Watering tip for Avics-- For the first several weeks I owned my first arboreal, I dutifully filled its water dish, but never saw it drink from it. I still keep water in there, but I figured out a better way. My Avic avic has 2 lairs. A pure web hide at the top corner of its critter keeper, and a web/dirt curtain one affixed to the bottom of a diagonally leaning piece of cork bark. During the day it's typically hiding in one or the other with a couple pink toes sticking out. during the evening-morning hours it frequently likes to wander about. It walks all over the cork bark, floor, sides of the critter keeper. I've found that if I spray the sides of the enclosure through the lid when it's out and about, being careful not to actually spray the beast...it actively "hoovers" the water on the sides as it wanders. Kind of cool to watch.
I've actually seen both of my larger Avics drink from the dishes a couple times, but I also do exactly what you're saying. It's adorable watching them walk around as they suck up all the water. Great tip! :)
Wow, i have to say, iv watched most of your videos, and the quality is constantly improving.Both picture quality and editing. Please keep up the husbandry videos, yours are one of the very few i trust completely.
You just made my day. I've been really trying to improve them all around. I just picked up a new editing program that allows me to do so much more. And thank you so much! I plan on doing a lot more husbandry vids! :)
I got one of these as a pick up with a versicolor and GBB, not knowing anything about the species. It has quickly become one of my favorite species. It's absolutely gorgeous and has an amazing temperament. It is a great choice for a beginner arboreal.
Thanks so much, bud! I'm trying to spruce things up a bit with the production so that they are easier to reference and follow. I know I talk fast. haha
I’m picking one of these up on Saturday and can’t wait. It’s a large female juvie with its enclosure for £20. At the moment, in England the reputable online shops don’t have them in stock, so I have found a right gem! A beautiful creature. Thanks for your video and I always use yours for correct husbandry.
awesome vid.. as usual tom i have 4 to rehouse today used your vid to get primed up 👍 👍 thank you for all you do..your videos and experience are a great asset to fellow hobbyist..
Oh gawd I am glad I found this video I have been wondering if I was keeping girl to humid. I was told to keep them very humid but now I am going to completely clean out her enclosure because it's super moist and now has wood mites. They don't seem to be on her but she has recently ripped her webbing apart and hasn't begun to rebuild. She seems to be staying on the dryest wall of her enclosure. Which promoted me to start looking for into what I could do care wise. And I found this video. Thank you!
Hello! Yeah, there is a lot out there about them needing to be kept super moist. That just leads to stuffy enclosures. Nice job noticing an issue and looking into it! :)
Thanks so much, Mark! Yeah, I was VERY fortunate when I first got my Avic versicolor that a keeper gave me some great advice. I had every intention of spraying the heck out of the poor thing, and he corrected me. haha
Thanks for replying! Great to see that you're a down-to-earth celebri-T (Geddit?)... If I can ask you a question - I only have three slings now; a versicolor, an (ex) geroldi and a variegata. Any tips on new additions? A. metallica I guess, but any other tips?
Hahahahaha! Celebrit-T? That's hysterical! Have you seen the A. juruensis? I picked on of these up last year, and I love it. I'm hoping to do a video on her soon...
I have 2 Avic avic and 2 Versicolors ... a Peru Purple already. Me and Avics just seem to Click Awesomely and yep, 3 are slings molting well and Gorgeous
Pet stores are awful at giving advice - especially for tarantulas, very nice enclosure, great set-up, love your re-housing method, the catch cup with holes. She's beautiful. As always very informative, she'll appreciate the larger enclosure, great job pal. That's how I let my slings drink from the webbing. As always Tom great upload, keep up the great work, it's always a pleasure to watch you working with your spiders.
I can't tell you how many emails I get from people who got terrible pet store advice. It drives me NUTS. I'm glad she was so cooperative...what a sweetheart. :) Thanks again!!!
I know, the stories I've read especially Petco, I'm in the UK as you probably know so we don't have Petco fortunately, where I live we can't go in to a store and buy T's, we've to order them, which in my opinion is the best way, that way there's no impulse buying. Yet people still buy them from Petco, thinking their helping the spider, it just encourages the store to get more. Sorry starting to rant now, have a great day Tom, speak to you soon.
My absolute favorite genus to rehouse...because they are my absolute favorite to handle...the little flappy armed derps never fail to put a smile on my face. Personal observation: I'm of the opinion that "ventilation" is more important than "cross ventilation" with juvenile on up. You know I'm housing my big ones in converted vertical aquarium set ups, and haven't had a single issue with any of them that way. Of course there is plenty of ventilation on the door. Synchronicity in this video. My big A. avic girl just molted, so my breeding project got stepped up. (Also found an adult female P. irminia, so my boy is now out for stud service. heh.)
I'm not going to lie...I had to resist the urge to handle her. hahaha Yeah, having the vents in the tops isn't wrong by any stretch. I just prefer the sides to keep air moving through the enclosures. I do it with all of my enclosures. I like to run a fan to give them a bit of a breeze and to get a bit of air flow, and venting the sides allows for that. That one of the reasons I have two exo-terra nanos collecting dust in my garage. It's a preference thing for me! :) Nice! You're going to have slings everywhere! :) Are you getting half of the irminias if he breeds?
I should have clarified...the airflow IS side vented through the lexan door. Just not "cross-vented". Remember the new little tank arboreal enclosure pics from FB? The top-down venting bugariums are for the big arboreals like the P. irminia and Poecilotherias as I prefer working "down" with skittish and 'race-track' types of T's. :-) Slings...yeah, har-de-har, gods wut am I thinkin', right? :-D If successful with the Avics, yeah, I'll have to set up a card table. With that P. irminia, I'm probably going to just take 4 or 5 slings, and let him commission sell the rest and just take a small percentage. I'm more about letting the T fulfill "destiny". (My contact here who does the sales locally is the one who has the P. irminia. She's a proven breeder, so with just a little luck we should get a sac.)
Oooh getting fancy with the intro and headers! I like! :D So if A. metallica is no longer considered a species of its own, what species have they been merged with in the catalogue? Or have they just been moved to "unclassified"? Taxonomy is confusing D:
Hahahahaha. Thanks so much! I've been trying to improve the production and delivery on my videos. :) Right now, the thought is that it might fall under Avic Avic, but they'll need to examine it more closely. In the meantime, however, I think everyone's still referring to it as metallica. Yup, I agree...soooo confusing. haha
Any chance of you covering more Avicularia species? I only see this video on your whole channel. :( I really would like to hear more about them from you. Thanks
Hey Tom, I'm not really fond of buying T's from chain pet stores, but I saw a A. Metallica in a pet supplies plus being labeled as a striped knee ( I was told that was what was in the tank before it). They had no idea what it even was and they didn't even know it was an avic. It was in a horrible terrestrial enclosure, poor ventilation, crickets running around stressing it out, who knows how long they've been in there. It was up in the corner, curled up, miserable, on its last leg. I guess my question to you is, do I save it, I mean who am I kidding, probably going back tomorrow. I just don't want to be the problem, because one sells, another comes in. They don't want to take advice from a customer, like I'm offending them or something. I know I can give it a great home, I just don't want to encourage them thinking tarantulas are selling " get more" . Just don't want it to die. I'm a subscriber and your my go to. I know your a busy man, but I really respect who you are and any advice would be greatly appreciated. Keep up the good work. Thanks!
Hi, Brian! I did a podcast on this a while back, because I've been where you are. I HAVE bought tarantulas in situations like this, but I always try to educate the people at the pet store when I do. I try to be very friendly and tactful (even though I'm usually quite upset. I just can't walk away from an animal that is suffering. Also, I find the idea that if we don't buy it, they'll stop selling them to be flawed. Truth be told, someone always buys them, and it's usually not a persona that knows anything about tarantulas. IF you buy it, I would definitely mention that there are some things that they could do to improve the care.
Tom, you have taught me so much about how to be a good tarantula mom (aka: keeper). I want to say thank you so very much for sharing all of your knowledge with us! I do have one question though. I recently acquired one of these beauties from an Expo. I would like to get the type of enclosure that you have there. Is that an XL Kritter Keeper? I just want to make sure that I get one with enough height. The one that I found is called the XL Kritter Keeper and the dimensions are 15 3/4" L x 9 3/8" W x 12 1/2" H. Thanks again Tom!!
Hi, Sandy! Awwww...thank you so much. I'm so glad that you find my stuff to be useful! Yes, this is the XL Kritter Keeper that you are describing. However, something I would do differently if using this enclosure for an avic again would be to use cork tubes (maybe more than one) and add more fake foliage. My girl was a bit exposed in this setup, so I would definitely add more too it. Hope that helps!
