Introduction to arboreals?

GG80 · Apr 19, 2015

So I'm looking to get my first arboreal and after some research the obvious route is Avicularia. I'm fully aware of the whole concept that Avics are delicate when it comes to humidity and ventilation and I've read all the threads concerning Avic husbandry.
My question is what would be a good introduction to the Avic genus? Are versicolors as delicate as I've been lead to believe?

---------- Post added 04-19-2015 at 11:52 PM ----------

Btw I will be getting either a sling or a juvie.

BobGrill · Apr 19, 2015

Avics need dry substrate with lots of cross ventilation (lots of holes near the top of the enclosure). If you get a sling, you can keep it a bit moister than you would a juvie or adult. I personally have had pretty bad experiences with versicolor slings, despite the fact that I keep them the same as all my other Avics (never had an Avic death besides versicolor). Truth be told I think they're just as tough as any other tarantula once they get past a certain size. IMO though, it's not really worth the hassle. I 100 percent recommend A.metallica. Not only are they probably the calmest Avic in my experience, but they get larger than most others, and juveniles and adults are readily available and also rather cheap. Also very pretty. I would recommend A.amazonica and A.juruensis (both are pretty rare), but good luck finding a juvenile (even if you did it'd be pretty pricey). I really have to advise against getting a sling though for any Avic. Get a juvenile if you can. truth is Avic slings do tend to have a higher mortality rate than most other genera, and it can be tricky (especially for a novice) to get the conditions just right for them. Some just don't make it for whatever reason.

cold blood · Apr 19, 2015

GG80 said:
So I'm looking to get my first arboreal and after some research the obvious route is Avicularia. I'm fully aware of the whole concept that Avics are delicate when it comes to humidity and ventilation and I've read all the threads concerning Avic husbandry.
My question is what would be a good introduction to the Avic genus? Are versicolors as delicate as I've been lead to believe?

---------- Post added 04-19-2015 at 11:52 PM ----------

Btw I will be getting either a sling or a juvie.

I think as long as your enclosure is set up properly and you familiarized yourself with husbandry and you are ready to make the move...all like you have/are(right?)....I think versi would be just fine. Both of mine just molted last night and now have full adult colors....they go through great color changes and eat great.

Metallica and urticans are also good, My urticans are beautiful beasts that tackle prey...you don't hear enough about their looks. Heck, most, if not all Avics look great, who am I kidding.

Yanose · Apr 19, 2015

I personally love avics and have raised many from slings my trick should you like to try it was to use a plastic sterilite box in which I set a large shallow bowl of water my sling vials would go in to said box and I would place a bit of plastic or cardboard over the top to control humidity thus leaving the slings substrate dry while providing airflow and humidity always seemed to work for me and my A. versi slings really any avic sling I can not remember who gave me the idea or I would credit them but that is how I do it.

---------- Post added 04-19-2015 at 06:20 PM ----------

oh and do not put the vials in the bowl of water just in the box lol that would be bad

lalberts9310 · Apr 19, 2015

+1 to the above posts, personally I'll have vents closer to the substrate as well.. I also agree on getting a juvenile for a first avic

good luck tough

tonypace2009 · Apr 19, 2015

If you get the cross ventilation right for the area you live in if you live in a humid area add more cross ventilation if you live in a dry area make sure they have a water dish to keep humidity up. drop a few drops of water in their web 2 to 3 times a week. They don't do well in cold weather especially during a molt. I try to keep mine at a 70 degree temperature during the winter. As long as you get their enclosure right no stuffy stale air and mind their temperature mainly minimum temperature I have no problems with them. if your worried about the small slings then get a juvie. They still need same cross ventilation and water dish. They need something to climb and web on. the easiest thing to do is make enclosure and post a picture. The aviculria versicolors love to bolt to the top of enclosure and take a walk so pick your enclosure with that in mind.

awiec · Apr 19, 2015

While bob has terrible luck with versis, mine is tough, it (thinkin she) has lived through several power outages where our heat was out, moved in a winter storm and the occasional time I forgot to water it for a week or two. Once avics are in a good environment they fair well as any other sling. Though I would lean towards a juvie or adult as well, you can refine your avic skills with them and then move to slings if you want. Taps and psalmos are tough as nails but have speed and attitude which don't make a fun first arboreal so avoid those for a bit. I know the Iridopelma are pretty cool but are more defensive than avics.

