Humidity for a pink toe

[Beth1980]

I'm new to the tarantula world. I live in Pennsylvania and I have seen some of the answers for humidity problems but could it be because I have a 10 gallon tank with a screen lid on top that is not keeping the humidity where it should be? I mist the tank every day but just found out about the bowl with the rock in it from this forum. I just don't want anything to happen to my tarantula so I want to take good care of it. I don't have a lot of money or knowledge to make a better enclosure so any tips would be appreciated

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Here’s a well written guide any pictures?

Avicularia Husbandry?

Hi! I'm new to the forum and am unsure if this is the right place for this, but I was wondering if there's anything I should know in advance before purchasing an Avicularia genus? (specifically, I have my eye on some a. metallica slings) I've done some reading, but being that I've only ever had...

arachnoboards.com

 

[cold blood]

You are relying on old, dated info.

Humidity shouldn't be your focus....air movement should. Avics should be kept dry with a water dish....ease up on the misting, this should never be done as part of husbandry. Too much moisture, especially without good air movement (which you just cannot achieve with top only ventilation) is a death sentence for any avic.

I don't have a lot of money or knowledge to make a better enclosure so any tips would be appreciated

A proper enclosure can be had for under 10 bucks...spending money isnt the answer to a good enclosure.

example:

avic housing-adult

• cold blood
• Mar 13, 2018
• 1
• avicularia enclosure pinktoe tarantula

 

[viper69]

Stop misting it or you’ll kill it!!

 

[Beth1980]

I don't mist the tarantula, I mist the enclosure

 

[darkness975]

I don't mist the tarantula, I mist the enclosure

He meant don't mist the enclosure.

Read the guide posted above. It addresses your avic inquiries and then some.

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

Misting the enclosure frequently, without air exchange coming from the bottom to top (ground level vents) can create a stuffy enclosure that can kill an Avic.

 

[Beth1980]

You are relying on old, dated info.

Humidity shouldn't be your focus....air movement should. Avics should be kept dry with a water dish....ease up on the misting, this should never be done as part of husbandry. Too much moisture, especially without good air movement (which you just cannot achieve with top only ventilation) is a death sentence for any avic.


A proper enclosure can be had for under 10 bucks...spending money isnt the answer to a good enclosure.

example:

avic housing-adult

• cold blood
• Mar 13, 2018
• 1
• avicularia enclosure pinktoe tarantula

Misting the enclosure frequently, without air exchange coming from the bottom to top (ground level vents) can create a stuffy enclosure that can kill an Avic.

I had no idea. I see so much information and I don't know what is right and what's wrong. I am getting another enclosure that is more ventilated

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

You’re in the best place now. Welcome to the boards!
That link Ultum4spiderz commented has tons of great information on all thing Avic. It’s also a clicky on Viper69’s signature (turn you phone sideways if you can’t see it)

 

[LilithArachne]

I had no idea. I see so much information and I don't know what is right and what's wrong. I am getting another enclosure that is more ventilated

It's okay friend, like someone said earlier this is the best place for EXPERIENCED and reliable tarantula info.

 

[Dorifto]

I'm new to the tarantula world. I live in Pennsylvania and I have seen some of the answers for humidity problems but could it be because I have a 10 gallon tank with a screen lid on top that is not keeping the humidity where it should be? I mist the tank every day but just found out about the bowl with the rock in it from this forum. I just don't want anything to happen to my tarantula so I want to take good care of it. I don't have a lot of money or knowledge to make a better enclosure so any tips would be appreciated

Humidity is important, but won't focus your husbandry solely in that aspect.

First of all, your husbandry needs to be adjusted to your local climatic conditions (house's conditions), not based on any random caresheet. If your conditions are quite humid, then you barely need to worry about it, since the air is providing that humidity for you. If your house's conditions are fairly dry, then simply add some moisture to the substrate, then let it dry, and repeat. The moisture evaporation will provide that humidity. This is the key. Keeping the right amount of moisture will work regardless of the climatic conditions.

If your enclosure is quite big or if it has a very efficient ventilation system, then keep it more damp (just a bit) as it will have a greater evaporation rate, if it's smaller or has very little ventilation, then keep it on the drier side. In this case, the water dish alone it's enough to raise humidity to decent values.

Regarding to misting, there is no issue at all misting your T (enclosure ), people demonized it without knowing the reasons behind that advice, in fact it's a good method to provide some hidration to your T, since not every T uses the water dish, but it's not a very efficient way to raise the humidity, since it creates humidity spikes, but those can disappear quickly, better to stick to adding moisture to the soil for that purpose. So you can mist a corner, part of the web... etc to provide an easy hidration, but don't do it to provide humidity.

 

[Beth1980]

Humidity is important, but won't focus your husbandry solely in that aspect.

First of all, your husbandry needs to be adjusted to your local climatic conditions (house's conditions), not based on any random caresheet. If your conditions are quite humid, then you barely need to worry about it, since the air is providing that humidity for you. If your house's conditions are fairly dry, then simply add some moisture to the substrate, then let it dry, and repeat. The moisture evaporation will provide that humidity. This is the key. Keeping the right amount of moisture will work regardless of the climatic conditions.

If your enclosure is quite big or if it has a very efficient ventilation system, then keep it more damp (just a bit) as it will have a greater evaporation rate, if it's smaller or has very little ventilation, then keep it on the drier side. In this case, the water dish alone it's enough to raise humidity to decent values.

Regarding to misting, there is no issue at all misting your T (enclosure ), people demonized it without knowing the reasons behind that advice, in fact it's a good method to provide some hidration to your T, since not every T uses the water dish, but it's not a very efficient way to raise the humidity, since it creates humidity spikes, but those can disappear quickly, better to stick to adding moisture to the soil for that purpose. So you can mist a corner, part of the web... etc to provide an easy hidration, but don't do it to provide humidity.