Thanks for the video! What kind of substrate do you use? What do you do to keep them warm enough in the winter? I would say my indoor house temperature can get into the 50s and 60s in the winter!
Hi, Shannon! To heat one in the winter, you would want to mount a heat mat on a piece of foam and attach it to a wall next to the enclosure. Then, you can move the enclosure closer or further away to make sure that it doesn't get too warm. For substrate, you can use coco fiber, peat, top soil, or a mix.
Hey Tom and Billie. Still watching you on the big flat-screen through the Roku. Trying to catch up on the thumbs-ups and of course the show of Love and support you guys so much deserve. I'm wanting to get an order going and am in love with all my Avics. Is this one the same as the avicularia sp. kwitara? I'm seeing Morph 6 and Green pink toes and I definitely want Rose Hairs of both kinds and Your recommendation on a Pulcra !??? Brazilian Black. Remember I've only been in the Hobby since last October and have finally put up a few videos on my channel. Would be Honored for you and Billie to watch and probably giggle at me but I giggle at you guys too so... I need my Mentors. If I won the lottery...Bigger house, New Car, Pay off Bills and Big azzzzz order of Ts but still only NW. I'm still afraid of my Suntiger but it is well taken care of. I wanted a Blue Fang but watched some videos and I ain't ready... Speedy Gonzales will have to wait. For some reason, I can't find a way to get in touch with you. I think I have been in the house too long and have developed ADHD, OCD and DGAS...I'll let you and Billie decode the last one LOL. I love you guys so much and between you guys, Tarantula Kat, The Tarantula Collective, which I am a member of....Yeah Baby....I'm Proud
Hello, Tina! Ha! We sometimes watch UA-cam on our Roku! haha And thanks so much! This would be the morph 6 now. The the G. pulchra is awesome and often recommended as a beginner species. And we will definitely check out your channel...that's awesome!
PART II - Oh, God...we were just talking about eating crickets the other night. I think that I would barf if I saw someone eat one. haha The things gross me out! And shoot me an email at tomsbigspiders@outlook.com. This comment is an absolute TRIP! Bahahahaha!!!
Yo Yo Tom! You always suggest posting questions on older videos so, here I am! We're up to 34 now with one of your Tangerines from FNT!! YAY collection! I've come to love each and every 'personality' and how different they all behave (we have 32 different genus' and 2x:A.Semmani) Here's my inquiry: My Avicularia M#6 / Avic.Metallica was about 3.5" in di. or about the diameter of the length of a business card? I'm assuming late-juvenile in size? We got her as a MF so we had assumed many happy years to come. Saturday: 2.1.2020: She was moving around and siting in different spots throughout the day as always (she actually greets me when i come home. I know that's not science and I'm being anthropomorphic... but literally as i walk through the door, she'd move to the glass closest to my entrance.) Sunday (feeding day) Yesterday, 2.2.2020 We notice her sitting WAAAAAAY Awkward on one of her leaves. Like an octopus washed up on shore. Not balanced but most legs on one side. Tried brushing a leg with paintbrush, nothing... Blew near her softly with a straw... nothing... blew on her directly... nothing... Then tried the paintbrush dipped in water near her pedipalp & Chicilerae .... This offset whatever 'balance' was had and her lifeless body flopped on the substrate. This shook me more than I could handle and my wife had to finish up with gently putting her back on her tree and putting her home back on the shelf. Wife wanted me to wait a week before truly freaking out and having an emotional response again (I don't do well with loss or sickness. and we have almost 80 creatures in our micro-zoo). Reminded me that maybe she's in premolt or something? Although I've never seen 'lifeless' on any youtube video. Have you ever heard of anything that could kill a T overnite? Thanks in advance. Sorry for the book. Cheers!
Hello, Joey! First off, thanks so much for doing the comment trick. This makes it SO much easier to answer more comments. I truly appreciate! Oh no! This sounds terrible. To be clear, she is not moving at all? Did she have a web hammock at all? I did have an experience years ago where I thought that one of my tarantulas had passed, but it was an upright molt. I didn't pick it up, though, so I don't know if it flopped around. The problem with tarantulas is that they often seem just fine...until they are not. When was the last time it ate for you?
@Tom Moran Sure thing!! Thank YOU for the reply and assistance! Yes, precisely! not moving at all. And we’ve only had her just over a month so no hammock ‘yet’ but it was starting wisps. Watching her leg flop over then her fall off the plant Is what made me have a lil panic attack. Wife thought the same, that maybe an upright molt, I hadn't heard of such (she's been more diligent it seems on gathering knowledge) and the only other arboreal we've had molt; it did so upside down and on the ground like a terrestrial. I've zoomed in on the abdomen even (trying not to disturb if it is in fact a mold and I'm just overreacting) trying to see if she fell? I did the due dilligence with replacing the wire-mesh with plexiglass (we've been listening to/watching you since T #1) and even ensured that the cork bark was the only rigid thing in the tank. She ate for us 3 weeks ago, off the tongs. I never feed on 'gotcha day' as that is the day we re-house from x-deli-cup unless a sling, I wait till the following week to settle before food. If sling, then a piece of pre-kill. All the collection are on the same wall equidistant from the heating vent and door and window. Thank you again for your aid!
I get those online from Pet Mountain. They are the X large critter keepers. They are almost the same size as the Sterilite containers I used for arboreal species for years, but they are crystal clear.
Hi Tom! I'm currently caring a Caribena Versicolor sling. And your videos definitely help me a ton! ❤ My question is, here in my area have a warm temperature due to summer season. And when its daytime, I usually move my sling under my bed because this is the only area that has a cool temparature in our house. Then in night time I move it back to its original place. Enclosure has a lot of ventillation and has a small sized water dish. And a few or small amount of water in substrate. Am I doing the right thing? Is there any issue if I move my sling under my bed because of airflow? Thanks in advance Tom! Your new subscriber from Philippines 👌
Hello, kim! Being in the Philippines, you already have the perfect climate for most tarantula species. How warm does it get in your room during the day time? As long as it's getting good airflow and it's not too stuffy, that may work out fine.
@@TomsBigSpiders Wow! Nice to hear that we have a perfect climate here for m ost ts. I thought avics and versi are goods in a cooler area. The temperature at its most peak is around 31°C - 33°C. That is the time I'll move my versi sling under my bed. When I touched the enclo, I didn't feel any warm on it when it's under my bed. Unlike my brachys enclosure. They are warm when you touch cause I stayed them in the place as they are. So what are your thoughts on this Tom. This is my first arboreal ts, and having versicolor is my dream sp few years ago🤩 Thank you so much on your reply. It seems that you are familiar here in our country because I see your other comments that you have encounteres an filipino hobbyist. Keep creating these videos. Its a big help in our community 👌
Hey Tom, I keep looking for tall exo terra breeder boxes for adult burrowing species like A. seemanni so that I can keep deep substrate. The exo tetras I find are flat, stackable, not more than 6" tall. I did find Lee’s Herp Haven boxes that are almost a foot tall. Where do you find exo terra boxes that you have in this video?
Sorry...I just saw this! I get the deeper ones from Pet Mountain. www.petmountain.com/product/reptile-cages-terrariums/11442-504731/lees-lees-kritter-keeper-with-lid.html
Since A. Metallica is no longer a recognized species name, does that make this tarantula an A. Avicularia? It certainly looks a lot like mine. Also, I currently keep mine in a glass 3 gallon arboreal terrarium. It has a screen top, but no cross ventilation. Would it be possible to drill holes in the side of the tank, or is that too risky?
Great question! Although it is not recognized as a species, it still hasn't been fully described. The thought is that it will end up as a subspecies of Avicularia avicularia, but until that is official, most are keeping it labelled as "metallica" or "sp. metallica." It IS possible to drill holes in glass if you have the correct tools. Personally, I haven't done it.
(Not that huge of an issue but under husbandry guides on your website, this sp shows as previously P Metallica instead of A Metallica) figured I'd let ya know :)
Hello Tom! I have just gotten a G. pulchra from fear not, I got one of the complete packages that has the 30 day life guarantee. Anyways, I set up the enclosure with everything that was included in the kit. But I am somewhat confused, because Fear Not only included enough substrate for right around an inch deep, and then some tiny pieces of actual cork, not cork bark. The T is about 1.5", and from what I have seen since putting it in its new home last night, it has not checked out or had any interest in using it's hide and has preferred to wander around and climb on the sides of the lil box. I have seen it sit on top of the hide/in the corner behind it, but that's as close as it comes to it. Is this normal? From all the research I have done, I was under the impression that they do some burrowing as slings, but maybe at this size this spider is no longer considered a sling? With these complete packages they say you are not allowed to put any additional substrate or a different hide in the box, in order to not void the 30 day guarantee. If I were to stick to this, I wouldn't even be able to put a water dish in the box.. I am thinking about just saying screw it and throw in a better hide made out of cork bark like I have put into my other freebie T's set up(B. albo). The B. albo went right into the hide that I set up for it, but that sling is only about 3/4" or so, and actually molted during shipment. I guess I don't understand why they only included enough substrate for about an inch deep in this enclosure that they sent with it, and why they also only sent some tiny pieces of regular cork that seems impossible to make a hide with. Maybe I'm overreacting here, I just wanna make sure my spider is nice and comfy.
