At Home Depo with a cart full of substrate ingredients... Cashier: wow! What are you growing with all these? Me: Tarantulas (w/ a big smile) Cashier: .....!!!????
I know the video is 1 year old but its great. I just got a pink toe sling (A. Avicularia) it is about 4 months old and is in a tub about the size of what adult crested geckos eat from. Would this be appropriate for a little one this small?
Thank you, Tom. This video is a keeper for reference and I loved the enclosure idea. That setup would be good for small Jumpers too as they like to go to the top also.
Hey Tom, I’ve been trying to move away from using straight coco fiber for my enclosures. I bought some Scott’s premium soil to mix some of my own substrate up and I was kind of curious about something. Do you ever have issues with the top soil being packed full of sticks, and do you think that the sticks would pose any risk for my T’s? I know that the top soil is produced regionally and I live in Florida so there is a good possibility that the top soil in your state varies from mine. Just something I’ve been wondering about.
Yeah, the quality control on it seems a bit iffy. Some bags have more stick in them than others. I use to pull the sticks out, but now I leave most of them in there. With the mix, I actually wanted some sticks in the mix to make it more natural. As long as the sticks aren't poking up like spikes, then they should be fine.
Tom Moran Awesome! Thank you so much. I figured it wasn’t too much of an issue but I had read something somewhere at sometime that put that in my mind. You’re the man, keep being awesome!
God idea for the sling enclosure I would just use a rubber band to not drop the bottom cause I know I'm going to forget at least once and since I have 18 new slings need some thing fast and easy to maintain
Thanks for the video man! I made a bigger glass place for my sling, she was just wanderinf around for few days. I made an enclosure with your way. Some glued cork bark pieces to the side, some fake green plant parts too. She like in the 2nd or maybe 3rd day already started to webbing up. Eated well already made a bigger chamber for her/himself on the top with web floor and as i see soon getting in premolt. Nice video keep it up. And now no need the rip his web.
Hello! I'm SO glad that this was helpful for you! Just try to make sure that the cork touches the substrate when it is closed. This will insure that the spider can climb up when it goes into premolt (they can struggle gripping the plastic when they are close to a molt).
@@TomsBigSpiders already made a bigger flat surface for herself i believe will molt there, but i made one cork bart that close to the ground like 4mm away. My spider around body length around 2cm so will have no trouble to climb up if she decide to molt on the aubstrate! Keep up man thanks again
Hi Tom, Sorry if someone already mentioned this. I dabble in Bonsai and could not help but notice the "Giant" size of the charcoal you used. Try looking at Bonsai web sites they usually have all different sizes from 1/16th inch to 1/2 inch. I have previously used American Bonsai Tool and Supply Co. They sell different sizes and quantities from quart, gallon, 5 gallons from $5.50-$55.00. They also sell Sphagnum moss which I have also bought. Search CharMAx or Sphagnum to save time if you decide to look at there website. Thanks for all the great video and Podcast. Keep them coming. I have a B. boehmei 3-4in and a G. pulchra sling. Thanks again!!
Hi Tom. I picked up my first Avic sling today. If I feed baby red runner roaches in these enclosures will the spider come down and grab them because the roaches can't climb plastic.
Hello, Kevin! Until they start to web a bit, I will set the top of the enclosures on their sides and let the roach wander up to the top. If they've webbed up, I will prekill one and leave it inside the mouth of the webbing. Once they settle in and get a little larger, they will usually come down to hunt.
Thanks for all your infromative videas!! Newbie to T's here. Got started with some curly hair in pill bottles from the pet shop last Thanksgiving and they survived the hyper dry weather in my 58 degree basement room. I've been keeping them at about 82 degrees in an insulated cabinet. Growing like weeds in the 1.5" range up from 3/4, but is that dangerous power feeding? Two Albopilosum and one GBB is a nice start, but Avicularia looks very nice!!! Thanks again, know you're appreciated!! Stay pathogenic free!
Hello, Jim! I hope that you and yours are well. As for "powerfeeding", here is an article that I wrote about the topic that sums up my thoughts on it: tomsbigspiders.com/2015/08/21/power-feeding-tarantulas/ Personally, I don't believe that powerfeeding applies to them. Hope that helps...stay safe!
Definitely gonna set one of these up for my Y.diversipes and A.purpurea once it arrives. Especially the diversipes, that little bugger is BOLTY holy shit.
Would you say Aviculara (or Caribena) slings are super fragile, or is that something that's a holdover from the days where people thought the genera needed stupidly high humidity requirements? I'm leaning towards getting an Aviculara or a Caribena (probably the latter since I just like their color better, but they seem harder to find) as my first tarantula, but I'd probably get a sling and I've heard a lot of people say to avoid Aviculara/Caribena slings. On that subject this was a good video. I always like reading about what people mix for their substrate (I'd probably go with some mix of coco fiber, bark, sphagnum moss, and sand since that's what I have lying around at the moment), and the enclosure shown here also looks like it'd work for non-tarantula spiders like black widows or cellar spiders that like to make their webs up near the top of their enclosure.
After years of keeping them myself, I think that it's a little bit of both. I think that some folks overdo it with damp enclosures, but I also think that, as slings, they have a narrower band in terms of appropriate conditions. That said, there is a lot of info out there now on how to keep them correctly, and folks seem to have better luck with them these days. Thank you so much! Yeah, I wish I had used these for my widows!
I just listened to the podcast episode with you talking about this enclosure. I wish I saw it sooner in my avics life but that’s alright ! My Avic is now 2 1/4” and that cup seems too small. But do you think this could work with a larger cup? Would the weight of the t be enough to knock it over? I really don’t want to disturb it’s den so I’m either consisting that enclosure or getting a front opening acrylic one. Any other handy suggestions? While I like the aesthetics of a nice acrylic one, something cheaper, and easier to get would be ideal. No matter the look
Hi, Bot! Yes, it definitely works. I've done the same thing with a 32-oz deli cup! Just give yourself a good sized lip on the bottom cup that you cut for the base. A front opening acrylic would work as well.
Good day From South Africa Tom, thanks for all the awesome Videos. I have been following you for a long time. have you maybe made a husbandry Video for the Blue Fang Tarantula. or could you maybe do one in the future. I have a 3rd instar Blue fang Sling and I cant seem to get it to burrow. do you have any suggestions Thanks again
Hello, Gareth! Unfortunately, I do not have that species! You are actually the third person to ask about them this week, and a buddy of mine was just showing me photos of his, so I need to get one! Is your substrate moist?
Since the 11 months ago when you made this has one escaped? Or anyone who did this did yours escape? Would love to get a versicolor but I’m scared of spending 75$ to have them just disappear into my walls
Thank you so much for the enclosure idea! I've been wanting to get a C.versicolor for ages but have trouble finding a suitable enclosure here in the UK. Definitely going to try this, then get myself a couple of slings 😀
So, I have a question. A few months back I bought the exact same bag of Scott's Top Soil to mix my own substrate and when I doubled checked with a group they told me to not use it because they called up the company and they put cedar in it, which apparently isn't good for Tarantulas?...What is the verdict on this?
Hello! Great question. First off, I've used Scott's for years without issue. So, cedar oil is known to be a repellent for insects and can be toxic to them. It basically inhibits their ability to breath. Without going crazy getting into it, it's dangerous in larger quantities to insects an mollusks, and can be particularly damaging to larvae. Now, I spoke to an entomologist a while back (my wife works for a pest control company), and she said that is does not work as a repellent for tarantulas, as they are not insects. She also said that there would have to be a lot of the oil present to deter and possibly kill insects. I was also told that the oils greatly diminish when turned to mulch (which is sometimes included in bags of soil) to the point where they are not harmful. The amount included in the average bag is also minimal, with the majority of the bag being composed of peat and other products. And, in this case, I'm also diluting it with other ingredients. When I first started using it, and had a bunch of my spiders on it already, someone mentioned the possibility of cedar being in it. I freaked and immediately started doing some research on it. That helped to put my mind at ease. I've used this brand for years with no issues (the bad bags I got came from Agway, and I'm thinking that they were contaminated with herbicide.). However, I could totally understand someone not wanting to take even the slightest chance. I hope that helps!
