A. versicolor webbing

[Abi Skeet]

Just wondering, I've had my A. versicilor sling now for about 2 weeks and it shed in about a week of getting it So I'm guessing its quite happy. But its make its web along the bottom of its inclosure in between 2 bits of cork bark. Is it normal for them to web on the floor. i though they were arboreal lol. It's my first Avic so not sure if I'm doing somthing wrong.

[Colin D Wilson]

I've heard a lot of people saying their arboreal s'ling is building webs close to the ground so you're not on your own.
I would assume that it would be in their interest as the majority of smaller "prey size" insects etc would be crawling along the ground in their natural habitat.
As they get larger (as with the majority of pokies i've had) they progressively move further up into the higher branches as they moult into larger spiders.
we feed them small crickets, primarily ground dwelling, when they're s'lings, then when they're larger we move onto food items such as locusts, which climb more, so it would make sense here too.

[Nicola Dolby]

I wouldn't worry Abi. I've seen Poecilotheria, Heteroscodra and Stromatopelma all do this, in fact I have specimens of the latter two, one a mature male, quite happily living in burrows at the moment! If your spider gets unhappy he or she will just move higher up the bark and build a new web I should imagine.

[Abi Skeet]

Thanks I wont worry then? I was thinking of putting some fake plants in to encorage it. Should I still do this? At the moment it is on 2nd instar crickets but I imagine it could handle a small locust but I havent actulay seen the full size of the spider so I dont really know lol.I think its about3 or 4 cm and it still has its baby colouring so it might be smaller.

[Colin D Wilson]

3-4 cm would certainly be able to handle a small locust, the locust itself will be only just over 1cm body length.

have a try, if they dont get taken, feed the locusts up for some of your other spiders, leftover raw veg and salad stuff will get them up to 2-3cm in about a couple of weeks if you keep them a little warmer.