Hello, DW! First off, congrats on you G. pulchra! I love that species. What size is the sling? 1" might be okay for a smaller one. Can you send me some photos of the setup and what they sent you? That would help a lot. My email is tomsbigspiders@outlook.com . Please put UA-cam in the subject so I can find it quickly. Thank you! Tom
@@TomsBigSpiders Thank you Tom. It's about 1.5" to 2" or so. I will get some pics sent over right now. I wound up putting a bigger hide in the enclosure along with a bottle cap water dish, it did take to the hide for a bit and wound up burrowing a very small amount, still though it seems to prefer to just wander around out in the open.
I have a question I don’t have any other tarantula owning friends hope someone can guide me. I got a pink toe from petco 4 months ago. She’s small, about 1.5 inches. She hasn’t eaten since I got her. I’ve tried crickets and mealworms of all sizes. Tongs or just leaving them in the enclosure overnight. She doesn’t web or really move at all. She just slowly backs up if I touch her with a worm. She’ll climb until she’s up as high as she can be then has been sitting for weeks. Any suggestions?
Hello, Stephanie! First off, a huge apology for the late reply; I just discovered a bunch of missed comments. :( Is it possible that she's in premolt? Has she molted for you yet? She could just be settling in. Some of the Petco spiders have had a rough go of it, and they can take a little while to settle in. If you want to send me some pics of the setup and the spider at tomsbigspiders@outlook.com, I'd be happy to see if I can help.
So type 2 hairs... I dont handle my T's so im not worried about this transfer method, i wear plastic gloves when cleaning as-well. This genus does not kick hairs ever?? Ive never seen it so that makes sense.
Yeah, they basically rub their abdomens on you. I once saw a video with someone's Avicularia rubbing it's abdomen on her arm. She thought that it was snuggling here. Nope! :)
Im kinda pissed that they reclassified most of the avicularia genus. I dont care what the new classification says, thats still an avicularia metallica in my eyes. They are one of my favorites. They are cheap, docile, and still one of the prettier tarantulas out there. There arent many tarantulas in that price range that have the blues and greens that these guys have. T's like green bottle blues cost more and arent nearly as handleable.
Hi, Alex. I still label them separately. Although they are supposedly part of regular Avicularia avicularia, they still have to study them more and make the change official. I love them, too. :)
Tom Moran It seems like someone has their work cut out for them when it comes to classifying tarantulas. I still have a handful of T's with nothing but a genus name and the whole sp *location* thing. I have some mystery avics aswell. Im just glad we live in a world with this many different tarantulas. There are WAY more species out there than I expected when i first got into the hobby. Im still trying to find the elusive chicken spider for my collection. You wouldnt happen to know where I could get one would you? Its a mystery species from the pamphobeteus genus. Solid black, as large as a T. Blondi and extremely communal.
Hi Tom, I'm currently working on my avic's enclosure since I'm worried she's sick or dehydrated. She's not curling but she has been refusing food for over a month. At first I thought it was because I tried to switch to dubia roaches, but she's also running away from crickets. Do you have any idea what the issue could be? Room is always 75 degrees, I spray every other day and recently moistened the substrate to get humidity up to a constant 75-75%, and the tank is free of poop/mold from what I can see.
Hi, Mike! How long have you had her for? I would not keep the humidity that high personally. Moist corner, and open water dish, and a spray twice a week should suffice. This is one of the species that folks were killing by trying to maintain high humidity. The temps sound great. Also, could she be in premolt?
I know this is a old vid, but... Anyways i was looking for husbandry vids for Avicularia braunshauseni, and Avicularia metalica come up with that search. Are they the same?
@@TomsBigSpiders i know pretty much the same husbandry for all the Avics. But what i was wondering is, are Avic A.Braunshauseni and A.Metalica the same species different morphtype?
Tom Moran that would be really great! Thank you! Is there a way to follow you on FB or anything like that? Love your videos! I'm up to 14 Ts and would love to be able to ask experts advice.
www.amazon.com/WEN-2305-Rotary-Tool-Shaft/dp/B00A8DXKXS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1516406842&sr=8-3&keywords=wen%2Brotary%2Btool%2Bkit&th=1 I got the one without the flex shaft (I think you can choose the box on the bottom). It's cheap, but it's worked great for me. And thanks so much! Sounds like you're already addicted... :) My Facebook page is here: facebook.com/tomsbigspiders/
If i get a critter cage is it ok that there are holes on top Of the cage and not sides I would say it’s a med size critter cage with blue lid and holes on top instead of sides like yours
Great question! It honestly depends on the specimen. I WILL say that I went back and added more plants to this enclosure later to give it more cover. Most will do fine in larger enclosures, but you want to make sure that you have a lot of plants and cover in there for them.
When should the tarantula be rehouse? I have the same containers that you had the tarantula at first. I'm housing T.Gigas, P. Regalis, P. Irminia, and Avac Avac. but idk when to rehouse them they are growing quickly specially the P. Regalis
Great question! For Poecilotheria species, I actually sometimes skip this enclosure, putting them directly from their sling enclosures into their adult enclosures when they hit about 3" or so. They just grow so fast (and they are not particularly fun to rehouse) that I make it easy on myself by limiting the amount of rehousings I do. What size is your regalis? I have a T. gigas and a P. irminia in one of these right now, and they are both around 3.5" or so. I'll be rehousing them both after their next molts. The avic I just moved is just over 4" or so, and it was starting to become just a little cramped. I hope that helps!
Yup, it's basically the XL critter keeper! I've been looking for something with similar dimensions to the Sterilite ones I use (they're milky), and these sized up wonderfully. They are about 6 gallons, so they offer quite a bit of room to work. Yeah, I would get that regalis out before it gets much bigger (and more of a pain to move! haha).
I just got an Avicularia Avicularia adult "female" unexpectedly. I have a 12x12x18 exo terra and I've swapped the lid with acrylic. Would this be suitable or do I have to get something with more cross ventilation
Hey, Robert! The ventilation thing, although always good to have, doesn't seem to be as much of an issue with the adults as long as you keep things on the drier side. With an enclosure that large, I would offere multiple hides and plenty of folliage for her to hide behind.
@@TomsBigSpiders I went ahead and rehoused her last night. I had cork bark, substrate, cork bark rounds, fake plants, sphagnum moss and leaf litter. The only concern I had was the cork bark flat and rounds don't reach all the way to the top. I posted pics on some tarantula groups on FB and most people said it was just fine. So far she has pretty much stayed in the same spot at the top of the enclosure since last night. Hopefully she settles in soon enough
New avic owner, I'm confused, what makes it a Metallic? did research and from what I was told we've got a avic avic but I was just curious because mine kinda looks just like yours and I've noticed a metallic look to her. I say her because that's what we believe she is
Originally, they were considered to be two different species. Now, they are both considered to be color forms of Avic avic. The difference is the metallica's have a shimmer to the end of their hairs that almost look like fiber optics in the light. That's about it.
If anyone can help me quickly that’s great.. I have a juvenile pink toe and I had 3 different enclosures for it - I originally got a tub because I didn’t realize it was so small so I put it into a pickle jar with dirt and a piece of wood to climb - and a water dish.. the only thing I’m worried about is it not finding it’s food in a shorter enclosure.. I have a third one which isn’t tall but it’s a bit longer and idk what to do - I want to make sure it’s healthy and I’m fretting too much about it not finding it’s crickets
I usually put them in something with a height about 3x that of the spider's leg span. Is this a sling? I also make sure to put some fake foliage in there for webbing. This also gives something for the prey to climb on, which makes them easier for the spider to find.
Tom Moran thank you for your advice.. she/he is a juvenile and I moved her into a nice tall enclosure perfect for her size. I noticed that she started to web herself in and block herself which kind of worried me because I haven’t seen her drink from her water dish. I make sure to spray her web that she blocked herself in hoping she drinks from it. I think she might just be anxious from going through enclosures but she molted and that seems like a good sign
@@dayyton6653 If she's webbing, that means that she's settling in. When you feed her, you can always drop the prey item on her webbing. Keep an eye out the next day, as I have had some Avicularia that don't go down to the ground to find prey. Spraying the web is a good way to give her an alternative to the water dish. They will use them, however, if thirsty. You're most welcome!
