson]

Basically, myself and bast bought some from the same guy. I got 4, she got two. Three of mine have molted, one of hers molted and one died. I have a feeling my smallest one is going to die too. It has never webbed, all the others have. It's abdomen is tiny. It has the same conditions as all the rest. I opened up the container last night to feed it to plump it up. It was trying to climb but wasn't happening. It has always eaten but never got fat. I still do not believe in SADS, but I do know slings die. I left a dead crushed up cricket in there for it, but it has not taken to it yet. So I'm not keeping my hopes up! But this could be possible signs of an impending death in avic slings for any of you out there that are curious.

 

[ipreventdeath]

Can a tarantula ICU work for small slings? I would at least attempt it. With such a small abdomen it could be severely dehydrated (other issues possible of course) and the ICU may help.

http://people.ucalgary.ca/~schultz/icu10.html

The info is there if you are unfamiliar.

 

[Nada]

Avic slings can be tough. I do very well with them, I can't remember the last time I lost one. I think the issue is that people are so concerned with getting the humidity up, that they over do it. an Avic isn't going to do well in 100% humidity. Also I think Hydei are essential for smaller avics. They're a pain in the but,but they'll get you through the 1st 6 months. Still, Unfortunately sometimes you get a few duds out of a fresh sac.

 

[Nada]

Can a tarantula ICU work for small slings? I would at least attempt it. With such a small abdomen it could be severely dehydrated (other issues possible of course) and the ICU may help.

http://people.ucalgary.ca/~schultz/icu10.html

The info is there if you are unfamiliar.

A sling enclosure essentially is an ICU .

 

[ipreventdeath]

A sling enclosure essentially is an ICU .

I guess that can be true to an extent. But I agree that some slings are going to be duds. Nature dictates 1 in 100 or so actually surviving to maturity in the wild. Some slings just aren't destined to survive based on poor genetics alone.

 

[Sabeth]

Thanks for posting this. I'm planning on getting a versi sling soon (my first baby T), so stuff like this is good to know.

 

[DalilahBlue]

How's the wee one Kurt?

 

[Kurt Nelson]

Yeah, humidity is not an issue. All 4 of the versi slings are kept the same. All get the same treatment, all have the same enclosures. This one I guess is just not meant to be. I always tell people to not over think humidity for avics, that's what kills them. I drop some water in there on the sphagnum moss once a week and call her done. They get most of their liquid from crickets anyways.

It's still alive, almost certain it's in pre molt. It's about a month behind it's siblings. It's abdomen is small, and it wont plump up. It stays on the sphagnum moss now because it can't climb. It doesn't web anything, and has never webbed anything. The other three all have hammocks at the top that I hate because I have to break them every time I open the pill vials. It is what it is! I'll be sure to keep you guys updated, but like I said in my first post, I wont be keeping my hopes up.

 

[Kurt Nelson]

Also I think Hydei are essential for smaller avics.

All mine seem to do okay with crushed crickets. Except for the one obviously. LOL. It's like an hour drive just to get fruit flies, and then to have to deal with putting them in? UGH! I got a free N.Trippepi with one of my purchases. It was like 1/8th. It even mows down on crushed crickets.

 

[Sabeth]

What are Hydei?

 

[Nada]

What are Hydei?

Hydei are flightless fruit flies. They're a pain in the butt, but they are more readily available, than pinheads, and stay small longer.

 

[Nada]

All mine seem to do okay with crushed crickets. Except for the one obviously. LOL. It's like an hour drive just to get fruit flies, and then to have to deal with putting them in? UGH! I got a free N.Trippepi with one of my purchases. It was like 1/8th. It even mows down on crushed crickets.

Hm, are you sure it's a Trippepi? They're usually .5" + when 2nd instar..

 

[Kurt Nelson]

That's what it was labeled as. maybe it was .5 I haven't seen it in a while lol. It came from Tarantula Canada. So I assume they didn't miss labeled. All I know is it was the smallest sling I've ever had. Hell it could be dead. But it had a black patch on it's abdomen when I first got it. It ate once and I haven't seen it since. So it's probably molting.

 

[Kurt Nelson]

Here is an update. It molted last night. Didn't get much bigger, but it's abdomen stayed roughly the same size. We will see in the next week or two if it takes good and if I can plump it up finally. Still hasnt webbed and did end up molting on the spagnum moss. Here is to hoping that he is just a weird!!

 

[Kurt Nelson]

Update: a day after it molted it started to to web the top of its enclosure like the others. Perhaps it had a problem with its spinnerettes post molt. Going to give it a full week before I attempt to feed. But so far so good.

 

[Bast]

Glad to hear it