Hey brother. I am new to the hobby. Thanks to you and exoctics lair and the tarantula collective. I have 8 ts already and 4 more comming tuesday. My question is can i use these for c versicolor. I hope i can lol cause ive already bought 100 of these little cups. Again thanks for all the info you put out there for ppl like me.
Seems like I heard that Jungle Mix is a nice alternative to pure coco fiber for a person who doesn't want to mix a bunch of different substrates together. I do need to add an arboreal to my collection. I believe I will hold out for a Caribena Versicolor, but I certainly don't object to Avics.
Hi, Jeffrey! I have used it and it works fine. It just gets expensive when you have a larger collection. Mixing is for folks who don't want to spend a bunch of money on prepackaged substrate. Great stuff, though!
Hi, Ryan! If they don't have webs reaching to the ground, you may have to stick the prekilled item at the mouth of their webbing. I used to turn the cups on their sides and carefully place the item on the edge of their webs. That said, many will come down at night to hunt. If you put something out and it isn't touched the next morning, you may want to place the item up high.
Tom. Great enclosures. Just made a couple for a c. Laeta and a. Avic slings. One question, how do you feed them? I know, I can lift the top and put food on the substrate, but if they web at the top they may not venture far to hunt. But if I try to put something near the top holding the lid upside down it’s going to fall to the ground anyway.
Hi, Wayne. When they are smaller, I tilt the tops on their sides and let the prey item walk up to the opening of their webbing. If they're hungry, they usually grab it right away. I've also prekilled items and put in in the opening of their webbing. Eventually, they should start venturing out and webbing down to the bottom a bit, and at that point, they will usually find the prey on the ground.
Great to see other folks using the one part deli cup mixers for substrate lol. I do same thing When mixing stuff . The deli cup is the new standard measuring system. (Edited for terrible typos and grammer)
Hi, Randall! I take the top off, shake in a few flightless fruit flies, then put it back on. When I start feeding small roaches, I can always tilt the top on its side, drop the roach in, and let the sling get it. That's how I used to feed my C. versicolor years ago to make sure that she got it. They will also leave guide threads down to the bottom, which will alert them to a prey item on the ground.
for completely arboreal from tiny species, avic, ybyrapora, caribena and things where theyre never going to burrow Ive switched some of mine onto completely non-organic substrate, like vermiculite or little clay granules. like you say no good for burrows but when all you want the substrate to do is hold and release water I think its a good idea, zero chance of mould etc. if it keeps going well I think as I rehouse those kinds of spiders I might change them all onto that kindve substrate. i got the idea from Martin at birdspidersCH
Hey, Super Loops! We used to use vermiculite for everything back in the 90s. I'm glad people finally appreciate it again! I tend to keep my avics on the drier side, so I don't worry as much about keeping it moist at all times. Still, it's a great idea and a great way to prevent mold!
These are great. I would add a rubber band to keep the two cups together because I would defiantly be dumping the bottom part when I picked them up. Thanks buddy!!
I got my Avic avic 4 months ago (first tarantulas) and owning a tarantula has gotten me into looking at different types of enclosures. This is a pretty cool video looking from the thumbnail so it being 17 minuts is awesome. Also is it normal for an Avic avic to not web much?
Been trying to find an idea for my C. Versicolor sling and this idea is amazing! All other ideas were with lids on top and it was bugging me so glad I found this! thank you :)
Before i got my first tarantula you think wow these are boring lol. But whats cool about it is there so many different species to keep it interesting..😊
Thank you for the updated video, going to the store to try and buy some of this. I was just using reptisoil but now that I need to add substrate to a 40 gallon breeder, I need a cheaper alternative.
I was considering using used eco earth substrate for bio active bedding. I have rotten magnolia leaves and the forest moss I used to put at the bottom of my enclosures before the substrate to hold humidity; which I don’t do anymore. I’m sure most of that used substrate has urticating hairs in it, but that stuff is biodegradable. It’s not made of styrofoam, so it will break down. I was going to add isopods to one batch, and orange head roaches to the other. Kevin from New England Reptiles said in one of his you tube videos that orange heads are great for bio active soil because they break it down further than it already is. Plus they are my favorite looking roach species and are too pretty to feed off. The adult males smell like bacon as I remember, so that’s another leg up for them. No, I didn’t taste them. My pantry is full, so I’m not that hungry.
The adult males smell like bacon? Well, that's pretty cool! hahaha The eco earth should work fine. They just charge so darned much for it because its for pets. I love the look of the orange head roaches.
I just got one of these slings. Mine is about that size as well. Did you find that these enclosures worked well? Mine needs to be rehoused into something a little bigger and this I think would be the perfect size for it.
Well I know what I will be buying next month. I can get all that stuff locally. I want an Avic but all the local breeders are too proud to give a decent price. I might have to buy them online next month as well lol
Why in the world did my brain never think of a safety pin. I have been heating sewing needles for a year, a year, and I usually break one or two every time because I heat them with a torch. Ugh!
To fix the two halves of the Avic sling enclosure together you could drill two small holes below the level of the substrate across from each other that penetrated the outer and inner cups. Next push half a toothpick into each hole. Just leave enough of each anchor sticking out so they can be easily removed.
wow never thought about doing that with slings. Something that works for me with my adult avics is hot gluing little pieces of cork at the top and sides of the enclosure so that they don't web to the top but to the cork. You can even almost guide them on where you want them to make that web tunnel
Hi, Joel! I wouldn't use it with a GBB. Even if one is pretending to be an arboreal, they usually come down eventually. I could see a GBB bolting right out of this one. How long have you had it for? Is the substrate moist?
@@TomsBigSpiders I have had the AA sling for about 6 weeks. The GBB for about 12 weeks. I keep them both moist in small hardware containers. Both have screw tops.
Also i screwed up with my Brazilian black. When in molt and he lost a leg. He just molted and it looks like he has all his legs now. Is that normal to grow back a leg after 1 molt?
Just a thought, you could probably use a pin to hold the bottom of the enclosure to the top; just to prevent accidental drops. Just stick it through the side, and remove it when you want to open it.
2 years later (wow) but I accidentally bought a bunch of those cups in bulk and I still have a lot of them that I'm not doing anything with. Do you need more sling cups / do you have any objections if I make some of those sling cups and try to sell them on my end? I'm just trying to figure out what to do with them as I still have like............. A lot.................... |D |D |D
Tom Moran They do good for about three months webbing and eating even molting. Idk I just steer clear pity they are beautiful. Hope you and you’re family stay safe.
Thank you for this so much. I've been frustrated; my first T was my Caribena versicolor, and I can barely feed it without drama because it bolts right up. The enclosures that worked great for my other arboreals (Pokies, Psalmopoeus, etc) just seem to not be cutting it for this guy and it's making me like this sling a lot less as a result. "WHY WON'T YOU WEB?" I scream, "JUST BUILD A WEB SOMEWHERE AND STOP THIS." I'm going to see if I can't make a variant on this with a 32oz deli (cos mine's a little bit bigger) myself. Thank you again!
Hello, Jayme! I'm so glad this was helpful! And it definitely works with the 32-oz deli cups. The first one I did like this was with the 32-oz cups. It worked great. Let me know how it goes! Thanks!
@@TomsBigSpiders I rehoused my versicolor based on this video and it finally went up, made itself a little web tunnel in the vine I put in (I hung a vine from the middle center and then hot glued around the base of the vine, so it had coverage) and now it doesn't bolt out at me constantly *and* it snatched its roach off of tongs. Thank you so much.
Off topic, but regarding a few poecilotheria species... Are P. Vittata, P. Rufilata, and P. Ornata common in the hobby or are they hard to come by? Thanks for any insight.
In the US, they can be more difficult to come by now, as we are not allowed to sell many Poecilotheria species over state lines. This impacts the P. ornata and the P. vittata. The P. rufilata are a bit easier to find.