It's not defined yet, so everyone is still calling them A. metallica until they look at them again and make a decision. The thought is that it will end up being a variation of regular Avic Avic.
Alright so I’m a little nervous. I have one of these slings that’s about 1” and I cannot get it to eat. I just got it and now it’s day two and I have tried to get it to eat but it won’t. Should I worry? I have read that a lot of these guys are finicky and can just randomly die.
Tom Moran very little webbing. What size should it be in? It’s day three and still no eating. I have left live food in for a bit and have even pre killed food and left it at both the top and bottom of the enclosure. It has not touched either of them. I don’t know if my enclosure is wrong or what’s going on. It needs to be eating by now, or at least I feel like it does. I know tarantulas are resilient creatures but I’m getting very nervous. All of my other slings are now eating pretty much once a day. This is the only one that has not eaten. What size enclosure should the 1” sling be in? What should I be feeding it? I feel like I’m doing something wrong and have no idea. It’s a little frustrating because all of my other slings (knock on wood) are doing pretty well. I have done a lot of research and I’m feeling pretty stupid. I feel like I am meeting all of the requirements but something is off. Sorry for the long reply. I’m just very frustrated and don’t want to lose this guy. I do my best to take care of my animals and I really am trying. Never fun to lose one, especially if it’s somehow my fault and I just don’t know it or am too ignorant to see it.
She is just over 4 inches close to four and a half. I do currently have a little bit of foliage but I just set the tank up a few days ago and we'll be adding a little more at the top for her. Any tips on how to tell if she is mature adult or not?
What size is the enclosure? Is there plenty of plants/cork bark to allow it to hide? I've had problems with mine as well after I put it into a larger enclosure with not enough foliage to make it feel secure.
Tom Moran it might of not felt very secure but I had a friend that traded me. So now I have 2 very good looking tarantulas. (Rose hair and a curly hair tarantula) they are wonder and great eaters.
@@TomsBigSpiders awesome thanks so much for the response! I love your videos Tom, You have the most informative Tarantula channel there is. Keep up the good work looking forward to your next video 👍
I’m not too certain yet but with my horrendous luck of getting all males I’m Thinking mine may actually be female just from it’s size alone it recently molted and I didn’t see any tibial hooks or balled pedipalps it’s about 4.5”+
Man, I just got another male yesterday. I'm so bummed, as I only have one of this species. My last Avic avic was male as well. He was around 4" or so, so you might have a lady!
Tom Moran I really hope so it’d be the second female to mature in my care that I didn’t buy as a sexed female my gbb matured male yesterday which got me disappointed.
I just got one from my pet store nd she just sit around nd she seems to have trouble climbing the enclosure any tips... I haven't cross vented yet but I'm going too. I only had her for two days
What size is she? When they get close to molting, they tend to have a more difficult time and may slip from the walls. Might that be what you're seeing?
She's about 1.5 - 2" and I'm not sure if she's getting ready to molt... I'm new to the hobby nd she's my first lol but that is what everything I look up on the subject said she's getting ready to molt?
The A. metallica was considered to be a different species for quite some time. I've kept both Avic Avic and Avic. metallica, and the metallica looked a bit different as an adult. After the latest revision, they are saying that metallica is likely just a "color form" of Avicularia avicularia.
She's going straight to the top an make her home ,highset corner she can get , She does not like that light ,u see she folded her legs over her eyes ,cute little ball ,my called larzes from Metallica the band haha
dude simpal way to keep avic avics is to get pc fan and a repto fogger supper ez they need a dryish warm season at least a month then thy stay happy in rainnig season. but i spoil my pets
Congrats! Because I generally don't handle and some spiders don't appreciate it. Besides the pink toe, I have dozens of Old World tarantulas that have much more potent venom and that will bite if I put my hands anywhere near them. I don't want to practice bad habits that may get me bit or my spiders injured.
LOL, yeah, the comment below says "Read more" under it. Get a beverage and a chair, Tom or you and Billie get comfortable and let her read it to you because More means MORE :-D
@@TomsBigSpiders thanks sir. Appreciate you. Rescued a heat lamp Avic avic in a tiny horizontal enclosure and didn’t know how to care for it but think I got a handle on it now. Happy and eating now. I added a lot more leaves and bigger bark after noticing she hung out on a the glass all day to my arboreal amac box. Pink disco toes. Ate a cricket and drank water yesterday.
Watering tip for Avics--
For the first several weeks I owned my first arboreal, I dutifully filled its water dish, but never saw it drink from it. I still keep water in there, but I figured out a better way.
My Avic avic has 2 lairs. A pure web hide at the top corner of its critter keeper, and a web/dirt curtain one affixed to the bottom of a diagonally leaning piece of cork bark. During the day it's typically hiding in one or the other with a couple pink toes sticking out. during the evening-morning hours it frequently likes to wander about. It walks all over the cork bark, floor, sides of the critter keeper. I've found that if I spray the sides of the enclosure through the lid when it's out and about, being careful not to actually spray the beast...it actively "hoovers" the water on the sides as it wanders. Kind of cool to watch.
I've actually seen both of my larger Avics drink from the dishes a couple times, but I also do exactly what you're saying. It's adorable watching them walk around as they suck up all the water. Great tip! :)
Wow, i have to say, iv watched most of your videos, and the quality is constantly improving.Both picture quality and editing. Please keep up the husbandry videos, yours are one of the very few i trust completely.
You just made my day. I've been really trying to improve them all around. I just picked up a new editing program that allows me to do so much more. And thank you so much! I plan on doing a lot more husbandry vids! :)
I got one of these as a pick up with a versicolor and GBB, not knowing anything about the species. It has quickly become one of my favorite species. It's absolutely gorgeous and has an amazing temperament. It is a great choice for a beginner arboreal.
Love theses videos. Always enjoy watching and learning. Your advice is so helpful.
Thanks so much, bud! I'm trying to spruce things up a bit with the production so that they are easier to reference and follow. I know I talk fast. haha
I take notes on almost all of your videos I appreciate the information you provide thank you.
Thank you, Tasha! :)
I’m picking one of these up on Saturday and can’t wait. It’s a large female juvie with its enclosure for £20. At the moment, in England the reputable online shops don’t have them in stock, so I have found a right gem! A beautiful creature. Thanks for your video and I always use yours for correct husbandry.
Hi, Mandy! Congrats...that's awesome! And you are most welcome! :)
awesome vid.. as usual tom i have 4 to rehouse today used your vid to get primed up 👍 👍 thank you for all you do..your videos and experience are a great asset to fellow hobbyist..
Hi, Rick! Man, thanks so much...that's awesome! I hope everything went smoothly.
Tom Everything went great all 4 babies are in their new enclosures and happy thank you for the response.keep doing what you do i will be watching👍👍
Excellent...so glad to hear it! :) Nothing more satisfying than smooth rehousings. :)
Oh gawd I am glad I found this video I have been wondering if I was keeping girl to humid. I was told to keep them very humid but now I am going to completely clean out her enclosure because it's super moist and now has wood mites. They don't seem to be on her but she has recently ripped her webbing apart and hasn't begun to rebuild. She seems to be staying on the dryest wall of her enclosure. Which promoted me to start looking for into what I could do care wise. And I found this video. Thank you!
Hello! Yeah, there is a lot out there about them needing to be kept super moist. That just leads to stuffy enclosures. Nice job noticing an issue and looking into it! :)
love the Avicularia's. beautiful T Tom. when i rehouse mine i'm going to use the same enclosure. keep up the good videos.
They're adorable. I'm really liking those enclosures, and Pet Mountain has them for a pretty good deal. Thanks again, bud!
Found your Spotify halfway through all the podcasts I’m addicted
Ha! That's awesome!
@@TomsBigSpiders I asked a question on your website contact section under my name
Thanks for the tips bro I just got a avicularia Metallica today
Congrats! It's a gorgeous species. :)
Great video! I love all the Avic advice! :-)
Thanks so much, Tricia!
Hi Tom, you inspired me, thus I bought one sling A. Metallica - my first tarantula ever. Thanks for your care tips!
That's awesome, Rudolf! And you picked a great species there. Congrats!
Hey, she is just as chilled as my A. spec. Guyana ❤ Gorgeous tarantula!
Such a cutie! And thank you, Karin!
she looks gorgeous. Good care tip too I made the same mistake my self a number of years ago lesson learnt though. Great vid 👍
Thanks so much, Mark! Yeah, I was VERY fortunate when I first got my Avic versicolor that a keeper gave me some great advice. I had every intention of spraying the heck out of the poor thing, and he corrected me. haha
Nice vid and lovely Avic! This is one will go for at some point..
