Alright this was very scary, and after the fact quite funny. I have two A metallicas, about 1/4" in size, I got as a gift housed in 50 dram vials with about a 1/4" of coco fiber/pete substrate and a pair of small silk ivy leaves. Yesterday morning when I was checking on all the little guys and gals, doing the feeding/watering thing, and just general maintenance I got to see the speed of the Avics first hand.
So, I decided to put a small cricket into each of the Avics vials.
I use a plastic tub measuring about 10"h x 16"L x 10"w and place the T's enclosure inside of it. This serves as a secondary containment area in case a T decides to leave home when I am working in their enclosure. This method has worked great for my G pulchras. However, the Avics didn't even notice it was there.
So, I put the first vial into the tub. I rounded up the first cricket, checked the vial and confirmed the little Avic was sitting at the bottom. I slowly opened the lid and prepared to drop the cricket into the vial. The Avic burst out of the vial, which was in my hand down inside the tub, and landed about 2" above my wrist. I dropped the cricket and tried put my other hand in a position to corral the little arachnid cannonball. It then made another Olympic leap from hand to the surface of the cart I was working on; this cart is about four feet high; the reason for the secondary containment tub. As I reached for it again, this determined little acrobat once again shot out into the air, right off the cart.
I was dumbfounded. "Oh no! I just killed an innocent tarantula!" I thought as this amazing little creature appeared to glide down to the floor. I quickly dropped to the floor and scooped the tiny one into my hand very quickly ushered it back into its vial. Fortunately it suffered no harm, can't say the same for me; my heart had stopped beating the moment that bugger leaped off the cart..
This entire event, from the time I opened the vial to the time I put little Evel Knievel back into its vial took less than 10 Seconds. I knew this things were fast. I read the posts, the general care info, and even watched numerous videos, but I was not prepared for what that thing was able to do. :8o
OMG!!! These little A. metallicas are fast!!!!!
Consequently, I will be devising a new method for working with the little Avic's enclosures.
Anyone interested in A. metallica? They are not something I am ready to deal with yet. I have two 1/4" slings:8o
P.S.
Before you go on a tangent. I did not actively seek them out. They were a gift.
So, I decided to put a small cricket into each of the Avics vials.
I use a plastic tub measuring about 10"h x 16"L x 10"w and place the T's enclosure inside of it. This serves as a secondary containment area in case a T decides to leave home when I am working in their enclosure. This method has worked great for my G pulchras. However, the Avics didn't even notice it was there.
So, I put the first vial into the tub. I rounded up the first cricket, checked the vial and confirmed the little Avic was sitting at the bottom. I slowly opened the lid and prepared to drop the cricket into the vial. The Avic burst out of the vial, which was in my hand down inside the tub, and landed about 2" above my wrist. I dropped the cricket and tried put my other hand in a position to corral the little arachnid cannonball. It then made another Olympic leap from hand to the surface of the cart I was working on; this cart is about four feet high; the reason for the secondary containment tub. As I reached for it again, this determined little acrobat once again shot out into the air, right off the cart.
I was dumbfounded. "Oh no! I just killed an innocent tarantula!" I thought as this amazing little creature appeared to glide down to the floor. I quickly dropped to the floor and scooped the tiny one into my hand very quickly ushered it back into its vial. Fortunately it suffered no harm, can't say the same for me; my heart had stopped beating the moment that bugger leaped off the cart..
This entire event, from the time I opened the vial to the time I put little Evel Knievel back into its vial took less than 10 Seconds. I knew this things were fast. I read the posts, the general care info, and even watched numerous videos, but I was not prepared for what that thing was able to do. :8o
OMG!!! These little A. metallicas are fast!!!!!
Consequently, I will be devising a new method for working with the little Avic's enclosures.
Anyone interested in A. metallica? They are not something I am ready to deal with yet. I have two 1/4" slings:8o
P.S.
Before you go on a tangent. I did not actively seek them out. They were a gift.
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