@@TomsBigSpiders Thanks for the reply. Yeah I found an opportunity to get some ornata and vittata locally. Definatley going to take advantage of it and get some breeding going on.
Great video MacGyver 😂. I'm pretty impressed. I'm just looking at my little Avics in vials like "sry, I'll send u to Tom's house soon. I thought I gave u a good life." 😂😂😂. Love seeing cool stuff like this. Can't wait to make a few myself. Thx as always. Never cease to amaze me brother 😎
Bahahahahaha! Where's the duct tape? ;) I just wished I remember this when I had my black widows...that would have made things SO much easier! haha Hey, stay well, Damien!
Hey Tom ! The scenario goes like this . Open P Striata (sling) enclosure , drop in cricket . Cricket wanders behind the dirt curtain and chases the spider out . Was considering renaming the species Pussilotheria . When I walked by this morning it was sitting on top of the cork bark . This was rare so I sat down with a magnifying glass to check it out . It started to molt ! Whole process took a little over an hour . One of the most amazing things I've ever seen ! Never turned on its back . Did the whole thing upright . Anyway , had to tell someone who could appreciate it . Thanks for listening .
Oh- also, I do have a couple "other" arboreal slings (one is a p.metallica) and they are certainly tunnelers at the start. I wouldn't have thought Avics would be so arboreal so soon.
Hi! Thanks for your videos and all your informations u share with us for free great stuff!!! I have now two burrowing Tarantula slings, for my others i use Coco-Fiber but the most of them are Arboreal Species and some Jumping Spiders so they dont care very much about the substrate! My Ideothele Mira lives in Coconut Substrate and it seems ok for her but for my new Pterinopelma Szimai and Chilobrachys Fimbriatus slings i wanted to try something new and tried a mixture with clay, the result looks really good and compact i dont think this will collapse but when its dry its getting a bit hard! i read that fossorial Tarantulas are extremely strong and can burrrow even in very hard substrate but these two are slings and i am not sure if they can do this also!! To give u an example i tried to scratch a little bit from the dry substrate with a toothpick and it works without breaking the toothpick but it is not that easy than coco! What do you think can P. Sazima (2. FH) & C. Fimbriatus (3. FH) slings dig through this kind of substrate
Hi, Chris. They would likely be able to if it's not pure clay, but clay mixed with a softer substrate. The straight clay can be a little tough for them, and they might have a hard time getting started with the burrow. I would mix the clay with a topsoil or coco fiber and give them starter burrows so that they can feel safe when they start to dig.
@@TomsBigSpiders thank u very much thats exactly that what i ve done so i am sure it will be ok thanks for ur help and please go on to make that kind of videos its a great help for beginners!! The Problem is that the Hummidity in my Country must be a lot higher than in yours i almost have right conditions without doing anything, in this Moment i have 62% Humidity in my house! So im sad about this but i must keep my subtrate much more dry and this dry substrate doesn‘t hold his form as good as wet and i dont want collapsing burrows! Do you use your diy substrate also for slings or would u say coco alone for slings is better because its very soft and not that heavy so if anything collapses its not that bad maybe?!?
@@TomsBigSpiders Yeah, I used this idea and I have the avics right now. Really helped me out man, I even lined the bottom with moss and a tad at the top like you showed.
Hey man, just wondering on the update on the Balfouri communal. Did they end up with a sac in the communal? Did you have to throw in a mature male? Just an update in general thanks. Mine has been great so far. They’re about 1.25” now from .5” which is sooo surprising. They grow up so fast
Hello, Jae! I generally update on them when I have something to show, and there really hasn't been much to report on lately. There have been no sacs, and apparently the females won't drop them when there are males present. Hopefully, I'll get some footage soon. Yeah, that was one of the things that surprised me. They grew so much faster than the ones I kept separately.
Hi tom , i've just ordered 3 slings this week :) , 2 birupes simoroxigorum (CB) and one Theraphosidae sp panama i can't wait to have em :D, great video between as usual
Hello i now use 20x30cm or 25x38cm aboreal enclosures from glass for my avi. I found some spider terrariums with front and top ventilation strips. They work excellent for my tree spider. I can grab Them at front because of the ventilation and pull m my direction to open the frontglass. Actually when u stack them in racks the front actually is the only place to ventilate.
Yee some spider seller have them here for very reasonable price. All my avi do excellent in it. Put waterdish, and throw the water over substrate when refresh it. They dont need anything else i think. It really is the ventilation what those spider need.
Hey Tom, I usually go straight to the pet branded mixes for safety. I would prefer to make my own. I live in the UK so our brands will be different. What should I look for to ensure they're pesticide/insecticide-free? Sometimes it is not marked on the packaging and that scares me.
If it's not marked, don't buy it. I look for ones with no fertilizers added, and that includes organic fertilizers (they will include chicken poop in some, which you don't want). Some of the cheapest stuff is the best because it's just dirt.
Great idea with the enclosures 👌 That's really odd that peat for you is always dusty. I've used it for years and it is always really moist, sometimes a bit too boggy and holds water like forever. Perhaps it's different depending on where it comes from geographically? The peat we get in the UK is all from the Highlands of Scotland I think.
I'm thinking that the peat we get here is different than it is over there. The stuff I buy comes in densely-packed bales that are bone dry and amazingly dusty. I've had others tell me that their comes more moist. I wish I could get the damper stuff! haha
Hey Tom. I recently purchased my second tarantula. this time it’s an avicularia Metallica. I’ve had it for a few weeks now and haven’t seen any signs of webbing. I have a beautiful enclosure with plenty of plants and a big piece of cork bark resting diagonally for it to climb on. It is eating weekly and I mist the enclosure about twice a week. Any reason it hasn’t started webbing yet?
Hi, Joe. The A. avicularia Metallicas aren't always big webbers. Also, it can take them quite some time to settle in and start webbing. If she's eating, she's likely comfortable!
Anyone help me out with feeding baby red runners in these enclosures? Will the sling come down to the bottom to hunt and scavenge feed? The roaches can't climb plastic
Hi, Kelvin! When I feed, I will set the cup on its side and let the red runner walk up to the to where the spider is. They usually snatch them right up. You can also glue a piece of cork bark to the top in such a way that it touches the substrate when it's placed on the base. That allow the roaches to climb up to the spider. Once they settle in a bit, many will come down to hunt at night.
@@TomsBigSpiders thank you. I did glue a piece of Cork bark on but it doesn't quite reach the top, maybe if I put some moss along the top bit because I glued a water dish on the inside of the cup so I can't do the tipping it on its side thing. I did put a dead roach on the webbing tunnel it has made do you think it will scavenge feed off that?
@@TomsBigSpiders yeah definitely, I would never have thought to do it, very invative I have at least 15 - 20 slings I'm going to rehouse like this after watching the video
Leaflitter is great. I always mix in oakleafs. Speicies like E murinus incorperate the leafs in its burrow construction. It looks great. When i had a huge colkection of baboons i often used clay that i mixed in with the substrate. I bought the clay from a company that was selling claypots and stuff like that. I used a large quantity of clay and when it dried it became very hard. But the spiders seemed to love it
I LOVE that stuff now. I use it in everything. And I have used clay before, but it was pricey. I have to find a cheaper place to get it! Thanks, bud...stay well!
@@TomsBigSpiders i bought it in powder form. I mixed it in with moist soil 50/50% . It was not that expenssive. It came in diffrent colors. I bought red clay But it was many years ago. But i still have some pound left. When a tarantula burrowed it looked like a burrow in the african savannah! :)
I ended up making one of these enclosures for an A. metallica I bought. So far the lil guy isn't using the leaf I put in, so I might have to play around with some other options. :( On top of that my P. cambridgei has been lurking close to the lid instead of burrowing, so I might make them one of these as well, just in case.
@@TomsBigSpiders The P.C. is 1" (per the listing; I just purchased him). I did put some moss around the leaf, but I wonder if the sling doesn't like the leaf's texture? I picked up a silk plant while I was already out looking for essentials - I didn't want to make too many extra stops right now, but maybe that could be the issue? May I ask what/where you get your fake plants?
