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Avicularia sp. "Peru Purple sling died after 2 days

Keymond69

Active Member
Messages
91
Location
Kidderminster, Worcestershire
What has worked well for me: I have used an enclosure for my Avics that is larger than I would normally choose, so the spider does look a bit lost. Plenty of space around the spider also means better ventilation and room for a larger than normal water dish. So - try choosing the next size up enclosure, providing the holes arent too big. I have never had a death using this method.
Shes in that 2cm , ill buy her a bigger enclosure then.
 

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Gizalba

Well-Known Member
3 Year Member
Messages
423
Location
England
Hi, I am relatively new to the hobby (I may have some of this wrong) but I also have an Avicularia Peru Purple from The Spider Shop. I am really glad they sent you a new one! I also have 3 other Avics/Ex avics. I have had them about 6 weeks and touch-wood they have been fine, although I did lose a Psalmopoeus sling (to death) the other week which I too was gutted about :(

I am not sure whether this would be helpful but I do have a hygrometer (also purchased from the spider shop) in all of my Avicularia enclosures:


As the Avics are so small currently I've had to stick the hygrometer to the bottom as it wouldn't attach well to the curved sides. I may be obsessive over humidity and I have read that you don't need to get the numbers that precise, but to be on the safe side I like to make sure the dial is between 70-80% humidity as the spider shop care guide suggests for this species, even though I am in the UK. When it goes below this I drop some water onto the leaves/moss with a pipette, and/or wet the substrate at the bottom of the enclosure gradually over a few hours to make sure it doesn't go above 80%. I got the idea for the bottom opening set up from Tom Moran on Youtube.

eargt.JPG


Otherwise, I find it very difficult to judge how much humidity to add, as it seems easy to accidentally go overboard. I have read that the humidity is important as they are from tropical climates, and that Sudden Avic Death seemed to be more to do with not having enough cross-ventilation to make the humidity 'not stuffy'. In the wild they seem to have lots of rainfall but also really good air-flow being high up in the trees. It seems that if you can see condensation on the sides of the enclosure, the moisture is probably too much.

I hope that makes sense/helps.
 
Hi, I am relatively new to the hobby (I may have some of this wrong) but I also have an Avicularia Peru Purple from The Spider Shop. I am really glad they sent you a new one! I also have 3 other Avics/Ex avics. I have had them about 6 weeks and touch-wood they have been fine, although I did lose a Psalmopoeus sling (to death) the other week which I too was gutted about :(

I am not sure whether this would be helpful but I do have a hygrometer (also purchased from the spider shop) in all of my Avicularia enclosures:


As the Avics are so small currently I've had to stick the hygrometer to the bottom as it wouldn't attach well to the curved sides. I may be obsessive over humidity and I have read that you don't need to get the numbers that precise, but to be on the safe side I like to make sure the dial is between 70-80% humidity as the spider shop care guide suggests for this species, even though I am in the UK. When it goes below this I drop some water onto the leaves/moss with a pipette, and/or wet the substrate at the bottom of the enclosure gradually over a few hours to make sure it doesn't go above 80%. I got the idea for the bottom opening set up from Tom Moran on Youtube.

View attachment 51011

Otherwise, I find it very difficult to judge how much humidity to add, as it seems easy to accidentally go overboard. I have read that the humidity is important as they are from tropical climates, and that Sudden Avic Death seemed to be more to do with not having enough cross-ventilation to make the humidity 'not stuffy'. In the wild they seem to have lots of rainfall but also really good air-flow being high up in the trees. It seems that if you can see condensation on the sides of the enclosure, the moisture is probably too much.

I hope that makes sense/helps.
Those are fair prices on the hygrometers.
I think that you will be happier with a digital one. I've used lots of the smaller cordless box type. There's a high percentage that go out of spec in time. The drawback of digital is that when left in the container, its easy for a sleeve to catch the cord and knock it over. There's also a small opening where the cord enters that can't be big enough for the little one to squeeze through. If it's possible they will do it. Lol!

I like your set up. Mainly because it's worked for you so far. Many keepers would do very well with that.
If you didn't read my description on the following, go to the previous page. They used to be American made no-lead tempered glass. (I've read that some of what comes from china and india is not recommended for food/water.) You'll need to verify country of origin. Don't know these days.
You can probably find these cheaper if you shop around. Anchor Hocking is my favorite.
1. Heavy duty Tempered glass
2. No lead or contaminants
3. Stable base
4. Lip suitable for fastening rubber bands that seal a cord from escape holes
5. Best ventilation by far short of a screened enclosure
6. Drum style clear scratch resistant glass is easy to clean and provides good flat dispay
Read my previous instructions for details.
Hope this helps you and other hobbyists.

