Arboreal Husbandry Help

Professor T · Feb 6, 2004

I'm having a hard time with my A. versicolor setup. First I had a mite infestation, and I cleaned everything out. Today I had a fungi infestation on the cork bark climb. Again, I cleaned everything out ( everything smelled like mold!).

My setup is a gallon plastic wal-mart "pickle jar" with 12 ventilation holes and a lid. Peat moss bottom, and cork bark climb. It can be described as a low ventilation enclosure. I'm thinking it stays too moist.

I bought the last piece of cork bark Petsmart had, and they haven't gotten any more in, in over two weeks. Other places around here don't have any either. I'm having trouble finding cork bark, is their a better substitute? I'm throwing the mold infested cork bark out. I already boiled and baked it once.

Do I drill more holes, or is there a better setup I can use? I'm very frustrated, and I'm afraid I'm harming my T.

I'm arboreal T keeping Challenged...aka "so far I suck big time". Any help would be appreciated, preferably fool proof.

Hemolymph · Feb 6, 2004

Why don't you find a sturdy tall silk plant. Or I bought a thick branch at petco once.. just tilt it up, and it works perfect.

Try adding more holes to the lid.. perhaps the air was getting too stagnant. The humidity might be too high.

- Jeni

Code Monkey · Feb 6, 2004

Better yet, why don't you stop keeping things so humid? Cork bark in and of itself is not going to mold. It's only when you've got things so humid and moist that it's first picking up a layer of organic crud, growing a slime of bacteria, and then that finally is molding.

Whatever your thoughts on humidity are, if cork bark is molding, it's not the cork, it's how badly you're keeping that tank. It's too wet and there's not enough air exchange.

Michael Jacobi · Feb 6, 2004

As already pointed out, it seems that your set-up is poorly ventilated. I use the Rubbermaid gallon jars from Wal-Mart, which I am assuming is what you are calling "pickle jars". However, I use a hot utility knife blade to cut two one inch squares opposite of each other on the sides half way up and then hot-glue a piece of fiberglass (or aluminum) screening over these vents - in addition to a dozen or so holes in the lid. Remember, its easy to add humidity with a light misting or making the substrate a bit damper, but once the moisture and humidity are too high and the jar gets wet, stagnant, moldy, etc. you have to tear it all down and start over again. In my experience, it is always better to err slightly on the side of dryness than on dampness.

Joy · Feb 6, 2004

Originally posted by SpiderShoppe
As already pointed out, it seems that your set-up is poorly ventilated. I use the Rubbermaid gallon jars from Wal-Mart, which I am assuming is what you are calling "pickle jars". However, I use a hot utility knife blade to cut two one inch squares opposite of each other on the sides half way up and then hot-glue a piece of fiberglass (or aluminum) screening over these vents - in addition to a dozen or so holes in the lid. Remember, its easy to add humidity with a light misting or making the substrate a bit damper, but once the moisture and humidity are too high and the jar gets wet, stagnant, moldy, etc. you have to tear it all down and start over again. In my experience, it is always better to err slightly on the side of dryness than on dampness.

My advice would be basically identical to this. I've had much better luck since I took to providing cross-ventilation in my arboreal enclosures. Even just melting or drilling a few holes in the sides of the container (as well as the lid) should help.

Joy

Professor T · Feb 6, 2004

Alrighty then, here is what I did:

1. I threw out the contaminated cork bark, and will be hunting for a replacement. It got too ratty looking to try and salvage. In the mean time, I cut a wooden unused paint stirer from home depot, and put it in on a diagonal as a temporary perch.

2. I changed the substrate and have a 50/50 mixture of perlite and peat moss.

3. I put in less water to start with this time.

4. I had 12 melted holes around the top of the container near the lid, and I now added 8 holes in the lid. If this doesn't work to improve ventilation I will add holes in the sides.

Thank you all for your expert advice, I hope my novice arboreal mistakes did not do any permenant damage to my A. versicolor .

Professor T · Feb 6, 2004

Originally posted by Joy
My advice would be basically identical to this. I've had much better luck since I took to providing cross-ventilation in my arboreal enclosures. Even just melting or drilling a few holes in the sides of the container (as well as the lid) should help.

Joy

Joy,

Do you put your holes in the side of your container by the top, or midway up?

I had 12 holes in the sides, but around the top. I just added 8 holes in the lid.

Should I add holes midway up in the one gallon container? If so, how many do you suggest?

Thanks

da_illest · Feb 6, 2004

correct me if wrong but i'm pretty sure perlite can be harmful to t's... i say you use straight vermiculite on arboreals

Code Monkey · Feb 6, 2004

Originally posted by da_illest
correct me if wrong but i'm pretty sure perlite can be harmful to t's... i say you use straight vermiculite on arboreals

Perlite is puffed silica, when dry it generates copious amounts of irritant particles. Silica dust is a major non-chemical pesticide because it gets into the connective membranes and constantly creates many small cuts and tears that bleed the invert to death.

Do the math, da_illest may not always be on the money, but his math isn't wrong here.

Professor T · Feb 6, 2004

Thanks guys, I'll get rid of the perlite and replace it with vermiculite tomorrow.

Kevo · Feb 7, 2004

Yes I agree with whats been said, I find even the slings of this sp do better a little on the dry side. Maybe a slight bit more humidity when molting, Its pretty well ventilated up there in the trees even in a rainforest. =D =D =D

Professor T · Feb 7, 2004

Hi Guys,

Keep in mind my A. versicolor is an adult, and I'm still having problems.

I'm even amusing myself with my newbie questions. But, keeping terrestrials is different than keeping arboreals, and requires some new knowledge.

I got a bag of vermiculite, and I'm going to use 100% vermiculite instead of the peat moss that I have used with great success with terrestrials. Perlite is history, and I appreciate the information against using it.

Second, I found a new piece of cork bark. I'm going to bake it before I put it in the enclosure just to be safe. Does 300 F for 30 minutes sound OK? If not tell me fast, I'm putting it in the oven.

Professor T · Feb 7, 2004

Now I have a good setup!

I believe I have finally got a setup that will work. If my A. versicolor survived the mites, fungus, and perlite with no ill effects (I'm keeping my fingers crossed), all in a two week period, I think she'll make it despite my best attemps to kill her :8o

I have 100% verminculite substrate, less moisture to start with, more ventilation, and a new clean cork bark climb. (I found a nursery with vermiculite and cork bark!

I'm happy, and my A. versicolor seems happy...she is all over her new cork bark

Thank you all for your patience, understanding, friendship, and great timely advice

Bearskin10 · Feb 7, 2004

Good deal, I was going to post a couple things earlier but everyone seemed to have covered it pretty well, like the rest of us you have learned how important that ventilation is, any kind of enclosure with a narrow lid (IMO) needs some kind of ventilation hole just above substrate to midlevel of the container, at least that is what has worked well for me. Good luck, Greg

Arboreal Husbandry Help

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