Hey Tom, Sending Love to all my Morans...I have a mature male Avic avic. I can't find anyone to send him to for breeding. His name is Legs and he is a Sweetheart. Can you help???
Hi, thanks very much for this! :) I am getting some avicularia slings soon. I wondered, you say you used to use a 32oz deli cup, but here seem to use 5.5oz ones. Did the 32oz height used to be too high for them and what size would be ideal for a 1.5-2cm sized sling?
Hi, Alba! SO sorry for the delay! I used the 32 oz ones for juvenile C. versicolors. They were about 1.5" or so. These guys were tiny, so I used smaller ones for them.
Hi Tom IV recently acquired some avicularia caribena slings and IV been reading a lot about the species and as a lot of tarantula species people are saying room temperature is fine if I'm comfortable they will be fine.. I live in Dublin Ireland and I'd be a bit worried the temperature here wouldn't be as warm as most countries where most of these other tarantula keeps live.. wat are ur taughts on this..
This is one of the species where if your room temperatures are low, it could be an issue. They tend to slow down and stop eating if it gets too chilly. What are the temperatures in your home during the coldest months? If it gets below 19, that could be a bit too chilly.
@@TomsBigSpiders thanks for the reply tom.. he in Ireland around this time of year ur looking at around 68-72 °F wher tat is pretty comfortable for me ..
Very nice video always incredibly informative. I have a question about my avic avic. I have had it for about 3 months now, good appetite and all but has not made any web it just stays down by the water dish even though every week or two ill mist the sides of the enclosure.
Hello, Miguel! Thank you so much! That's really odd behavior for an avic. I mean, the fact that she is eating is great, but they usually avoid the ground. Does she have a hide and plenty of fake foliage for cover?
Tom Moran Yessir it has a hide and foilage. Oddly enough when i picked it out from the pet store it was the only one that didnt have an established web tunnel. I chose it because i wanted to document the progress of it building its web but to no avail. This is the first avic i have owned that has behaved this way. Also whenever it does cover some part of the enclosure with web it will tear it down itself in a few days.
Really cool video, just a pro tip because you have a lit of green spill on you. If you have the room move further away from the screen. I would say 10 feet is about the standard. it's either that or your key lights are too bright.
Thanks, Chris! Yeah, I'm trying to shoot this in my attic, and I have to figure out how to make it work with the room I have. I definitely need to try to move the screen so that I can get further away from it. I DID just find another editing program that does a much better job removing the green, so I'll play with that, too. Thank you!
@@TomsBigSpiders it can be a struggle to set up a good green screen, I work in visual effects so I understand how tough it can be especially in a restricted space.
Fantastic advice, we love your videos! Could you do an update on phormingochilus sp rufus please? Trying to find information and husbandry advice for this species but theres not much out there! Thanks Tom, keep the vlogs coming. They are great!
Hello! Thanks so much! Unfortunately, my male matured out not long after I did the last video, and he passed away last year. These guys are VERY shy, and will burrow until they put on some size. Even then, mine still stayed hidden almost all of the time. I always kept the substrate deep and moist to give it the option. Mine burrowed a bit behind the cork bark, webbed up around it, and rarely ventured out. I hope that helps a little!
At Home Depo with a cart full of substrate ingredients...
Cashier: wow! What are you growing with all these?
Me: Tarantulas (w/ a big smile)
Cashier: .....!!!????
Bahahahahaha! Like, when I went to buy my stuff, the woman asked, "So, what are you planting?" Bahaha
I love it when that happens at the craft store and they unassumingly ask "So what's your project?"
The acrylic guys at lowes know what I'm up to when I come back asking for 10.5x10" and 6x6.5" acrylic cuts 😂 good ol exo terras
Ike Forreal 😱😱 cashiers reaction lol
Me at Walmart looking for these cups.
Associate: are you like, making jello shots?
Me: uh no it's for spiders actually
Associate: 😳
I know the video is 1 year old but its great. I just got a pink toe sling (A. Avicularia) it is about 4 months old and is in a tub about the size of what adult crested geckos eat from. Would this be appropriate for a little one this small?
Yep, still Binging on my Favorite channel. Love Y'all and Dave's Little Beasties
Awwww...thanks so much, Tina!
Thank you, Tom. This video is a keeper for reference and I loved the enclosure idea. That setup would be good for small Jumpers too as they like to go to the top also.
We were JUST talking about that on another post! Great idea!
I love your little enclosures for the Avicularia slings. Your custom substrate mix looks great.
Thank you so much, Angie! So far, they've been making it MUCH easier to feed them! : )
The avic enclosures are genius! I’m gonna have to try that for my C. versicolor slings. They always web the kids shut.
So far, so good! They are working out great for me! Thanks so much, Tink! :)
Hey Tom, I’ve been trying to move away from using straight coco fiber for my enclosures. I bought some Scott’s premium soil to mix some of my own substrate up and I was kind of curious about something. Do you ever have issues with the top soil being packed full of sticks, and do you think that the sticks would pose any risk for my T’s? I know that the top soil is produced regionally and I live in Florida so there is a good possibility that the top soil in your state varies from mine. Just something I’ve been wondering about.
Yeah, the quality control on it seems a bit iffy. Some bags have more stick in them than others. I use to pull the sticks out, but now I leave most of them in there. With the mix, I actually wanted some sticks in the mix to make it more natural. As long as the sticks aren't poking up like spikes, then they should be fine.
Tom Moran Awesome! Thank you so much. I figured it wasn’t too much of an issue but I had read something somewhere at sometime that put that in my mind. You’re the man, keep being awesome!
God idea for the sling enclosure I would just use a rubber band to not drop the bottom cause I know I'm going to forget at least once and since I have 18 new slings need some thing fast and easy to maintain
Great idea!
I just got my first Caribena Versicolor. This is extremely helpful! Thanks!!
Congrats...and I'm so glad that this was helpful!
Thanks for the video man!
I made a bigger glass place for my sling, she was just wanderinf around for few days. I made an enclosure with your way. Some glued cork bark pieces to the side, some fake green plant parts too. She like in the 2nd or maybe 3rd day already started to webbing up. Eated well already made a bigger chamber for her/himself on the top with web floor and as i see soon getting in premolt.
Nice video keep it up. And now no need the rip his web.
Hello! I'm SO glad that this was helpful for you! Just try to make sure that the cork touches the substrate when it is closed. This will insure that the spider can climb up when it goes into premolt (they can struggle gripping the plastic when they are close to a molt).
@@TomsBigSpiders already made a bigger flat surface for herself i believe will molt there, but i made one cork bart that close to the ground like 4mm away. My spider around body length around 2cm so will have no trouble to climb up if she decide to molt on the aubstrate!
Keep up man thanks again
Thank you professor. Omg I'm learning so much of you. Thanks again....
Ha! Thank you so much!
Hi Tom, Sorry if someone already mentioned this. I dabble in Bonsai and could not help but notice the "Giant" size of the charcoal you used. Try looking at Bonsai web sites they usually have all different sizes from 1/16th inch to 1/2 inch. I have previously used American Bonsai Tool and Supply Co. They sell different sizes and quantities from quart, gallon, 5 gallons from $5.50-$55.00. They also sell Sphagnum moss which I have also bought. Search CharMAx or Sphagnum to save time if you decide to look at there website. Thanks for all the great video and Podcast. Keep them coming. I have a B. boehmei 3-4in and a G. pulchra sling. Thanks again!!
Yeah, I've been having to smash it up! That is incredibly useful information...thank you! I will definitely check that out. You rock!
Hi Tom. I picked up my first Avic sling today. If I feed baby red runner roaches in these enclosures will the spider come down and grab them because the roaches can't climb plastic.
Hello, Kevin! Until they start to web a bit, I will set the top of the enclosures on their sides and let the roach wander up to the top. If they've webbed up, I will prekill one and leave it inside the mouth of the webbing. Once they settle in and get a little larger, they will usually come down to hunt.