Thanks, bud! :)
Great video, avics are my focus of interest right now so this was spot on. Thanks!
I've been on a bit of an avic kick lately myself. :) Thank so much! :)
Thanks for replying! Great to see that you're a down-to-earth celebri-T (Geddit?)... If I can ask you a question - I only have three slings now; a versicolor, an (ex) geroldi and a variegata. Any tips on new additions? A. metallica I guess, but any other tips?
Hahahahaha! Celebrit-T? That's hysterical!
Have you seen the A. juruensis? I picked on of these up last year, and I love it. I'm hoping to do a video on her soon...
Love these T’s mine jumps around in its terrarium from time to time to get around. It’s great if you catch it happening
I would love to see that. I know that they jump around, but I haven't caught mine yet. :)
I have 2 Avic avic and 2 Versicolors ... a Peru Purple already. Me and Avics just seem to Click Awesomely and yep, 3 are slings molting well and Gorgeous
I definitely have to get more avics...they are such adorable spiders! Good luck with the spring cleaning! :)
Can't wait for the t room vid!
Very soon, Jose... :)
Just bought my first tarantula ever. It's actually this species too! Waiting for her to spin her webs in the habitat I made her.
Congrats, Jacob! Hopefully, she starts doing some webbing for you soon. :)
Pet stores are awful at giving advice - especially for tarantulas, very nice enclosure, great set-up, love your re-housing method, the catch cup with holes. She's beautiful. As always very informative, she'll appreciate the larger enclosure, great job pal. That's how I let my slings drink from the webbing. As always Tom great upload, keep up the great work, it's always a pleasure to watch you working with your spiders.
I can't tell you how many emails I get from people who got terrible pet store advice. It drives me NUTS. I'm glad she was so cooperative...what a sweetheart. :) Thanks again!!!
I know, the stories I've read especially Petco, I'm in the UK as you probably know so we don't have Petco fortunately, where I live we can't go in to a store and buy T's, we've to order them, which in my opinion is the best way, that way there's no impulse buying. Yet people still buy them from Petco, thinking their helping the spider, it just encourages the store to get more. Sorry starting to rant now, have a great day Tom, speak to you soon.
She has such cute pink toes. Love her fuzzy look.
Billie loves the toes as well. haha Such a cutie!
Any women would. I love pink anything. She is a cutie tho.
Love the way they move as well.And the fuzz. Just missing the vibrant blu jk. This spider doesn't need the blue.
Me, too...and I agree! :)
My absolute favorite genus to rehouse...because they are my absolute favorite to handle...the little flappy armed derps never fail to put a smile on my face.
Personal observation: I'm of the opinion that "ventilation" is more important than "cross ventilation" with juvenile on up. You know I'm housing my big ones in converted vertical aquarium set ups, and haven't had a single issue with any of them that way. Of course there is plenty of ventilation on the door.
Synchronicity in this video. My big A. avic girl just molted, so my breeding project got stepped up. (Also found an adult female P. irminia, so my boy is now out for stud service. heh.)
I'm not going to lie...I had to resist the urge to handle her. hahaha
Yeah, having the vents in the tops isn't wrong by any stretch. I just prefer the sides to keep air moving through the enclosures. I do it with all of my enclosures. I like to run a fan to give them a bit of a breeze and to get a bit of air flow, and venting the sides allows for that. That one of the reasons I have two exo-terra nanos collecting dust in my garage. It's a preference thing for me! :)
Nice! You're going to have slings everywhere! :) Are you getting half of the irminias if he breeds?
I should have clarified...the airflow IS side vented through the lexan door. Just not "cross-vented". Remember the new little tank arboreal enclosure pics from FB? The top-down venting bugariums are for the big arboreals like the P. irminia and Poecilotherias as I prefer working "down" with skittish and 'race-track' types of T's. :-)
Slings...yeah, har-de-har, gods wut am I thinkin', right? :-D If successful with the Avics, yeah, I'll have to set up a card table. With that P. irminia, I'm probably going to just take 4 or 5 slings, and let him commission sell the rest and just take a small percentage. I'm more about letting the T fulfill "destiny". (My contact here who does the sales locally is the one who has the P. irminia. She's a proven breeder, so with just a little luck we should get a sac.)
It's been 5 years. How did your breeding project go with your Avics ?
look so good...
Thank you!
An old ,but good video.
So, from what I've read, this is now morph type 6 of Avicularia avicularia.
Yes, that would be the one! Hopefully, they study this genus more, especially the 7 different morph types they have now.
@@TomsBigSpiders Mine literally just died today :'(
Oh, man...I'm so sorry to hear that! :(
Nice video Tom
Thanks, Michael!
nice vid, Tom
Thank you! :)
Pretty spider!
Thank you, Cheryl!
Oooh getting fancy with the intro and headers! I like! :D
So if A. metallica is no longer considered a species of its own, what species have they been merged with in the catalogue? Or have they just been moved to "unclassified"? Taxonomy is confusing D:
Hahahahaha. Thanks so much! I've been trying to improve the production and delivery on my videos. :)
Right now, the thought is that it might fall under Avic Avic, but they'll need to examine it more closely. In the meantime, however, I think everyone's still referring to it as metallica. Yup, I agree...soooo confusing. haha
Any chance of you covering more Avicularia species? I only see this video on your whole channel. :( I really would like to hear more about them from you. Thanks
Hello! In the future, yes. Currently, I only have Avicularia avicularia. The other species I had were male and have since passed.
Hey Tom,
I'm not really fond of buying T's from chain pet stores, but I saw a A. Metallica in a pet supplies plus being labeled as a striped knee ( I was told that was what was in the tank before it). They had no idea what it even was and they didn't even know it was an avic. It was in a horrible terrestrial enclosure, poor ventilation, crickets running around stressing it out, who knows how long they've been in there. It was up in the corner, curled up, miserable, on its last leg.
I guess my question to you is, do I save it, I mean who am I kidding, probably going back tomorrow. I just don't want to be the problem, because one sells, another comes in. They don't want to take advice from a customer, like I'm offending them or something. I know I can give it a great home, I just don't want to encourage them thinking tarantulas are selling " get more" . Just don't want it to die. I'm a subscriber and your my go to. I know your a busy man, but I really respect who you are and any advice would be greatly appreciated. Keep up the good work. Thanks!
Hi, Brian! I did a podcast on this a while back, because I've been where you are. I HAVE bought tarantulas in situations like this, but I always try to educate the people at the pet store when I do. I try to be very friendly and tactful (even though I'm usually quite upset. I just can't walk away from an animal that is suffering. Also, I find the idea that if we don't buy it, they'll stop selling them to be flawed. Truth be told, someone always buys them, and it's usually not a persona that knows anything about tarantulas. IF you buy it, I would definitely mention that there are some things that they could do to improve the care.
they're on sale right now on our local stores for $16 but unsexed and are about 3in in length
You might be able to sex them ventrally if you can get a good look at them. :)
i have a b.smithi i love it i was on a vacation and i cud not wait to see it again lol :)
Awww...that's awesome!
Tom, you have taught me so much about how to be a good tarantula mom (aka: keeper). I want to say thank you so very much for sharing all of your knowledge with us! I do have one question though. I recently acquired one of these beauties from an Expo. I would like to get the type of enclosure that you have there. Is that an XL Kritter Keeper? I just want to make sure that I get one with enough height. The one that I found is called the XL Kritter Keeper and the dimensions are 15 3/4" L x 9 3/8" W x 12 1/2" H. Thanks again Tom!!
Hi, Sandy! Awwww...thank you so much. I'm so glad that you find my stuff to be useful! Yes, this is the XL Kritter Keeper that you are describing. However, something I would do differently if using this enclosure for an avic again would be to use cork tubes (maybe more than one) and add more fake foliage. My girl was a bit exposed in this setup, so I would definitely add more too it. Hope that helps!
Cool im watch this last 2 years😁😂
Haha. Awesome!
Hi do these tips also apply with slings?
Thannnnnk you. "TEMPERMENTAL" I thought I was trippin. I started calling mine Ms Prissy. Smh
Hahaha That's awesome, Jacey!
Thanks for the video! What kind of substrate do you use? What do you do to keep them warm enough in the winter? I would say my indoor house temperature can get into the 50s and 60s in the winter!
Also, do you know if the new Zilla large arboreal micro habitat enclosure would be enough cross ventilation for an avicularia? Thanks!
Hi, Shannon! To heat one in the winter, you would want to mount a heat mat on a piece of foam and attach it to a wall next to the enclosure. Then, you can move the enclosure closer or further away to make sure that it doesn't get too warm. For substrate, you can use coco fiber, peat, top soil, or a mix.
