need some help...

rattekonigin · 10-25-02, 08:58 AM

I have a baby A.Versicolor tarantula, about 2/3-3/4 inch leg span...and I've had a couple of difficulties with housing it, and there aren't really any good sites regarding the housing of spiderlings...I first kept it in the vial in which it was shipped to me, but it seems a tad small, being only an inch in diameter...so I moved the spiderling to a small mason jar with bed-a-beast in the bottom and some pieces of bark leaned against the side...this worked well, apart from having to put a bit of work into getting the crickets within range of the T, until yesterday when I noticed mold growing on many areas of the bark...so I moved it back to it's vial...
So, I really have 2 questions here: 1- is the vial okay to keep the T in for now? 2- how do I keep the humidity at a sufficient level, without having a mold problem? This is particularly difficult in a small vial or jar, as there isn't much to do in the way of ventilation...
As I understand it, versicolors required 70-80% humidity, is that correct?
I'd appreciate any advice on the matter, thanks

Linds · 10-25-02, 09:16 AM

I can't answer most of your questions, but I can tell you that the key to preventing mold growth in humid environments is good ventilation. Probably the reason you had mold growth in the jar was because there was no cross-ventilation. Humid environments require some sort of ventilation on the sides instead of at the top, otherwise the air is stagnant and mold thrives in that sort of environment. Hope this helped a little

rattekonigin · 10-25-02, 10:45 PM

Thanks! That helps a lot

OttawaChris · 11-13-02, 09:36 PM

This is the only tricky part to versicolors...

They need high humidity and very good ventilation. Not only will mold form in your substrate, but also in your spider's book lungs.

I have a small versi the same size as I shipped to you. I am keeping it in a clear deli cup with air holes covering the entire lid.

What I have done in my arboral setups is that I use straight vermiculite as substrate. This does not mold and does a decent job at holding moisture.

The tricky part is keeping up humidity levels while not sacrificing ventilation... what I do to get around this is I place a warm damp tea towel over the air holes of the cages. This allows air to flow while really kicking up the humidity levels.