Came back to find these DIY enclosures, thanks for the brilliant idea, kind regards Joanne.
Thank you, Joanne!
Hey Tom, can a similar method/approach be taken with 32 oz deli cups for larger avic and similar genus slings?
Yes, I actually used 32 oz with C. versicolors before.
Thanks for all your infromative videas!! Newbie to T's here. Got started with some curly hair in pill bottles from the pet shop last Thanksgiving and they survived the hyper dry weather in my 58 degree basement room. I've been keeping them at about 82 degrees in an insulated cabinet. Growing like weeds in the 1.5" range up from 3/4, but is that dangerous power feeding? Two Albopilosum and one GBB is a nice start, but Avicularia looks very nice!!! Thanks again, know you're appreciated!! Stay pathogenic free!
Hello, Jim! I hope that you and yours are well. As for "powerfeeding", here is an article that I wrote about the topic that sums up my thoughts on it:
tomsbigspiders.com/2015/08/21/power-feeding-tarantulas/
Personally, I don't believe that powerfeeding applies to them. Hope that helps...stay safe!
Great videos,Hey tom got a question, My avicularia kwitara has a lump on the back,left side of its abdomen,any recommendation?
Thank you, Jose! What size is she? How large is the lump? Is it leaking anything?
Definitely gonna set one of these up for my Y.diversipes and A.purpurea once it arrives.
Especially the diversipes, that little bugger is BOLTY holy shit.
Hello, Luka! I hope that they work well for you! :)
Can I harm my sling if I over saturate the enclosure? I used this exact setup but used 4oz cups
It depends on the species. The Avicularia and Caribena don't do well with super damp enclosures if there isn't a ton of ventilation.
Would you say Aviculara (or Caribena) slings are super fragile, or is that something that's a holdover from the days where people thought the genera needed stupidly high humidity requirements? I'm leaning towards getting an Aviculara or a Caribena (probably the latter since I just like their color better, but they seem harder to find) as my first tarantula, but I'd probably get a sling and I've heard a lot of people say to avoid Aviculara/Caribena slings.
On that subject this was a good video. I always like reading about what people mix for their substrate (I'd probably go with some mix of coco fiber, bark, sphagnum moss, and sand since that's what I have lying around at the moment), and the enclosure shown here also looks like it'd work for non-tarantula spiders like black widows or cellar spiders that like to make their webs up near the top of their enclosure.
After years of keeping them myself, I think that it's a little bit of both. I think that some folks overdo it with damp enclosures, but I also think that, as slings, they have a narrower band in terms of appropriate conditions. That said, there is a lot of info out there now on how to keep them correctly, and folks seem to have better luck with them these days.
Thank you so much! Yeah, I wish I had used these for my widows!
thank Tom.Your custom substrate looks great
Thank you, Ali! I'm really digging it (no pun intended!). :)
I just listened to the podcast episode with you talking about this enclosure. I wish I saw it sooner in my avics life but that’s alright ! My Avic is now 2 1/4” and that cup seems too small. But do you think this could work with a larger cup? Would the weight of the t be enough to knock it over? I really don’t want to disturb it’s den so I’m either consisting that enclosure or getting a front opening acrylic one. Any other handy suggestions?
While I like the aesthetics of a nice acrylic one, something cheaper, and easier to get would be ideal. No matter the look
Hi, Bot! Yes, it definitely works. I've done the same thing with a 32-oz deli cup! Just give yourself a good sized lip on the bottom cup that you cut for the base. A front opening acrylic would work as well.
Good day From South Africa Tom, thanks for all the awesome Videos. I have been following you for a long time.
have you maybe made a husbandry Video for the Blue Fang Tarantula. or could you maybe do one in the future. I have a 3rd instar Blue fang Sling and I cant seem to get it to burrow. do you have any suggestions
Thanks again
Hello, Gareth! Unfortunately, I do not have that species! You are actually the third person to ask about them this week, and a buddy of mine was just showing me photos of his, so I need to get one! Is your substrate moist?
Since the 11 months ago when you made this has one escaped? Or anyone who did this did yours escape? Would love to get a versicolor but I’m scared of spending 75$ to have them just disappear into my walls
Hello! Non one has escaped. Unless you leave the thing open, there shouldn't be an escape.
Thank you so much for the enclosure idea! I've been wanting to get a C.versicolor for ages but have trouble finding a suitable enclosure here in the UK. Definitely going to try this, then get myself a couple of slings 😀
That's awesome! I'm so glad that this was helpful. So far, it's working great for me. :) Thanks!
Thank you so much for this video and what an awesome DIY with the sling enclosure. You just solved an issue of mine 😃🕷😉🇩🇰
You're most welcome! I hope that it works out for you!
So, I have a question.
A few months back I bought the exact same bag of Scott's Top Soil to mix my own substrate and when I doubled checked with a group they told me to not use it because they called up the company and they put cedar in it, which apparently isn't good for Tarantulas?...What is the verdict on this?
Hello! Great question. First off, I've used Scott's for years without issue.
So, cedar oil is known to be a repellent for insects and can be toxic to them. It basically inhibits their ability to breath. Without going crazy getting into it, it's dangerous in larger quantities to insects an mollusks, and can be particularly damaging to larvae. Now, I spoke to an entomologist a while back (my wife works for a pest control company), and she said that is does not work as a repellent for tarantulas, as they are not insects. She also said that there would have to be a lot of the oil present to deter and possibly kill insects. I was also told that the oils greatly diminish when turned to mulch (which is sometimes included in bags of soil) to the point where they are not harmful. The amount included in the average bag is also minimal, with the majority of the bag being composed of peat and other products. And, in this case, I'm also diluting it with other ingredients. When I first started using it, and had a bunch of my spiders on it already, someone mentioned the possibility of cedar being in it. I freaked and immediately started doing some research on it. That helped to put my mind at ease. I've used this brand for years with no issues (the bad bags I got came from Agway, and I'm thinking that they were contaminated with herbicide.). However, I could totally understand someone not wanting to take even the slightest chance. I hope that helps!
@@TomsBigSpiders Thank you so much for this information. I was incredibly helpful! Stay safe!
This is brilliant. Heard it on your podcast but couldn't quite picture it. I'm trying this out.
Thank you, Roger! So far, they've been working out great.
Hey brother. I am new to the hobby. Thanks to you and exoctics lair and the tarantula collective. I have 8 ts already and 4 more comming tuesday. My question is can i use these for c versicolor. I hope i can lol cause ive already bought 100 of these little cups. Again thanks for all the info you put out there for ppl like me.
Hi, Larry...so sorry for the delay. Yes, I would definitely use these for a C. versicolor. I used them with a few of mine, and it worked great.
Seems like I heard that Jungle Mix is a nice alternative to pure coco fiber for a person who doesn't want to mix a bunch of different substrates together. I do need to add an arboreal to my collection. I believe I will hold out for a Caribena Versicolor, but I certainly don't object to Avics.
Hi, Jeffrey! I have used it and it works fine. It just gets expensive when you have a larger collection. Mixing is for folks who don't want to spend a bunch of money on prepackaged substrate. Great stuff, though!
I just did this with a caribena versicolor sling....how do you feed them? just put a killed worm at on the substrate and check to see if them eat it?
Hi, Ryan! If they don't have webs reaching to the ground, you may have to stick the prekilled item at the mouth of their webbing. I used to turn the cups on their sides and carefully place the item on the edge of their webs. That said, many will come down at night to hunt. If you put something out and it isn't touched the next morning, you may want to place the item up high.
Tom. Great enclosures. Just made a couple for a c. Laeta and a. Avic slings. One question, how do you feed them? I know, I can lift the top and put food on the substrate, but if they web at the top they may not venture far to hunt. But if I try to put something near the top holding the lid upside down it’s going to fall to the ground anyway.