That enclosure would probably work well.
@@TomsBigSpiders thank you so much!! I really appreciate it!
Hey Tom and Billie. Still watching you on the big flat-screen through the Roku. Trying to catch up on the thumbs-ups and of course the show of Love and support you guys so much deserve. I'm wanting to get an order going and am in love with all my Avics. Is this one the same as the avicularia sp. kwitara? I'm seeing Morph 6 and Green pink toes and I definitely want Rose Hairs of both kinds and Your recommendation on a Pulcra !??? Brazilian Black. Remember I've only been in the Hobby since last October and have finally put up a few videos on my channel. Would be Honored for you and Billie to watch and probably giggle at me but I giggle at you guys too so... I need my Mentors. If I won the lottery...Bigger house, New Car, Pay off Bills and Big azzzzz order of Ts but still only NW. I'm still afraid of my Suntiger but it is well taken care of. I wanted a Blue Fang but watched some videos and I ain't ready... Speedy Gonzales will have to wait. For some reason, I can't find a way to get in touch with you. I think I have been in the house too long and have developed ADHD, OCD and DGAS...I'll let you and Billie decode the last one LOL. I love you guys so much and between you guys, Tarantula Kat, The Tarantula Collective, which I am a member of....Yeah Baby....I'm Proud
Hello, Tina! Ha! We sometimes watch UA-cam on our Roku! haha And thanks so much! This would be the morph 6 now. The the G. pulchra is awesome and often recommended as a beginner species. And we will definitely check out your channel...that's awesome!
PART II - Oh, God...we were just talking about eating crickets the other night. I think that I would barf if I saw someone eat one. haha The things gross me out! And shoot me an email at tomsbigspiders@outlook.com. This comment is an absolute TRIP! Bahahahaha!!!
Mines on the way!! :)
That's awesome...congrats!
Yo Yo Tom!
You always suggest posting questions on older videos so, here I am! We're up to 34 now with one of your Tangerines from FNT!! YAY collection!
I've come to love each and every 'personality' and how different they all behave (we have 32 different genus' and 2x:A.Semmani)
Here's my inquiry:
My Avicularia M#6 / Avic.Metallica was about 3.5" in di. or about the diameter of the length of a business card? I'm assuming late-juvenile in size?
We got her as a MF so we had assumed many happy years to come.
Saturday: 2.1.2020:
She was moving around and siting in different spots throughout the day as always (she actually greets me when i come home. I know that's not science and I'm being anthropomorphic... but literally as i walk through the door, she'd move to the glass closest to my entrance.)
Sunday (feeding day) Yesterday, 2.2.2020
We notice her sitting WAAAAAAY Awkward on one of her leaves. Like an octopus washed up on shore. Not balanced but most legs on one side.
Tried brushing a leg with paintbrush, nothing... Blew near her softly with a straw... nothing... blew on her directly... nothing...
Then tried the paintbrush dipped in water near her pedipalp & Chicilerae ....
This offset whatever 'balance' was had and her lifeless body flopped on the substrate.
This shook me more than I could handle and my wife had to finish up with gently putting her back on her tree and putting her home back on the shelf.
Wife wanted me to wait a week before truly freaking out and having an emotional response again (I don't do well with loss or sickness. and we have almost 80 creatures in our micro-zoo). Reminded me that maybe she's in premolt or something? Although I've never seen 'lifeless' on any youtube video.
Have you ever heard of anything that could kill a T overnite?
Thanks in advance.
Sorry for the book.
Cheers!
Hello, Joey! First off, thanks so much for doing the comment trick. This makes it SO much easier to answer more comments. I truly appreciate!
Oh no! This sounds terrible.
To be clear, she is not moving at all? Did she have a web hammock at all?
I did have an experience years ago where I thought that one of my tarantulas had passed, but it was an upright molt. I didn't pick it up, though, so I don't know if it flopped around.
The problem with tarantulas is that they often seem just fine...until they are not. When was the last time it ate for you?
@Tom Moran Sure thing!! Thank YOU for the reply and assistance!
Yes, precisely! not moving at all. And we’ve only had her just over a month so no hammock ‘yet’ but it was starting wisps.
Watching her leg flop over then her fall off the plant Is what made me have a lil panic attack.
Wife thought the same, that maybe an upright molt, I hadn't heard of such (she's been more diligent it seems on gathering knowledge) and the only other arboreal we've had molt; it did so upside down and on the ground like a terrestrial.
I've zoomed in on the abdomen even (trying not to disturb if it is in fact a mold and I'm just overreacting) trying to see if she fell?
I did the due dilligence with replacing the wire-mesh with plexiglass (we've been listening to/watching you since T #1) and even ensured that the cork bark was the only rigid thing in the tank.
She ate for us 3 weeks ago, off the tongs. I never feed on 'gotcha day' as that is the day we re-house from x-deli-cup unless a sling, I wait till the following week to settle before food. If sling, then a piece of pre-kill.
All the collection are on the same wall equidistant from the heating vent and door and window.
Thank you again for your aid!
I have NEVER seen a tall critter keeper like that! Did you find locally or online?
I get those online from Pet Mountain. They are the X large critter keepers. They are almost the same size as the Sterilite containers I used for arboreal species for years, but they are crystal clear.
Hi Tom! I'm currently caring a Caribena Versicolor sling. And your videos definitely help me a ton! ❤
My question is, here in my area have a warm temperature due to summer season. And when its daytime, I usually move my sling under my bed because this is the only area that has a cool temparature in our house. Then in night time I move it back to its original place. Enclosure has a lot of ventillation and has a small sized water dish. And a few or small amount of water in substrate.
Am I doing the right thing? Is there any issue if I move my sling under my bed because of airflow?
Thanks in advance Tom! Your new subscriber from Philippines 👌
Hello, kim! Being in the Philippines, you already have the perfect climate for most tarantula species. How warm does it get in your room during the day time? As long as it's getting good airflow and it's not too stuffy, that may work out fine.
@@TomsBigSpiders Wow! Nice to hear that we have a perfect climate here for m
ost ts. I thought avics and versi are goods in a cooler area.
The temperature at its most peak is around 31°C - 33°C. That is the time I'll move my versi sling under my bed. When I touched the enclo, I didn't feel any warm on it when it's under my bed. Unlike my brachys enclosure. They are warm when you touch cause I stayed them in the place as they are.
So what are your thoughts on this Tom.
This is my first arboreal ts, and having versicolor is my dream sp few years ago🤩
Thank you so much on your reply. It seems that you are familiar here in our country because I see your other comments that you have encounteres an filipino hobbyist. Keep creating these videos. Its a big help in our community 👌
Hey Tom, I keep looking for tall exo terra breeder boxes for adult burrowing species like A. seemanni so that I can keep deep substrate. The exo tetras I find are flat, stackable, not more than 6" tall. I did find Lee’s Herp Haven boxes that are almost a foot tall. Where do you find exo terra boxes that you have in this video?
Sorry...I just saw this! I get the deeper ones from Pet Mountain. www.petmountain.com/product/reptile-cages-terrariums/11442-504731/lees-lees-kritter-keeper-with-lid.html
Tom Moran Thank you, Tom!!
Since A. Metallica is no longer a recognized species name, does that make this tarantula an A. Avicularia? It certainly looks a lot like mine.
Also, I currently keep mine in a glass 3 gallon arboreal terrarium. It has a screen top, but no cross ventilation. Would it be possible to drill holes in the side of the tank, or is that too risky?
Great question! Although it is not recognized as a species, it still hasn't been fully described. The thought is that it will end up as a subspecies of Avicularia avicularia, but until that is official, most are keeping it labelled as "metallica" or "sp. metallica."
It IS possible to drill holes in glass if you have the correct tools. Personally, I haven't done it.
(Not that huge of an issue but under husbandry guides on your website, this sp shows as previously P Metallica instead of A Metallica) figured I'd let ya know :)
Thank you!!!! I'll go fix that!
She looks like she's wearing ballet slippers!🕷💕💕🕷
Hahaha She really does!
Hello Tom!
I have just gotten a G. pulchra from fear not, I got one of the complete packages that has the 30 day life guarantee. Anyways, I set up the enclosure with everything that was included in the kit. But I am somewhat confused, because Fear Not only included enough substrate for right around an inch deep, and then some tiny pieces of actual cork, not cork bark. The T is about 1.5", and from what I have seen since putting it in its new home last night, it has not checked out or had any interest in using it's hide and has preferred to wander around and climb on the sides of the lil box. I have seen it sit on top of the hide/in the corner behind it, but that's as close as it comes to it. Is this normal? From all the research I have done, I was under the impression that they do some burrowing as slings, but maybe at this size this spider is no longer considered a sling?
