Water for slings

Dragoon

ArachnoGoon
Old Timer
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Oct 6, 2003
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373
Hello.
I am confused by the comments regarding water. I read below a bone dry substrate is recommended.
How do you all provide water for tiny spiders?
I would like to avoid the mold that I see already on the remains of their meals.
I have little Avics, they are in sauce cups, with moistened peat on the bottom, and a piece of bark leaning to one side.
Any suggestions to improve on this would be welcome.
D.
 

rosehaired1979

Arachnoking
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Apr 14, 2003
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Slings mostly get there water source from there crickets. I spray on the sides every few days and they can get water from there as well :)
 

sunnymarcie

Celestial Spider
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Feb 13, 2003
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Avics are difficult as slings (IMO)

They need a lot of air holes and the proper level of moisture.
And thats not easy to keep in balance.
If you have mold now you need to change their housing
and start again. Slightly moist is fine and make sure you remove
the food really good.
Of the 20 T's I have 16 are tiny slings and I change their
containers every 2 weeks to keep them clean unless someone
is molting:)

I hope this helps a little:)
 

vulpina

Arachnoprince
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I mist sling enclosures once or twice a week. It seems to work ok for me.

Andy
 

JBoyer

Arachnoknight
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Aug 26, 2003
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You should not see mold on their prey remains because they should be removed as soon as the T is done (the next day is how I do it) then you will not see a mold problem where that is concerned. I do not mist my containers but keep the substrate moist (not wet) and check it every few weeks.

Jennifer
 

Windycity

Arachnosquire
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May 11, 2003
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I agree with Jennifer. I never mist (even my avic slings) but always keept a fairly deep substrate damp, but not wet, so that the humidity level remains fairly high. I use half peat and half potting soil for the substrate. If any prey remains do mold over, it seems to always be the white fuzzy "spider web" mold (I think that's what it's called ironically enough) that is easily picked out as a small clump with my tweezers. I also usually power feed the little slings which keeps them well hydrated on cricket cocktails most of the time.

I don't even mist my juvs and adults. Just keep a water dish and one corner of the cage damp. I don't even keep soil in my adult avic's containers. Just a water dish. Seems to work for me.
 

Edinkira

Arachnopeon
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Nov 13, 2003
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hmm... wouldnt removing prey ruin some of the webbing? I mean.. in the wild T's live with Prey in their web all the time..
 

AudreyElizabeth

Arachnodemon
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Feb 10, 2003
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Originally posted by Edinkira
hmm... wouldnt removing prey ruin some of the webbing? I mean.. in the wild T's live with Prey in their web all the time..
Well, in the wild you have multiple organisms working to decompose these prey items all the time. It's just different for lack of better, bigger words.... Nature has a system, an order, to take care of these issues. In captivity a left-over food bolus grows mold (if there is a lot of humidity); there is nothing else to dispose of the remains.... There is a lack of balance in captivity, which we as keepers must make up for...... Unless you try to recreate an entire ecosystem in a five gallon(or less) enclosure, which I think would be quite impossible ;)..... The best bet is to keep things on the (very) dry side with a water dish so this does not happen (as stated). I personally have never kept slings, but I would assume they get most of their moisture from prey items.

As for ruining their webbing? Most spiders in the wild reconstruct their webs at least once if not several times a day. Their silk is unlimited. I would say most spiders in captivity are quite spoiled!!:D
 

Wh1teshark

Arachnoknight
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Oct 28, 2003
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Windycity: You write that you "power feed" your slings. What exactly do you mean by this, I havn't read about this before.

I will be getting 8 A. Geniculata slings in a few weeks and I appreciate these tips in this thread.


/Dave
 

Dragoon

ArachnoGoon
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Oct 6, 2003
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Yep, the versi sling has quite the digs! It's been real busy, and has a real comfy looking chamber with a few openings. I was loathe to ruin it and took great care to not lift the lid too high to put food in.
I didn't know their silk was unlimited, and I didn't know you were supposed to remove the boluses. (Avics crap a lot, don't they?)

Eeesh, I am so wet behind the ears...

Thanks all, I will keep searching for books and info.
D.
 

Immortal_sin

Arachnotemptress
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Jul 17, 2002
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Dragoon,
I don't remove prey items *unless* there is a molding problem. My avics (and I have ALOT of them!) are really really messy! Poop and boluses everywhere. My enclosures are EXTREMELY well ventilated, and I use vermiculite for substrate, not that they need substrate, but they seem to like incorporating it into their webs.
As for slings, I also keep verm since it seems to retard mold well.
I mist the sides or their web every week, and make sure they also have plenty of ventilation. Ventilation is the key with avics, moreso then moisture.. IMHO
 

Dragoon

ArachnoGoon
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Oct 6, 2003
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Hmmmm, I was told by the seller, vermic isn't too good for avics, so I will not chance it. I bought some nice ones! Thanks for your comments, how well ventilated is 'well'?
I used a solder gun to put largeish slots in the lids, at least, they are much larger than the pinholes I see in other sling housing. Should I add more? I hope a fan is not necessary, lol.
I was just reading that they can actually shoot their crap, what a disappointing thing to discover. Oh well, SOMEthing has to prevent them from being...perfect. ;)
 

JBoyer

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
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Aug 26, 2003
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282
Power feeding is when you feed as often as the T will eat. I do this with all of my slings. There is not feeding schedule in my house! My babies eat all the time!

Jennifer
 

krtrman

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
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Nov 8, 2003
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230
i think that the seller might have been referring to treated vermiculite. there are several different kinds. you need the kind without pesticides, hormones, plant food, etc... as far as i know vermiculite has been sighted by several authors including the tarantula keepers guide as a suitable substrate. someone please correct me if i am wrong.
 
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