Hi, Wayne. When they are smaller, I tilt the tops on their sides and let the prey item walk up to the opening of their webbing. If they're hungry, they usually grab it right away. I've also prekilled items and put in in the opening of their webbing. Eventually, they should start venturing out and webbing down to the bottom a bit, and at that point, they will usually find the prey on the ground.
Great to see other folks using the one part deli cup mixers for substrate lol. I do same thing When mixing stuff . The deli cup is the new standard measuring system. (Edited for terrible typos and grammer)
YES! hahaha They work great! haha
Tom,this vids great.
But,with the sling up top and the container upside down,how do you feed this little guy?
Hi, Randall! I take the top off, shake in a few flightless fruit flies, then put it back on. When I start feeding small roaches, I can always tilt the top on its side, drop the roach in, and let the sling get it. That's how I used to feed my C. versicolor years ago to make sure that she got it. They will also leave guide threads down to the bottom, which will alert them to a prey item on the ground.
for completely arboreal from tiny species, avic, ybyrapora, caribena and things where theyre never going to burrow Ive switched some of mine onto completely non-organic substrate, like vermiculite or little clay granules. like you say no good for burrows but when all you want the substrate to do is hold and release water I think its a good idea, zero chance of mould etc. if it keeps going well I think as I rehouse those kinds of spiders I might change them all onto that kindve substrate. i got the idea from Martin at birdspidersCH
Hey, Super Loops! We used to use vermiculite for everything back in the 90s. I'm glad people finally appreciate it again! I tend to keep my avics on the drier side, so I don't worry as much about keeping it moist at all times. Still, it's a great idea and a great way to prevent mold!
These are great. I would add a rubber band to keep the two cups together because I would defiantly be dumping the bottom part when I picked them up. Thanks buddy!!
Great idea, Nick! And thanks!
I got my Avic avic 4 months ago (first tarantulas) and owning a tarantula has gotten me into looking at different types of enclosures. This is a pretty cool video looking from the thumbnail so it being 17 minuts is awesome. Also is it normal for an Avic avic to not web much?
Thanks so much, SpaceMan! Most of the slings will do some webbing. Adult many not web much at all.
Been trying to find an idea for my C. Versicolor sling and this idea is amazing! All other ideas were with lids on top and it was bugging me so glad I found this! thank you :)
Hi, Jemma! Hopefully, this works out for you! I've used it with C. versicolor as well. :)
Before i got my first tarantula you think wow these are boring lol. But whats cool about it is there so many different species to keep it interesting..😊
That's so the truth, Timothy!
Thank you for the updated video, going to the store to try and buy some of this. I was just using reptisoil but now that I need to add substrate to a 40 gallon breeder, I need a cheaper alternative.
Hey, Nathaniel! Good luck! That what happened when I started needing more dirt...it just became to expensive.
Not sure if you mentioned during this video, but have you tried these with larger slings and juvies using larger deli cups?
Hi, John! I don't remember if I did either. haha I DID do this with 32-oz deli cups.
I was considering using used eco earth substrate for bio active bedding. I have rotten magnolia leaves and the forest moss I used to put at the bottom of my enclosures before the substrate to hold humidity; which I don’t do anymore. I’m sure most of that used substrate has urticating hairs in it, but that stuff is biodegradable. It’s not made of styrofoam, so it will break down. I was going to add isopods to one batch, and orange head roaches to the other. Kevin from New England Reptiles said in one of his you tube videos that orange heads are great for bio active soil because they break it down further than it already is. Plus they are my favorite looking roach species and are too pretty to feed off. The adult males smell like bacon as I remember, so that’s another leg up for them. No, I didn’t taste them. My pantry is full, so I’m not that hungry.
The adult males smell like bacon? Well, that's pretty cool! hahaha The eco earth should work fine. They just charge so darned much for it because its for pets. I love the look of the orange head roaches.
I'm gonna start have to start saving and cleaning my salsa cups when I order Mexican lol
Hey, Drew! Hahaha They will come in quite handy!
Nice one Tom thanks for the information I'm definitely going to try and mix my own substrate
Hello, Darren! Let me know how it goes. I love playing with the ingredients. haha
I like your mix. Good idea adding in the moss n charcoal. Thx for sharing.
Thank you so much, Jalena! :)
I just got one of these slings. Mine is about that size as well. Did you find that these enclosures worked well? Mine needs to be rehoused into something a little bigger and this I think would be the perfect size for it.
Hello, L! Yes, these worked out great. You can also do the same thing with larger 32-oz deli cups!
Slings are so small, I think you need to be very fast and delicate. This is good. I like to see ANYTHING that is not virus related.
Which is amazing, as I have big, sausage fingers. haha Yeah, I've had it with the virus stuff. Hope all is well, Joyce!
Well I know what I will be buying next month. I can get all that stuff locally. I want an Avic but all the local breeders are too proud to give a decent price. I might have to buy them online next month as well lol
Ha! That's awesome, Dusty! Let me know how it goes! And let me know if you get an Avic! :)
Why in the world did my brain never think of a safety pin. I have been heating sewing needles for a year, a year, and I usually break one or two every time because I heat them with a torch. Ugh!
Same reason my didn't for quite some time! hahaha I was doing the same thing! :)
To fix the two halves of the Avic sling enclosure together you could drill two small holes below the level of the substrate across from each other that penetrated the outer and inner cups. Next push half a toothpick into each hole. Just leave enough of each anchor sticking out so they can be easily removed.
Great idea...thanks!
You know those lemon juices in the lemon shaped container? The caps to those would work well for a tiny water dish
Yes! I used have my mom buy those for me when I was a kid so that I could drink them. haha Great idea!
Very helpful video. THANKYOU
Thanks so much, Matthew!
Will the d.i.y sling enclosures work with house geckos?
I would assume that they could work, but I'm not familiar with house gecko care.
Thanks for sharing it with us, love your suggestion, will try it 👍
Thank you, Kris!
wow never thought about doing that with slings. Something that works for me with my adult avics is hot gluing little pieces of cork at the top and sides of the enclosure so that they don't web to the top but to the cork. You can even almost guide them on where you want them to make that web tunnel
Hi, Ben! Yeah, I've had luck with positioning of cork and plants. Whatever works! haha
is it viable to mix some excavator clay in a substrate for humid enclosures?
It sure is. I've used it before, and it works well.
What a clever idea on the enclosures cups 👍🏼👍🏼
Hey, Michael! Thanks, bud! They're working out great for me so far!
I suppose it would work for my GBB cuz it seems he acts the same as my AA sling?
Hi, Joel! I wouldn't use it with a GBB. Even if one is pretending to be an arboreal, they usually come down eventually. I could see a GBB bolting right out of this one. How long have you had it for? Is the substrate moist?
@@TomsBigSpiders I have had the AA sling for about 6 weeks. The GBB for about 12 weeks. I keep them both moist in small hardware containers. Both have screw tops.
Also i screwed up with my Brazilian black. When in molt and he lost a leg. He just molted and it looks like he has all his legs now. Is that normal to grow back a leg after 1 molt?
Thanks for the video! Really helpful
I'm so glad...thanks!
:D
Thanks!
Just a thought, you could probably use a pin to hold the bottom of the enclosure to the top; just to prevent accidental drops. Just stick it through the side, and remove it when you want to open it.
Good idea! Thanks!
Who would downvote this video? This is a great idea!!
Apparently, someone doesn't like avics or dirt. *sigh. hahaha
Do C. versicolor do the same thing going to the top as a sling?
Hello! Yes they do.
That's genius and exactly what I was just looking for. Hoping to pick up a couple of avic slings in a few weeks and this'll work perfectly.
Thanks, Brian! It has worked very well for all the ones that I've used it for. :)
2 years later (wow) but I accidentally bought a bunch of those cups in bulk and I still have a lot of them that I'm not doing anything with. Do you need more sling cups / do you have any objections if I make some of those sling cups and try to sell them on my end? I'm just trying to figure out what to do with them as I still have like............. A lot.................... |D |D |D
Feel free to sell them! That's fine by me! :) Hahaha And I did that with pipettes years ago. I must have hundreds of them around.