With these complete packages they say you are not allowed to put any additional substrate or a different hide in the box, in order to not void the 30 day guarantee. If I were to stick to this, I wouldn't even be able to put a water dish in the box..
I am thinking about just saying screw it and throw in a better hide made out of cork bark like I have put into my other freebie T's set up(B. albo). The B. albo went right into the hide that I set up for it, but that sling is only about 3/4" or so, and actually molted during shipment.
I guess I don't understand why they only included enough substrate for about an inch deep in this enclosure that they sent with it, and why they also only sent some tiny pieces of regular cork that seems impossible to make a hide with. Maybe I'm overreacting here, I just wanna make sure my spider is nice and comfy.
Hello, DW! First off, congrats on you G. pulchra! I love that species.
What size is the sling? 1" might be okay for a smaller one. Can you send me some photos of the setup and what they sent you? That would help a lot. My email is tomsbigspiders@outlook.com .
Please put UA-cam in the subject so I can find it quickly.
Thank you!
Tom
@@TomsBigSpiders Thank you Tom. It's about 1.5" to 2" or so. I will get some pics sent over right now. I wound up putting a bigger hide in the enclosure along with a bottle cap water dish, it did take to the hide for a bit and wound up burrowing a very small amount, still though it seems to prefer to just wander around out in the open.
@@TomsBigSpiders email sent. I look forward to hearing back from you Tom.
I have a question I don’t have any other tarantula owning friends hope someone can guide me. I got a pink toe from petco 4 months ago. She’s small, about 1.5 inches. She hasn’t eaten since I got her. I’ve tried crickets and mealworms of all sizes. Tongs or just leaving them in the enclosure overnight. She doesn’t web or really move at all. She just slowly backs up if I touch her with a worm. She’ll climb until she’s up as high as she can be then has been sitting for weeks. Any suggestions?
Hello, Stephanie! First off, a huge apology for the late reply; I just discovered a bunch of missed comments. :( Is it possible that she's in premolt? Has she molted for you yet? She could just be settling in. Some of the Petco spiders have had a rough go of it, and they can take a little while to settle in. If you want to send me some pics of the setup and the spider at tomsbigspiders@outlook.com, I'd be happy to see if I can help.
So type 2 hairs... I dont handle my T's so im not worried about this transfer method, i wear plastic gloves when cleaning as-well. This genus does not kick hairs ever?? Ive never seen it so that makes sense.
Yeah, they basically rub their abdomens on you. I once saw a video with someone's Avicularia rubbing it's abdomen on her arm. She thought that it was snuggling here. Nope! :)
Im kinda pissed that they reclassified most of the avicularia genus. I dont care what the new classification says, thats still an avicularia metallica in my eyes. They are one of my favorites. They are cheap, docile, and still one of the prettier tarantulas out there. There arent many tarantulas in that price range that have the blues and greens that these guys have. T's like green bottle blues cost more and arent nearly as handleable.
Hi, Alex. I still label them separately. Although they are supposedly part of regular Avicularia avicularia, they still have to study them more and make the change official. I love them, too. :)
Tom Moran It seems like someone has their work cut out for them when it comes to classifying tarantulas. I still have a handful of T's with nothing but a genus name and the whole sp *location* thing. I have some mystery avics aswell. Im just glad we live in a world with this many different tarantulas. There are WAY more species out there than I expected when i first got into the hobby. Im still trying to find the elusive chicken spider for my collection. You wouldnt happen to know where I could get one would you? Its a mystery species from the pamphobeteus genus. Solid black, as large as a T. Blondi and extremely communal.
They are now Avicularia avicularia morph type 6.
Hi Tom, I'm currently working on my avic's enclosure since I'm worried she's sick or dehydrated. She's not curling but she has been refusing food for over a month. At first I thought it was because I tried to switch to dubia roaches, but she's also running away from crickets. Do you have any idea what the issue could be? Room is always 75 degrees, I spray every other day and recently moistened the substrate to get humidity up to a constant 75-75%, and the tank is free of poop/mold from what I can see.
Hi, Mike! How long have you had her for? I would not keep the humidity that high personally. Moist corner, and open water dish, and a spray twice a week should suffice. This is one of the species that folks were killing by trying to maintain high humidity. The temps sound great. Also, could she be in premolt?
@@TomsBigSpiders Hi Tom, it's been a little hectic from the holidays but she molted right before Christmas and seems to be doing well now! 😊
@@mikeundercofler8108 That's awesome! Congrats on the molt. Glad that it worked out!
I know this is a old vid, but... Anyways i was looking for husbandry vids for Avicularia braunshauseni, and Avicularia metalica come up with that search. Are they the same?
I would keep them the same, yes! Lot's of ventilation and don't overdo it with the moisture. :)
@@TomsBigSpiders i know pretty much the same husbandry for all the Avics. But what i was wondering is, are Avic A.Braunshauseni and A.Metalica the same species different morphtype?
She is so pretty
Thank you! I'm glad I got that metallic sheen to show up on film. :)
Did you put the holes in the critter keeper. If so did you drill them? Thanks
Hi, Don! I added those in with a Dremel!
What do you use to add the ventilation holes to the XL keeper?
Hi, Earl! I use a dremel tool and a drill bit. I think I found a cheap on Amazon. Want me to find you the link?
Tom Moran that would be really great! Thank you! Is there a way to follow you on FB or anything like that? Love your videos! I'm up to 14 Ts and would love to be able to ask experts advice.
www.amazon.com/WEN-2305-Rotary-Tool-Shaft/dp/B00A8DXKXS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1516406842&sr=8-3&keywords=wen%2Brotary%2Btool%2Bkit&th=1
I got the one without the flex shaft (I think you can choose the box on the bottom). It's cheap, but it's worked great for me. And thanks so much! Sounds like you're already addicted... :)
My Facebook page is here: facebook.com/tomsbigspiders/
If i get a critter cage is it ok that there are holes on top
Of the cage and not sides I would say it’s a med size critter cage with blue lid and holes on top instead of sides like yours
Yes, that should work out just fine. I've used them before with no issue.
Beautiful T
I rescued one of these guys this summer
Just rehoused mine today
Thanks, Jeremy! Awwww...congrats on yours! I'm sure that she's much better off. :)
It looks like this spider has pink toenail polish on every toe. :-)
Hahahaha. Isn't it just adorable? :)
Tom, so bigger enclosures like this doesnt make them uncomfortable? i am not so familiar with arboreals yet...
Great question! It honestly depends on the specimen. I WILL say that I went back and added more plants to this enclosure later to give it more cover. Most will do fine in larger enclosures, but you want to make sure that you have a lot of plants and cover in there for them.
@@TomsBigSpiders cool, thats a good idea. In the wild they basically have the whole world around them :) thanks
When should the tarantula be rehouse? I have the same containers that you had the tarantula at first. I'm housing T.Gigas, P. Regalis, P. Irminia, and Avac Avac. but idk when to rehouse them they are growing quickly specially the P. Regalis
Great question! For Poecilotheria species, I actually sometimes skip this enclosure, putting them directly from their sling enclosures into their adult enclosures when they hit about 3" or so. They just grow so fast (and they are not particularly fun to rehouse) that I make it easy on myself by limiting the amount of rehousings I do. What size is your regalis?
I have a T. gigas and a P. irminia in one of these right now, and they are both around 3.5" or so. I'll be rehousing them both after their next molts.
The avic I just moved is just over 4" or so, and it was starting to become just a little cramped.
I hope that helps!
Tom Moran it does thanks. and the P. Regalis is like 3+ inches. What dimension is that enclosure? it looks like the XL critter keeper
Yup, it's basically the XL critter keeper! I've been looking for something with similar dimensions to the Sterilite ones I use (they're milky), and these sized up wonderfully. They are about 6 gallons, so they offer quite a bit of room to work.
Yeah, I would get that regalis out before it gets much bigger (and more of a pain to move! haha).
What size critter keeper are you using?
That's an X-large. :)
I just got an Avicularia Avicularia adult "female" unexpectedly. I have a 12x12x18 exo terra and I've swapped the lid with acrylic. Would this be suitable or do I have to get something with more cross ventilation
Hey, Robert! The ventilation thing, although always good to have, doesn't seem to be as much of an issue with the adults as long as you keep things on the drier side. With an enclosure that large, I would offere multiple hides and plenty of folliage for her to hide behind.
@@TomsBigSpiders I went ahead and rehoused her last night. I had cork bark, substrate, cork bark rounds, fake plants, sphagnum moss and leaf litter. The only concern I had was the cork bark flat and rounds don't reach all the way to the top. I posted pics on some tarantula groups on FB and most people said it was just fine. So far she has pretty much stayed in the same spot at the top of the enclosure since last night. Hopefully she settles in soon enough
Are these the same as A. Avicularia? Or are they different? Maybe the name changed?