BobGrill · Apr 20, 2015

awiec said:
While bob has terrible luck with versis, mine is tough, it (thinkin she) has lived through several power outages where our heat was out, moved in a winter storm and the occasional time I forgot to water it for a week or two. Once avics are in a good environment they fair well as any other sling. Though I would lean towards a juvie or adult as well, you can refine your avic skills with them and then move to slings if you want. Taps and psalmos are tough as nails but have speed and attitude which don't make a fun first arboreal so avoid those for a bit. I know the Iridopelma are pretty cool but are more defensive than avics.

No need to rub it in [emoji14]

viper69 · Apr 20, 2015

cold blood said:
Heck, most, if not all Avics look great, who am I kidding.

Wonder who got you into Avics?? [emoji6]

A minatrix are also excellent Avics too

Hydrazine · Apr 20, 2015

I second the versicolor.
1) They're deceptively tough. Put them in a bigger container than the usual vials with some cross vent and you should be fine. People often smother them in tiny enclosures.
2) The colours. Oh, the colours.
3) They're easily identifiable. With the A.avic or A.metallica "groups", one often can't be sure what exactly they have. No such risk with Avicularia versicolor (well, at least until dr. Fukushima finally finishes her Avicularia genus revision and places the versicolor into its own separate genus)

GG80 · Apr 20, 2015

Thanks for the feedback. While I am aware of the importance of cross-ventilation and getting the humidity right, I have no intention of taking a trial and error approach with this. Hence why I was asking about a good introduction species.
I will definately take on board what some have said about perhaps getting an adult or at least a juvie. I suppose there's no need to rush into buying a load of slings yet and have them die due to in-experience of care.

Thanks again.

awiec · Apr 20, 2015

BobGrill said:
No need to rub it in [emoji14]

Just a little joke, I figured it would balance out the fact that people tend to kill avic slings. You probably just had some weak individuals, I'll send you some offspring from my super versi when I get some to see if you have any better luck with those ones

Yanose · Apr 20, 2015

if your getting juves or adults I would say get what ever Avic you like and enjoy apply what you learn from this board and they will be fine. Oh and out of I do not know how many hundreds of Avic slings I have lost less than ten which as I understand is pretty good luck with avic slings. though I personally consider any dead sling a failure of mine and try to figure out what went wrong and some times with avics it appears that nothing is wrong. a very irritating situation as you can not figure out how to stop it from happening again. that can be discouraging.

BobGrill · Apr 20, 2015

awiec said:
Just a little joke, I figured it would balance out the fact that people tend to kill avic slings. You probably just had some weak individuals, I'll send you some offspring from my super versi when I get some to see if you have any better luck with those ones [emoji14]

That sounds great. Do you plan on breeding her anytime soon?

Ellenantula · Apr 20, 2015

GG80 said:
So I'm looking to get my first arboreal and after some research the obvious route is Avicularia. I'm fully aware of the whole concept that Avics are delicate when it comes to humidity and ventilation and I've read all the threads concerning Avic husbandry.
My question is what would be a good introduction to the Avic genus? Are versicolors as delicate as I've been lead to believe?
[/COLOR]Btw I will be getting either a sling or a juvie.

You could start with a larger sling/sub-adult A avic -- not pricey at all. And by starting with one not so tiny, more likely to survive for you.
I adore my A avic, I think she's beautiful even if she isn't rare or pricey -- a lovely T.

awiec · Apr 20, 2015

BobGrill said:
That sounds great. Do you plan on breeding her anytime soon?

Whenever she matures I will be, I've had her for 2 years this June so next year sounds like the time she'll be mature. I hope that there is some genetics behind her vigor as it does not make sense that someone with your experience has them keep dying on you.

BobGrill · Apr 20, 2015

awiec said:
Whenever she matures I will be, I've had her for 2 years this June so next year sounds like the time she'll be mature. I hope that there is some genetics behind her vigor as it does not make sense that someone with your experience has them keep dying on you.

I've had good luck with other Avics just not versicolor. It's a bit off-putting.

awiec · Apr 20, 2015

BobGrill said:
I've had good luck with other Avics just not versicolor. It's a bit off-putting.

I had an velutina die on me, never could figure out why it did not want to eat but I still have its sibling alive and well.

Medusa · Apr 21, 2015

BobGrill said:
I've had good luck with other Avics just not versicolor. It's a bit off-putting.

Ah, don't feel bad. I haven't been able to keep a versi sling alive, either. I bought a couple juvies from a seller here a few months ago and they're still going strong - a new record for me. [emoji57] Previous slings died after molting, so I'm not out of the woods yet...

scott99 · Apr 21, 2015

awiec said:
psalmos are tough as nails but have speed and attitude which don't make a fun first arboreal so avoid those for a bit.

1+ That was my first arboreal, so believe him when he say "their not good first arboreal".

Introduction to arboreals?

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