Avicularia versicolor

Ratmosphere

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How long could an Avicularia versicolor sling go without food? Mine hasn't shown interest in feeding for a week or more.
 

cold blood

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How long could an Avicularia versicolor sling go without food? Mine hasn't shown interest in feeding for a week or more.
That depends greatly upon many variables. Wow big? How fat? Where is it in the molt cycle? How warm is it kept? Then there are certain individuals more or less prone to fasting. There is no t of any species, at any size, where a week is of ANY concern. If its plump, no amount of time should be concerning.
 

Ratmosphere

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It isn't frail but it isn't fat. The temperature is getting pretty chilly so I bought a space heater online. It is colder in the house than it should be. I'll try and offer the T more food today.
 

viper69

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Chilly is a subjective term - means nothing to us

Without a pic - can't help all too much
 

skippydude

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If this is a second instar sling you should keep it between 75F-80F, temps outside this range are often fatal for 2nd- 3rd instar avics. You should shoot for 75% humidity too

At second instar it could go about 2 weeks of fasting for pre molt. Once it reaches about 5th or 6th instar the fasting period can be up to a month and as adults the can fast for months during pre-molt.
 

GG80

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My versi sling went about a month without eating before a molt. No problems. As others have already said, make sure it's not too cold and aim for 75-80F. Oh, and always provide a clean, full water dish.
 

Ratmosphere

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IMG_0555.JPG

I want to put a small water cap in for a water dish. However, it takes up almost half of the enclosure. I was told by the breeder to mist the sides of the enclosure four times a week. When I get my space heater the temperature will be stable.
 

skippydude

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View attachment 139234

I want to put a small water cap in for a water dish. However, it takes up almost half of the enclosure. I was told by the breeder to mist the sides of the enclosure four times a week. When I get my space heater the temperature will be stable.
I would have hot glued a soda bottle cap or milk jug lid up high for a water dish.

Misting only raises humidity for a short time.To raise humidity levels , instead of misting use a syringe to inject water into and under the substrate. No syringe? Simply keep a small area of sub moist by over spilling the water dish occasionally.
 

tonypace2009

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I would dribble a little water at the edge of the web for it to drink if you don't have a water dish. The plus everything stated above.
 

KristinaMG

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I would add a bottle cap water dish to the floor. It is fine if it takes up all the floor space. Your versi will not be spending much time down there. I use a dropper and add a few drops to the webbing once or twice a week because I've noticed my versicolor loves to drink from its webbing. I would not mist 4x week..they do not like it (it's like blowing on them). If you do mist, hold the spray bottle very high above the container so it falls in there without blowing on the poor little sling.
 

GG80

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View attachment 139234

I want to put a small water cap in for a water dish. However, it takes up almost half of the enclosure. I was told by the breeder to mist the sides of the enclosure four times a week. When I get my space heater the temperature will be stable.
You really should try to get some sort of water dish into the enclosure as misting is not effective in maintaining humidity. A constantly full water dish will provide all the humidity you need. Moist or damp substrate is a no-no for this species hence the importance of a water dish.
 

Blueandbluer

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You really should try to get some sort of water dish into the enclosure as misting is not effective in maintaining humidity. A constantly full water dish will provide all the humidity you need. Moist or damp substrate is a no-no for this species hence the importance of a water dish.
+1. You need the waterdish, and then you can skip the misting, which as others have mentioned is not very effective, and tends to freak out the spider.
 

cold blood

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Yup...the cap of a water bottle should fit in there just fine. Also, in the future when you set up an arboreal enclosure, especially for an Avic, its advantageous to add plants surrounding the top of the wood...this provides both cover and anchor points. Its pretty barren in there, but now that its webbed up, you may as well just go with it.

The sub should be kept dry and the only thing that should be spritzed is the webbing and only slightly...this is for convenient drinking....and it only needs to be done on a weekly basis. Misting 4 times a week is a poor idea.

Humidity shouldn't be of a huge concern with an available water dish. There is no reason to shoot for any number specific humidity...humidity is in a constant state of flux and can and should vary...as it does in nature.
 

Poec54

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I want to put a small water cap in for a water dish. However, it takes up almost half of the enclosure. I was told by the breeder to mist the sides of the enclosure four times a week. When I get my space heater the temperature will be stable.

I keep 10 species of Avics, raised them all from slings. Misting 4 times a week is how you end you with a soggy cage and a dead Avic. Your sling will go down to the water bowl when it's thirsty.

The cooler the temps are, the drier the substrate needs to be with any tarantula. Plants, animals, and humans all take cool/cold temps better when they're dry.
 

Ratmosphere

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I put the water bottle cap in but it takes up almost the whole floor of the enclosure. How will I feed the T now? I feel like I'll lose so many crickets due to them drowning.
 

cold blood

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I put the water bottle cap in but it takes up almost the whole floor of the enclosure. How will I feed the T now? I feel like I'll lose so many crickets due to them drowning.
Funny, I think I've seen one drown cricket in a t enclosure in the past 2 years. Put the feeders in the webbing, pre-kill them if necessary. Mealies and waxies are other good alternatives to feed as well.

You could always fill the water dish with pebbles so the crickets don't drown.
 

BobGrill

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Stop worrying so much [emoji14] just put the crickets in the web.

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk
 

KristinaMG

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I put the water bottle cap in but it takes up almost the whole floor of the enclosure. How will I feed the T now? I feel like I'll lose so many crickets due to them drowning.
You can put 1 or 2 pebbles in the bottle cap to prevent that. I also often use a single lego square (upside down) as a water dish in sling enclosures where there is limited space. Because of the structure of the lego pieces it is cricket drown-proof already. I have kids so legos are abundant, not sure if other random adults on here have legos lying around lol but they do work nicely.
 

Ratmosphere

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Awesome tip haha. Wish the T was bigger so I could put it in this roomy enclosure.

IMG_0685.JPG
 
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