@@TomsBigSpiders I didn't realize you had replied - oops. Good luck with your pipettes! |D
i think mixing in some orchid bark looks really nice
I'll have to check that out!
Great idea I just haven’t had any luck with versicolor slings. No problem with any other arboreal.
They can be quite delicate. Thanks, bud!
Tom Moran They do good for about three months webbing and eating even molting. Idk I just steer clear pity they are beautiful. Hope you and you’re family stay safe.
Thank you for this so much. I've been frustrated; my first T was my Caribena versicolor, and I can barely feed it without drama because it bolts right up. The enclosures that worked great for my other arboreals (Pokies, Psalmopoeus, etc) just seem to not be cutting it for this guy and it's making me like this sling a lot less as a result. "WHY WON'T YOU WEB?" I scream, "JUST BUILD A WEB SOMEWHERE AND STOP THIS."
I'm going to see if I can't make a variant on this with a 32oz deli (cos mine's a little bit bigger) myself. Thank you again!
Hello, Jayme! I'm so glad this was helpful! And it definitely works with the 32-oz deli cups. The first one I did like this was with the 32-oz cups. It worked great. Let me know how it goes! Thanks!
@@TomsBigSpiders I rehoused my versicolor based on this video and it finally went up, made itself a little web tunnel in the vine I put in (I hung a vine from the middle center and then hot glued around the base of the vine, so it had coverage) and now it doesn't bolt out at me constantly *and* it snatched its roach off of tongs. Thank you so much.
Brilliant idea tom💞 thanks for sharing
Thank you so much! :)
Off topic, but regarding a few poecilotheria species... Are P. Vittata, P. Rufilata, and P. Ornata common in the hobby or are they hard to come by? Thanks for any insight.
In the US, they can be more difficult to come by now, as we are not allowed to sell many Poecilotheria species over state lines. This impacts the P. ornata and the P. vittata. The P. rufilata are a bit easier to find.
@@TomsBigSpiders Thanks for the reply. Yeah I found an opportunity to get some ornata and vittata locally. Definatley going to take advantage of it and get some breeding going on.
Great video MacGyver 😂. I'm pretty impressed. I'm just looking at my little Avics in vials like "sry, I'll send u to Tom's house soon. I thought I gave u a good life." 😂😂😂. Love seeing cool stuff like this. Can't wait to make a few myself. Thx as always. Never cease to amaze me brother 😎
Bahahahahaha! Where's the duct tape? ;) I just wished I remember this when I had my black widows...that would have made things SO much easier! haha Hey, stay well, Damien!
@@TomsBigSpiders 😂😂😂 u 2 brother 😎😎😎
That enclosure idea is brilliant . If I ever get an Avicularia sling I'll be making one . Thanks !
Thanks so much, Dan! They seem to be working out quite well!
Hey Tom ! The scenario goes like this . Open P Striata (sling) enclosure , drop in cricket . Cricket wanders behind the dirt curtain and chases the spider out . Was considering renaming the species Pussilotheria . When I walked by this morning it was sitting on top of the cork bark . This was rare so I sat down with a magnifying glass to check it out . It started to molt ! Whole process took a little over an hour . One of the most amazing things I've ever seen ! Never turned on its back . Did the whole thing upright . Anyway , had to tell someone who could appreciate it . Thanks for listening .
I was not always a fan of Avics but lately they have been growing on me.
Oh- also, I do have a couple "other" arboreal slings (one is a p.metallica) and they are certainly tunnelers at the start. I wouldn't have thought Avics would be so arboreal so soon.
They're awesome little spiders, although I don't have a lot of them. :)
Hi! Thanks for your videos and all your informations u share with us for free great stuff!!! I have now two burrowing Tarantula slings, for my others i use Coco-Fiber but the most of them are Arboreal Species and some Jumping Spiders so they dont care very much about the substrate! My Ideothele Mira lives in Coconut Substrate and it seems ok for her but for my new Pterinopelma Szimai and Chilobrachys Fimbriatus slings i wanted to try something new and tried a mixture with clay, the result looks really good and compact i dont think this will collapse but when its dry its getting a bit hard! i read that fossorial Tarantulas are extremely strong and can burrrow even in very hard substrate but these two are slings and i am not sure if they can do this also!! To give u an example i tried to scratch a little bit from the dry substrate with a toothpick and it works without breaking the toothpick but it is not that easy than coco! What do you think can P. Sazima (2. FH) & C. Fimbriatus (3. FH) slings dig through this kind of substrate
Hi, Chris. They would likely be able to if it's not pure clay, but clay mixed with a softer substrate. The straight clay can be a little tough for them, and they might have a hard time getting started with the burrow. I would mix the clay with a topsoil or coco fiber and give them starter burrows so that they can feel safe when they start to dig.
@@TomsBigSpiders thank u very much thats exactly that what i ve done so i am sure it will be ok thanks for ur help and please go on to make that kind of videos its a great help for beginners!! The Problem is that the Hummidity in my Country must be a lot higher than in yours i almost have right conditions without doing anything, in this Moment i have 62% Humidity in my house! So im sad about this but i must keep my subtrate much more dry and this dry substrate doesn‘t hold his form as good as wet and i dont want collapsing burrows! Do you use your diy substrate also for slings or would u say coco alone for slings is better because its very soft and not that heavy so if anything collapses its not that bad maybe?!?
Good idea except the part where if you pick it up, the bottom will fall out. But it's an interesting idea, thanks. Getting 3 versicolors next week.
Hey, Nathan! I just pick it up by the bottom, but it wouldn't be too difficult to pin it.
@@TomsBigSpiders Yeah, I used this idea and I have the avics right now. Really helped me out man, I even lined the bottom with moss and a tad at the top like you showed.
Hey man, just wondering on the update on the Balfouri communal. Did they end up with a sac in the communal? Did you have to throw in a mature male? Just an update in general thanks. Mine has been great so far. They’re about 1.25” now from .5” which is sooo surprising. They grow up so fast
Hello, Jae! I generally update on them when I have something to show, and there really hasn't been much to report on lately. There have been no sacs, and apparently the females won't drop them when there are males present. Hopefully, I'll get some footage soon.
Yeah, that was one of the things that surprised me. They grew so much faster than the ones I kept separately.
Tom Moran noted thanks so much for the reply
Hi tom , i've just ordered 3 slings this week :) , 2 birupes simoroxigorum (CB) and one Theraphosidae sp panama i can't wait to have em :D, great video between as usual
Oh, man...some gorgeous species right there! I need to get another sp. panama, as mine was a male. :( Congrats!
@@TomsBigSpiders and finally im getting a fourth one :) Omothymus schiodtei :D
Hello i now use 20x30cm or 25x38cm aboreal enclosures from glass for my avi.
I found some spider terrariums with front and top ventilation strips.
They work excellent for my tree spider. I can grab Them at front because of the ventilation and pull m my direction to open the frontglass.
Actually when u stack them in racks the front actually is the only place to ventilate.
Those sound excellent. I'm glad that you found something that works for you!
Yee some spider seller have them here for very reasonable price.
All my avi do excellent in it. Put waterdish, and throw the water over substrate when refresh it. They dont need anything else i think.
It really is the ventilation what those spider need.
Hey Tom, I usually go straight to the pet branded mixes for safety. I would prefer to make my own. I live in the UK so our brands will be different. What should I look for to ensure they're pesticide/insecticide-free? Sometimes it is not marked on the packaging and that scares me.
If it's not marked, don't buy it. I look for ones with no fertilizers added, and that includes organic fertilizers (they will include chicken poop in some, which you don't want). Some of the cheapest stuff is the best because it's just dirt.
Tom Moran thanks Tom I’m going to have a look now thank you :)
You give us something to do tomorrow. 👍👍
Hahaha! :)
Great idea with the enclosures 👌
That's really odd that peat for you is always dusty. I've used it for years and it is always really moist, sometimes a bit too boggy and holds water like forever. Perhaps it's different depending on where it comes from geographically? The peat we get in the UK is all from the Highlands of Scotland I think.