God bless,

CA



 

ilovebrachys

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
3 Year Member
Messages
1,811
Location
UK
Didn't you just tell us that you have a 2/3rds mortality rate with your A purpurea?
The point that @Arachnoclown was making is that out of the Avicularia genus the purpurea are the hardest to raiseout of all the Avics - he is a very, very successful breeder and has managed to raise 1000s of slings as a result(every genus imaginable) - someone with 30+years of being in the hobby and breeding IMAO is someone I want to learn from and follow his advice
I concur with the raising of purpurea slings though they are extremely delicate alot more so than other Avics we have found
 

New2T’s

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
122
Location
Paducah, KY
I’m sorry for your loss. Same thing happened to me with an A. Purpurea. I knew sumin wasn’t right tho when I rehoused it. It passed three days later. My friend didn’t have anymore left either. Still waiting to get my purple Avic as purple is my favorite color. Avics and Caribena are jus so fragile. They often die for no reason. We call it SADS like was said above.
 

Keymond69

Active Member
Messages
91
Location
Kidderminster, Worcestershire
I’m sorry for your loss. Same thing happened to me with an A. Purpurea. I knew sumin wasn’t right tho when I rehoused it. It passed three days later. My friend didn’t have anymore left either. Still waiting to get my purple Avic as purple is my favorite color. Avics and Caribena are jus so fragile. They often die for no reason. We call it SADS like was said above.
When it came i unboxed it straight away and housed it, it looked fragile so left it a day and tried feeding it , a day later it just shrivelled up. My new one came yesterday the spider shop replaced it , seems alot more lively and its actually eaten and spun web , I think it was a dodgy spider tbh. Touch wood this ones lasts me years and years.
 

New2T’s

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
122
Location
Paducah, KY
When it came i unboxed it straight away and housed it, it looked fragile so left it a day and tried feeding it , a day later it just shrivelled up. My new one came yesterday the spider shop replaced it , seems alot more lively and its actually eaten and spun web , I think it was a dodgy spider tbh. Touch wood this ones lasts me years and years.
Awesome!! Glad you got a healthy replacement
 

glitchsixxle

Member
Messages
25
Location
Atlanta, GA
Avics are best kept dry with a large shallow water dish! Misting is generally bad and they can live without. Its hard as slings tho bcs while they need a little moistness its easy to kill them via over muggyness or dying out ): Next time you get an avic try the water dish technique but stick it higher in the enclosure so it has access easily.
 
Messages
44
Location
United States
We all have to remember that most spiders lay 100-200 eggs and in the wild only 3% survive to reach maturity. It might be even lower. If I remembered correctly however, that means out of 200 eggs only 5-6 will reach adulthood.
 

Phil

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3 Year Member
Messages
3,918
Location
UK.
We all have to remember that most spiders lay 100-200 eggs and in the wild only 3% survive to reach maturity. It might be even lower. If I remembered correctly however, that means out of 200 eggs only 5-6 will reach adulthood.
those figures sound accurate but the majority of deaths in the wild are doen to habitat or predation. Captive breeding percentages are much higher as we are able to simulate adequate conditions and keep them away from predators. I have bred hundreds/thousands of babies and death rate, up to the point of moving on anyway, is virtually the complete opposite at about 3% (if that).
Majority of deaths in captivity are down to poor husbandry methods. For that species (avicularia), everything posted already is sound advice and it's good to see that the Spider shop did the right thing. :)
 

ilovebrachys

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3 Year Member
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1,811
Location
UK
Phil, is your rate to Juvenile really at 97%? I don't doubt you, friend, I am just awed.
No disrespect to @Phil as he is a successful breeder but I think the most successful breeding he has had is with T. Albos and as we all know they are pretty much bomb proof :D I would imagine if WW3 broke out all that would survive would be roaches and albos :p
Jokes aside we all lose slings at time to time and although we can try our best to replicate perfect conditions for them some will just never make it :(
 

Phil

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3 Year Member
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Location
UK.
No disrespect to @Phil as he is a successful breeder but I think the most successful breeding he has had is with T. Albos and as we all know they are pretty much bomb proof :D I would imagine if WW3 broke out all that would survive would be roaches and albos :p
Jokes aside we all lose slings at time to time and although we can try our best to replicate perfect conditions for them some will just never make it :(
very true. As I have mentioned before, I keep a detailed spreadsheet of all my spiders and death rate throughout the whole of the spiders I have ever had in my collection (multiple thousands) is a static 7%. That includes old age, mature males, breeding where males get chomped, bad moults or just "unknowns". that's right across all life stages and species.
 
Messages
44
Location
United States
Wow Phil those are some amazing stats and I know captive bred, the stats should be much higher or you just suck at breeding. I was just going off of the wild spider numbers that I remembered off the top of my head. I will never be a breeder unless I win the lottery and no longer have to be an auto mechanic. If I ever do hit it big and can grow a large collection and breed I hope I get percentages like yours!
 
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