Thank you for your advice. I've been scared that I was doing something wrong because I've been getting so much different information from so many different people

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

Regarding to misting, there is no issue at all misting your T (enclosure ), people demonized it without knowing the reasons behind that advice,

I respect your knowledge, but I have to disagree with you here. Without proper amounts of airflow and ventilation, frequent misting creates a stuffy enclosure and will kill an Avic. (The OP said she has a 10 gallon with only top ventilation and if that is mesh, it needs to be replaced, too.) I’ve been on the boards less than 2 years and have seen multiple threads where this has happened. Misting one little spot for hydration is different than misting an entire enclosure daily. While you have the knowledge and experience to balance moisture and humidity, it would be more difficult for someone new. This is the reason why dry with a water dish (preferably up high) is recommended.

 

[fcat]

I won't use those glass tanks with top only vents for anybody... Maybe a GBB if I were desperate. Everyone in my collection gets cross ventilation.

I have two water dishes, one low, one high, never see them use it. But I do seem them drink *puddles* off the webbing. Not mist, that wouldn't be enough to sustain them IMO. I don't trust them to use a water dish. I gave them a little more substrate to hold onto the moisture, the excess water that I spill.

My house is bone dry so it doesn't last long, but I do my best to maintain a moist corner for everybody. At a minimum it exists as a monitoring device...if I find my T there it would be prudent to check my husbandry.

 

[Beth1980]

I am getting a better enclosure with more ventilation. It will be here sometime today or tomorrow. I am getting so much more knowledge about these beautiful creatures. It's kind of overwhelming but you guys have been a big help. Now what do you recommend for feeding, roaches or crickets? I've heard from others that crickets can be harmful to Ts but what do you guys think?

 

[Brewser]

I don't mist the tarantula,

I try not to spray tarantulas either although they often get spritzed when attacking the Waterbowl during Refills. lol

 

[fcat]

I am getting a better enclosure with more ventilation. It will be here sometime today or tomorrow. I am getting so much more knowledge about these beautiful creatures. It's kind of overwhelming but you guys have been a big help. Now what do you recommend for feeding, roaches or crickets? I've heard from others that crickets can be harmful to Ts but what do you guys think?

Roaches are usually not the best feeder for arboreals as they tend to burrow. Crickets are my go to, but I do make use of ventilation holes to slide a worm through to a nearby tarantula. If they don't take it right away I give it to someone else. Always crush the heads (I like to sever completely after crushing and watching one metamorphosize)

Any thing you can deliver to the T without the use of tongs really I've practically mastered playing catch with my lady C versicolor

 

[cold blood]

Now what do you recommend for feeding, roaches or crickets?

crickets rooam a lot and tend to get the best response for an avic...red runners are a close second...but the truth is that you can feed them whatever you like.....they arent picky and no one feeder is "better" or "worse" for the t.

As for potential dangers, these dangers only present themselves when the t molts, as avics molt in a thick web tube, they are protected, so this particular feeder concern isnt really an issue with them

 

[Dorifto]

I respect your knowledge, but I have to disagree with you here. Without proper amounts of airflow and ventilation, frequent misting creates a stuffy enclosure and will kill an Avic. (The OP said she has a 10 gallon with only top ventilation and if that is mesh, it needs to be replaced, too.) I’ve been on the boards less than 2 years and have seen multiple threads where this has happened. Misting one little spot for hydration is different than misting an entire enclosure daily. While you have the knowledge and experience to balance moisture and humidity, it would be more difficult for someone new. This is the reason why dry with a water dish (preferably up high) is recommended.

Constantly misting an enclosure it's quite different than misting it for hidration purposes. I'd never suggest to constantly mist an enclosure, even at the ones with great ventilation systems. Hence my statement.

Ts don't need to hydrate constantly, that's why misting for hydration shouldn't pose any risk, even in poorly ventilated setups, as it should be done once in a while. If your T needs hydration constantly, then something it's wrong with that setups.

Misting triggers their natural behaviour to find a hydration spot (droplets) like in the nature, so it's a very good way to hydrate your T. Mine and many others never had a water dish, and they are thriving like champs.

The issue here it's not the misting, but the enclosure themselves. So if the issue it's a poor ventilation system, our advices should focus on that matter, not demonizing something that could be beneficial or at least not harmfull if it's done correctly.

Anyway if you read my advice, you should notice that it's focused more on hydration rather than humidity. In the past people tend to overmist their enclosures in order to keep them humid, and in the worst scenarios also reducing the ventilation... this is the cause why people started demonizing misting, simply because it was used incorrectly. Used correctly, it's a very helpful tool.

This is what a heavy misting lasts in a well ventilated setup:

View attachment VID_20210806_090338.mp4

As you can see, it dissapears in matter of seconds, so it's pretty useless to increase humidity for long periods of time unless you use it to raise substrate's (or background's) moisture. I use it to keep the background fairly moist to counteract my house's dryness, specially during winter. This way I can offer different soil moisture levels (moisture gradients), from dry to quite humid while the enclosure's air remains humid enough (between 40-80s).

I am getting a better enclosure with more ventilation. It will be here sometime today or tomorrow. I am getting so much more knowledge about these beautiful creatures. It's kind of overwhelming but you guys have been a big help. Now what do you recommend for feeding, roaches or crickets? I've heard from others that crickets can be harmful to Ts but what do you guys think?

If you can, get something or mod your enclosure to have lower and top ventilation. This helps creating and upward air current, helping to keep the enclosure fairly humid by simply adjusting the soil's moisture level.

Feeder wise, get something that roams, like crickets of lateralis (red runners) roaches. Both thend to roam freely rather than bury themselves like dubias, morio or zophoba worms... etc.