Avic staying at bottom of cage

[Whitelightning777]

I caught mine doing the same thing. After adding a large water dish and nudging him to it, the T face planted itself there and took a huge drink. After that, he returned to his usual location.

In such cases, dehydration should always be suspected and humidity should be measured. If a T is sensitive to humidity, too much or too little, a gauge should be added if it'll fit into the enclosure.

Jamie's tarantulas sells them.

 

[NukaMedia Exotics]

I got an adult female A. avic a couple weeks ago which hasn't webbed up the enclosure much at all, but does stay on the logs crisscrossing in her enclosure. I've maybe seen her walk onto the floor once, and only for a second. From 70-88F during the day and and 66-70F+ at night.

 

[AncientExotics]

With avics weekly sprays on one side of the tank has seemed to help.

 

[Whitelightning777]

Its best to have a large water dish above ground level close to other things in the cage that the T sits on or walks across.

 

[Freddy_T]

I do have a humidity gauge and a water dish. I also spray a side of the enclosure.. Freddy likes to drink the drops from the side of the tank.

 

[Arachnoclown]

Like stated before there is no need to spray or have a humidity gauge for Avicularia species. Your doing it wrong...dry substrate, lots of cross ventilation a large water dish.

 

[Freddy_T]

If I don't spray the tank then the humidity goes low. Like 50 or so.. Shouldn't humidity be around 70?

 

[Arachnoclown]

The humidity in my T room is 39% and I have over 400 spiders. I currently have 10 species of Avicularias and I don't spray any of them...they are all on dry substrate. I overflow the water dish a little weekly and thats it. Your best bet for care is to ask on these forums or watch Toms Morans videos or care pages. Stop reading "mikes" care sheets...their trash.

 

[MassExodus]

The humidity in my T room is 39% and I have over 400 spiders. I currently have 10 species of Avicularias and I don't spray any of them...they are all on dry substrate. I overflow the water dish a little weekly and thats it. Your best bet for care is to ask on these forums or watch Toms Morans videos or care pages. Stop reading "mikes" care sheets...their trash.

Second this. Avics and poecis- large water dish, dry sub. Works like a charm. But: A very knowledgable avic guy I know of sprays once a week, on the web, no dish. So you do what works, I think.

 

[Sarrianna]

I see that this thread is from 2018, but I was just wondering if anyone has any more recent experiences to add? I fed my A. Avic today and now she's just hanging out on the ground. I nudged her with a brush and she was responsive but she still is just... chillin. I got her from a petsmart where she was kept in pretty bad conditions (small terrestrial enclosure, sponge, super super high humidity, etc) but she has been here a little under a month and hasn't webbed at all. She had a tendency to stay lower in the enclosure at first but over the last week or two has been way up high almost exclusively. This is the fist time I have seen her fully on the ground whereas before she would get close but still be on the glass or cork bark. I am new to the hobby with only a handful of spiders so far, so I feel like I am being a worry wort.

 

[octanejunkie]

I see that this thread is from 2018, but I was just wondering if anyone has any more recent experiences to add? I fed my A. Avic today and now she's just hanging out on the ground. I nudged her with a brush and she was responsive but she still is just... chillin. I got her from a petsmart where she was kept in pretty bad conditions (small terrestrial enclosure, sponge, super super high humidity, etc) but she has been here a little under a month and hasn't webbed at all. She had a tendency to stay lower in the enclosure at first but over the last week or two has been way up high almost exclusively. This is the fist time I have seen her fully on the ground whereas before she would get close but still be on the glass or cork bark. I am new to the hobby with only a handful of spiders so far, so I feel like I am being a worry wort.

Can you post a pic of your enclosure and the spider, too?

 

[Sarrianna]

Can you post a pic of your enclosure and the spider, too?

So when I got up this morning she moved up the glass a bit so I'm not AS worried but I'm wondering if there's anything else I should look out for in the next few days. Here is her and the enclosure. She's in an exterra nano tall.

 

[octanejunkie]

So when I got up this morning she moved up the glass a bit so I'm not AS worried but I'm wondering if there's anything else I should look out for in the next few days. Here is her and the enclosure. She's in an exterra nano tall.

How big is the spider, DLS?

 

[Sarrianna]

How big is the spider, DLS?

She's roughly 2"

 

[DashSpaceE]

Wow.. Thank you guys for all of the great advice. I did try to put up a pic but am having trouble. So far Freddy is doing great. He/she still does go on the bottom of the cage sometimes.. The only thing I think I need to do different is get better ventilation. My cage only has top ventilation, which I'm hearing is bad. I'm working on that. We got to see Freddy take down a cricket yesterday. So I figure if it's eating then that's a great sign.

I wanted to add that when he ate the cricket he was inside a skull house hut. To me, someone brand new to this, that seems odd bc it's a tree dwelling spider. He does climb.. But there are times where he just sits in the bottom.

If it's a tree dwelling just keep the decor with climbers. Add some branches maybe..I know I've heard if they're on the top of the lid that means they're stressed. Or if it's used to being fed at the bottom it'll be at the bottom

 

[octanejunkie]

She's roughly 2"

That size spider might be uncomfortable in a large glass box. I keep avics that size in 32oz deli cups, lately, with lots of ventilation. It's a smaller space and easy for them to find prey.

 

[Arachnoclown]

If it's a tree dwelling just keep the decor with climbers. Add some branches maybe..I know I've heard if they're on the top of the lid that means they're stressed. Or if it's used to being fed at the bottom it'll be at the bottom

Original poster your commenting to hasn't been active for years. I will address your comments so others that are reading this dont get misinformed. If they are at the top of the lid this is normal, they are checking things out or making anchor points. They have to start building somewhere. Even if they don't start webbing for months due to a new enclosure they are putting in the work ahead of time.
They go to the top because that's where they are comfortable. As for stress, that's a misused word in the hobby in my book. How can something without thought or feelings be stressed? They are simply unsure in their new environment. Tarantulas work on instincts only.
When they hunt they will feed where ever the food is. Coming to the ground for food or water is totally normal. They dont get accustomed to being fed one way or the other.