I think that they are now referred to as A. avicularia m6 (morph 6). Same species with a different coloration.
New avic owner, I'm confused, what makes it a Metallic? did research and from what I was told we've got a avic avic but I was just curious because mine kinda looks just like yours and I've noticed a metallic look to her. I say her because that's what we believe she is
Originally, they were considered to be two different species. Now, they are both considered to be color forms of Avic avic. The difference is the metallica's have a shimmer to the end of their hairs that almost look like fiber optics in the light. That's about it.
If anyone can help me quickly that’s great.. I have a juvenile pink toe and I had 3 different enclosures for it - I originally got a tub because I didn’t realize it was so small so I put it into a pickle jar with dirt and a piece of wood to climb - and a water dish.. the only thing I’m worried about is it not finding it’s food in a shorter enclosure.. I have a third one which isn’t tall but it’s a bit longer and idk what to do - I want to make sure it’s healthy and I’m fretting too much about it not finding it’s crickets
I usually put them in something with a height about 3x that of the spider's leg span. Is this a sling? I also make sure to put some fake foliage in there for webbing. This also gives something for the prey to climb on, which makes them easier for the spider to find.
Tom Moran thank you for your advice.. she/he is a juvenile and I moved her into a nice tall enclosure perfect for her size. I noticed that she started to web herself in and block herself which kind of worried me because I haven’t seen her drink from her water dish. I make sure to spray her web that she blocked herself in hoping she drinks from it. I think she might just be anxious from going through enclosures but she molted and that seems like a good sign
@@dayyton6653 If she's webbing, that means that she's settling in. When you feed her, you can always drop the prey item on her webbing. Keep an eye out the next day, as I have had some Avicularia that don't go down to the ground to find prey. Spraying the web is a good way to give her an alternative to the water dish. They will use them, however, if thirsty. You're most welcome!
What is that kind of enclosure called and where can I get one?
The second one is an x-large critter keeper. I think that I got mine at Pet Mountain.
Since this is not a valid species, is it then considered a sub-species of the avicularia avicularia or something else?
It's not defined yet, so everyone is still calling them A. metallica until they look at them again and make a decision. The thought is that it will end up being a variation of regular Avic Avic.
Hi can i keep avicularia species with 35°Celcius up temperature ?
That might be a bit warm for one if it stayed that hot. Extreme temps can kill them.
What size kritter keeper is this?
This is an extra large.
Can these be housed communally ?
I've been told that they can be, but others have said it doesn't go well.
Alright so I’m a little nervous. I have one of these slings that’s about 1” and I cannot get it to eat. I just got it and now it’s day two and I have tried to get it to eat but it won’t. Should I worry? I have read that a lot of these guys are finicky and can just randomly die.
I would let it settle in first. This can be one of the more shy ones, and they can take a bit to settle in. Has it done any webbing yet?
Tom Moran very little webbing. What size should it be in? It’s day three and still no eating. I have left live food in for a bit and have even pre killed food and left it at both the top and bottom of the enclosure. It has not touched either of them. I don’t know if my enclosure is wrong or what’s going on. It needs to be eating by now, or at least I feel like it does. I know tarantulas are resilient creatures but I’m getting very nervous. All of my other slings are now eating pretty much once a day. This is the only one that has not eaten. What size enclosure should the 1” sling be in? What should I be feeding it? I feel like I’m doing something wrong and have no idea. It’s a little frustrating because all of my other slings (knock on wood) are doing pretty well. I have done a lot of research and I’m feeling pretty stupid. I feel like I am meeting all of the requirements but something is off. Sorry for the long reply. I’m just very frustrated and don’t want to lose this guy. I do my best to take care of my animals and I really am trying. Never fun to lose one, especially if it’s somehow my fault and I just don’t know it or am too ignorant to see it.
👍🏼🕷️
Just got my avicularia pink toe an 18 x 18 x 24 ecoterra terrarium I hope she likes it this should be sufficient enough would you agree?
Oh, yes...that's plenty of room. What size is she? Do you have plenty of foliage for it?
She is just over 4 inches close to four and a half. I do currently have a little bit of foliage but I just set the tank up a few days ago and we'll be adding a little more at the top for her. Any tips on how to tell if she is mature adult or not?
Mine won’t web or eat. Haven’t had it for long though so hopefully that changes.
What size is the enclosure? Is there plenty of plants/cork bark to allow it to hide? I've had problems with mine as well after I put it into a larger enclosure with not enough foliage to make it feel secure.
Tom Moran it might of not felt very secure but I had a friend that traded me. So now I have 2 very good looking tarantulas. (Rose hair and a curly hair tarantula) they are wonder and great eaters.
Tom where can I get an enclosure like this?
You can get those on Amazon or at Petmountain. They are x-large critter keepers by Lee.
@@TomsBigSpiders awesome thanks so much for the response! I love your videos Tom, You have the most informative Tarantula channel there is. Keep up the good work looking forward to your next video 👍
I’m not too certain yet but with my horrendous luck of getting all males I’m Thinking mine may actually be female just from it’s size alone it recently molted and I didn’t see any tibial hooks or balled pedipalps it’s about 4.5”+
Man, I just got another male yesterday. I'm so bummed, as I only have one of this species. My last Avic avic was male as well. He was around 4" or so, so you might have a lady!
Tom Moran I really hope so it’d be the second female to mature in my care that I didn’t buy as a sexed female my gbb matured male yesterday which got me disappointed.
Tom Moran to be fair I thought the same for my b. Albopilosum and now I have a 6” mature male
I just got one from my pet store nd she just sit around nd she seems to have trouble climbing the enclosure any tips... I haven't cross vented yet but I'm going too. I only had her for two days
What size is she? When they get close to molting, they tend to have a more difficult time and may slip from the walls. Might that be what you're seeing?
She's about 1.5 - 2" and I'm not sure if she's getting ready to molt... I'm new to the hobby nd she's my first lol but that is what everything I look up on the subject said she's getting ready to molt?
By the way I love all of your spiders and all of your videos
And I don't think she was treated well at the pet shop either
That's what is sounds like to me. Is she nice and plump in the abdomen?
I'm a little confused . Did this species have a different name in the past ? It looks like a Avic Avic .
Sorry I didn't make it to the note part of the video . I'm still confused though ;D lol
The A. metallica was considered to be a different species for quite some time. I've kept both Avic Avic and Avic. metallica, and the metallica looked a bit different as an adult. After the latest revision, they are saying that metallica is likely just a "color form" of Avicularia avicularia.
Does this also work for aviculiara aviculiara (i cant spell that)
Hi, Nick! Yes, it does. This "species" is now considered a color morph of Avicularia avicularia.
@@TomsBigSpiders Terrific
GN
How long you keep?
This species? Around 6 years. :)
From sling to juvenil?
From about 1/2" sling to an adult in 5 years.
That's for a female. I've had a male mature in 2 years.
hi is a 4cm avi a baby?
Hi, Ryan! That's a large sling or juvenile.
She's going straight to the top an make her home ,highset corner she can get ,
She does not like that light ,u see she folded her legs over her eyes ,cute little ball ,my called larzes from Metallica the band haha
What a great name...I love it!
Do you have a email I can contact you by?
Sure! tomsbigspiders@outlook.com
I have a MM Avic.metallica and caribena if you know anyone who needs one
dude simpal way to keep avic avics is to get pc fan and a repto fogger supper ez they need a dryish warm season at least a month then thy stay happy in rainnig season. but i spoil my pets
I just got a pink toe. Why not just use your hands and pick her up?
Congrats! Because I generally don't handle and some spiders don't appreciate it. Besides the pink toe, I have dozens of Old World tarantulas that have much more potent venom and that will bite if I put my hands anywhere near them. I don't want to practice bad habits that may get me bit or my spiders injured.
LOL, yeah, the comment below says "Read more" under it. Get a beverage and a chair, Tom or you and Billie get comfortable and let her read it to you because More means MORE :-D
Bahahaha! I completely missed the "more" part! I'm reading the rest now! lol
Is this avic avic
Hi, Jake. It is now considered to be Avicularia avicularia morph 6.
@@TomsBigSpiders thanks sir. Appreciate you. Rescued a heat lamp Avic avic in a tiny horizontal enclosure and didn’t know how to care for it but think I got a handle on it now. Happy and eating now. I added a lot more leaves and bigger bark after noticing she hung out on a the glass all day to my arboreal amac box. Pink disco toes. Ate a cricket and drank water yesterday.
Yeah, I'm the nut in the Collective. I'm surrounded by Cows all the time. Cut me some slack. LOL Seriously.