Avicularia diversipes... an unplanned excursion.

[Ophidia]

I purchased a small (3" or so) A. diversipes on Sunday from a reptile/invert shop in St. Paul, MN. Pretty little guy, though not as colorful as some I've seen pics of. Hopefully just needs a molt.

Anyway, it was in a tiny little box-- 2" square by 6" tall. I opened the top to try to pull some webbing out, as I could barely see the spider, and the last time I opened the box it darted to the bottom.

Not this time! This time it came flying out like a bottle rocket, over my hand, shot into midair, and landed on the carpet! HOLY S**T are they fast! I had read that they were, but, man, that was impressive. I also may have peed a little. As you can probably tell, this is my first Avic .

I built a large vertical cage for it, patterned after Jamie's Tarantula's cages. It's nowhere near as nice fit and finish wise, but it's plenty large, and sturdy. After all was said and done I should have just ordered one of his-- after plexiglass, cement, hinges, and assorted other paraphernalia, it cost more to make than his cost to buy. I'll be ordering one from him for my curlyhair that I also got on Sunday. My LP will probably end up in a 20 long that's currently inhabited by my hognosed snake, who will move onto new digs at that point.

Anyway, here it is sitting on top of a plastic box I tried to chase it in. It went into the box, up the back, upside down on the side that was facing up, then around and came to rest where you see it. It's now residing under a drinking glass until I get the air holes drilled and fake plants installed. LOL. I'm so glad I got back into tarantulas after a 15 year hiatus...

How close to full grown do you think it is? I also see there's an exuvium in the bottom of it's old home-- if I can get it out without totally trashing it, maybe I can sex it

Chris

 

[Chubbs]

It looks pretty big and probably doesn't have much growing left to do. If it's male it'll probably be mature soon, but hopefully it's a female. Its hard to tell the exact size of the individual from that picture. Yes they are very very fast, and quite defensive too.

 

[Ophidia]

Hopefully it's a female. There was at least one exuvium in the little box, but it totally disintegrated when I was trying to tease it out of the webbing. I guess I wait until the next molt.

It's smaller than it looks in the pic, I think-- no more than a 3" legspan. I've read adult size is about 5"-- is that correct?

I'm almost done with the cage so I can rescue it from under the glass. I do have the glass slightly propped up for air exchange.

 

[Chubbs]

Hopefully it's a female. There was at least one exuvium in the little box, but it totally disintegrated when I was trying to tease it out of the webbing. I guess I wait until the next molt.

It's smaller than it looks in the pic, I think-- no more than a 3" legspan. I've read adult size is about 5"-- is that correct?

I'm almost done with the cage so I can rescue it from under the glass. I do have the glass slightly propped up for air exchange.

5 inches for females yes. Most Avics are skittish but still relatively docile. A.diversipes and latea are the two that are known for being pretty defensive. Versicolor is sort of a mixed bag.

 

[Therasoid]

If its speed startled you then wait until you get a Psalmopoeus, Stromatopelma or a Tapinauchenius species. [emoji3] Rocket ships at warp speed!

 

[Ophidia]

He/she is now in the new habitat. It might be a little big (10" long, 10" wide, 18" high) but it'll grow into it. It's still pretty stressed. I didn't get pooped on, though, so I must have kept the interaction just gentle enough. I can't imagine handling one of these-- so fast.

I'm sure I'll be adding more in the not too distant future. Maybe I'll pick up another one as a molting day present when my LP decides to molt (looks like she's about to explode).

-Chris

 

[Ophidia]

It's much happier now than it was in it's tiny little box or under the drinking glass.

 

[Therasoid]

It's much happier now than it was in it's tiny little box or under the drinking glass.

View attachment 10053

Nice. Just wait til it gets acclimated in the enclosure and starts webbing it up. [emoji3]

I rehouse in larger than needed enclosures myself. 1. Less stress on the T with numerous rehousings. 2. I have the space available.

Enjoy!

 

[Ophidia]

It's about 2.5-2.75 inches tip of the front legs to tip of back legs as it's sitting (using a measuring tape). Closer to 2.75. So hopefully a ways to go yet to mature-- hopefully it'll molt soon so I get some good colors out of it.

 

[Therasoid]

It's about 2.5-2.75 inches tip of the front legs to tip of back legs as it's sitting (using a measuring tape). Closer to 2.75. So hopefully a ways to go yet to mature-- hopefully it'll molt soon so I get some good colors out of it.

Plenty of growing to do yet.
You can help speed up molt frequency by raising the temperature and feeding more often. This stimulates its activity and thus the need to grow quicker. Just an Fyi.

 

[Ophidia]

It freaked out when I accidentally bumped the table it's cage is on, and went flying around. It ultimately ended up in the water dish, where it spent about 2 hours. It's opistothosoma is about 2x the size now. I guess it was dehydrated, poor little thing. It's all good now, and back up at the top where it belongs.

The room I have my critters in stays quite warm in the summer, so there will be plenty of warmth. Crickets I can provide. I'm hoping my orange headed roaches start producing soon so I can give all my spiders something other than crickets.

 

[Chubbs]

Crickets is all you need. I've had tarantulas refuse roaches and superworms. I've never had one refuse crickets.