I'm thinking that the peat we get here is different than it is over there. The stuff I buy comes in densely-packed bales that are bone dry and amazingly dusty. I've had others tell me that their comes more moist. I wish I could get the damper stuff! haha
@@TomsBigSpiders it is really handy 😆
Sibling home's are genius thanks im straight on that 👍
Thanks, Rob!
@@TomsBigSpidersmine a complete success, thanks for that great idea 🙏
Hey Tom. I recently purchased my second tarantula. this time it’s an avicularia Metallica. I’ve had it for a few weeks now and haven’t seen any signs of webbing. I have a beautiful enclosure with plenty of plants and a big piece of cork bark resting diagonally for it to climb on. It is eating weekly and I mist the enclosure about twice a week. Any reason it hasn’t started webbing yet?
Hi, Joe. The A. avicularia Metallicas aren't always big webbers. Also, it can take them quite some time to settle in and start webbing. If she's eating, she's likely comfortable!
Tom Moran thank you very much for the quick reply. Hopefully it will make a huge web in due time. No matter what I still love it. Beautiful species
I’ve been keeping mine fine in normal deli cups but I’m gonna try this as an experiment.
Let me know how it goes! The trick is making sure that whatever you mount to the top (fake leaves, cork bark) touches the substrate.
@@TomsBigSpiders perfect! I did that without even knowing. It’s working out well so far, contains them so well also. I made a TikTok of how I did it.
Anyone help me out with feeding baby red runners in these enclosures? Will the sling come down to the bottom to hunt and scavenge feed? The roaches can't climb plastic
Hi, Kelvin! When I feed, I will set the cup on its side and let the red runner walk up to the to where the spider is. They usually snatch them right up. You can also glue a piece of cork bark to the top in such a way that it touches the substrate when it's placed on the base. That allow the roaches to climb up to the spider. Once they settle in a bit, many will come down to hunt at night.
@@TomsBigSpiders thank you. I did glue a piece of Cork bark on but it doesn't quite reach the top, maybe if I put some moss along the top bit because I glued a water dish on the inside of the cup so I can't do the tipping it on its side thing. I did put a dead roach on the webbing tunnel it has made do you think it will scavenge feed off that?
Great video may have to make some of those pots myself as I've been looking for something better for avics ect
Hey, Robbie! They are working great for me so far! :)
@@TomsBigSpiders yeah definitely, I would never have thought to do it, very invative I have at least 15 - 20 slings I'm going to rehouse like this after watching the video
Leaflitter is great. I always mix in oakleafs. Speicies like E murinus incorperate the leafs in its burrow construction. It looks great. When i had a huge colkection of baboons i often used clay that i mixed in with the substrate. I bought the clay from a company that was selling claypots and stuff like that. I used a large quantity of clay and when it dried it became very hard. But the spiders seemed to love it
I LOVE that stuff now. I use it in everything. And I have used clay before, but it was pricey. I have to find a cheaper place to get it! Thanks, bud...stay well!
@@TomsBigSpiders i bought it in powder form. I mixed it in with moist soil 50/50% . It was not that expenssive. It came in diffrent colors. I bought red clay But it was many years ago. But i still have some pound left. When a tarantula burrowed it looked like a burrow in the african savannah! :)
I ended up making one of these enclosures for an A. metallica I bought. So far the lil guy isn't using the leaf I put in, so I might have to play around with some other options. :( On top of that my P. cambridgei has been lurking close to the lid instead of burrowing, so I might make them one of these as well, just in case.
What size is your P. cambridgei? Wow, they usually do a bit of burrowing and hide! Have you tried putting some moss around the leaf?
@@TomsBigSpiders The P.C. is 1" (per the listing; I just purchased him). I did put some moss around the leaf, but I wonder if the sling doesn't like the leaf's texture? I picked up a silk plant while I was already out looking for essentials - I didn't want to make too many extra stops right now, but maybe that could be the issue? May I ask what/where you get your fake plants?
Freakin genius 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thanks, Rob!
Brilliant! So simple! :)
Thanks, Andrew!
With diy I tell everyone to watch this video
Thank you so much!
Hey Tom, Sending Love to all my Morans...I have a mature male Avic avic. I can't find anyone to send him to for breeding. His name is Legs and he is a Sweetheart. Can you help???
Hey, Tina! Thank you so much! Unfortunately, I don't have a female. Have you checked arachnoboards?
@@TomsBigSpiders no but thank you, I will. Love n Hugs.
Hi, thanks very much for this! :) I am getting some avicularia slings soon. I wondered, you say you used to use a 32oz deli cup, but here seem to use 5.5oz ones. Did the 32oz height used to be too high for them and what size would be ideal for a 1.5-2cm sized sling?
Hi, Alba! SO sorry for the delay! I used the 32 oz ones for juvenile C. versicolors. They were about 1.5" or so. These guys were tiny, so I used smaller ones for them.
@@TomsBigSpiders Thanks for the reply! That's useful to know :)
Hi Tom IV recently acquired some avicularia caribena slings and IV been reading a lot about the species and as a lot of tarantula species people are saying room temperature is fine if I'm comfortable they will be fine.. I live in Dublin Ireland and I'd be a bit worried the temperature here wouldn't be as warm as most countries where most of these other tarantula keeps live.. wat are ur taughts on this..
This is one of the species where if your room temperatures are low, it could be an issue. They tend to slow down and stop eating if it gets too chilly. What are the temperatures in your home during the coldest months? If it gets below 19, that could be a bit too chilly.
@@TomsBigSpiders thanks for the reply tom.. he in Ireland around this time of year ur looking at around 68-72 °F wher tat is pretty comfortable for me ..
Great video! Stay safe my friend!
Ragin Moose!!! How are you, buddy! I hope that you and yours are well! Great hearing from you!
Very nice video always incredibly informative.
I have a question about my avic avic. I have had it for about 3 months now, good appetite and all but has not made any web it just stays down by the water dish even though every week or two ill mist the sides of the enclosure.
Hello, Miguel! Thank you so much!
That's really odd behavior for an avic. I mean, the fact that she is eating is great, but they usually avoid the ground. Does she have a hide and plenty of fake foliage for cover?
Tom Moran Yessir it has a hide and foilage. Oddly enough when i picked it out from the pet store it was the only one that didnt have an established web tunnel. I chose it because i wanted to document the progress of it building its web but to no avail. This is the first avic i have owned that has behaved this way. Also whenever it does cover some part of the enclosure with web it will tear it down itself in a few days.
Really cool video, just a pro tip because you have a lit of green spill on you. If you have the room move further away from the screen. I would say 10 feet is about the standard. it's either that or your key lights are too bright.
Thanks, Chris! Yeah, I'm trying to shoot this in my attic, and I have to figure out how to make it work with the room I have. I definitely need to try to move the screen so that I can get further away from it. I DID just find another editing program that does a much better job removing the green, so I'll play with that, too. Thank you!
@@TomsBigSpiders it can be a struggle to set up a good green screen, I work in visual effects so I understand how tough it can be especially in a restricted space.
Fantastic advice, we love your videos! Could you do an update on phormingochilus sp rufus please? Trying to find information and husbandry advice for this species but theres not much out there! Thanks Tom, keep the vlogs coming. They are great!
Hello! Thanks so much! Unfortunately, my male matured out not long after I did the last video, and he passed away last year. These guys are VERY shy, and will burrow until they put on some size. Even then, mine still stayed hidden almost all of the time. I always kept the substrate deep and moist to give it the option. Mine burrowed a bit behind the cork bark, webbed up around it, and rarely ventured out. I hope that helps a little!
@@TomsBigSpiders Thank you so much for responding and for the information! That's such a shame about your MM. If only they lived longer! Stay safe!
This is awesome...I love playing in dirt and it.saves on the wallet in the long run...like you said more money for Ts!!!! Thank you for sharing!
Hi, Amanda! Me, too! haha I was so excited to mix this stuff up. lol Thanks!
That’s really good idea🕷👍
Thank you, Rolando!