# Arboreal tarantulas being aware of a water bowl?



## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

Just asking this as I thought my Avic had died but in fact it's in an "ICU" as we speak.


Basically as usual for Avics it lives in its webbed retreat/"cocoon" for the large majority of its time, usually it only comes out a short distance from the entrance to its web. Now it hasn't been feeding lately and I assumed it was coming up for a moult as its only moulted once in the time I've had it. However I found it in a total death curl on its side a few days later. I assumed it was dead and was busy this weekend so didn't get round to disposing of it and cleaning out the enclosure until today. When I started ripping the webbing out I realised it was making a few feigning leg movements, but it could barely move them from under itself.

I lifted it out and have it now in a cricket tub lined with damp kitchen roll and a large coffee lid full of water, with a towel covering the tub.

I've looked just now and it's uncurled itself quite well (not all the way) and has made some movement towards the water dish, with it's front legs on it. I'm not sure if it's gotten into it to drink quite yet, though clearly I don't want to dunk it in case I risk drowning the thing.


But if it does recover, to me this'll clearly show it was becoming lethargic then lost movement in its legs from dehydration (which I think is what some people mistake as this mysterious DKS). 

However it has a water dish and I do spray its enclosure. The water dish is on the substrate and so now I'm thinking I'll super glue it to the side of the enclosure high up near the webbing, maybe it'll come across it more easily.

So...it has a source of water, but hasn't explored to find it. It's not a big enclosure, it's only a pretty small 6x6x12" glass thing from custom aquaria. 

Has anyone else ever had concerns their Tarantulas don't actively search out water and this may be an issue?


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## 8and6 (Jan 19, 2010)

i havent given any of mine dishes in over 20 years so they'd struggle if seeking one  and not lost one to dehydration yet.


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> i havent given any of mine dishes in over 20 years so they'd struggle if seeking one  and not lost one to dehydration yet.


oh right odd then. Do you think your adults drink droplets from misting or get enough from prey alone? Also do you spray their retreat directly?


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## DannyB (Nov 8, 2009)

Same as Steve, i only really spray mine, a couple of them have water bowls but to be honest, i dont think they have ever been used by the spiders. Ground dwellers seem to be more likely to use them in my experience.

Mine will drink water from the sides or from there webs, but i think they get most of there water needs from prey items.


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## Bagger293 (Jun 8, 2011)

I cut some of the backing out of my exo nano and slip a water dish into that. Saw my wee Avic hanging over the side of it drinking one day recently. That was nice to see =]


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## Paul c 1 (Sep 30, 2009)

Personally, I do provide water bowls for my arboreal spiders. I generally just use a small transparent deli pot which I get free with my weekly Indian takeaway - I believe it's best to have one just incase they do require it - I do also occasionaly notice my spiders drinking from a water dish.

I also provide a regular light misting for the more humidity dependent species such as Psalmopoeus,... I usually simulate a nice bit of afternoon rainfall when I get in from work each day, with their enclosures drying out in the hours after.

Overall, I would say if your spider is well fed and slightly plump, it is also well hydrated - so a good feeding regime should eliminate any risk of dehydration in most cases anyway.
-P


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## nunny (Jun 12, 2011)

my pink toe has 2 small water bowls she regulary dips into them for a drink,their both on the substrate too.my other ground dwellers seem to find them ok ,i regulary see them in their water bowls..salmon pink,sp conception,northern gold,gbb,and sun tiger..


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## jondee84 (Jun 1, 2011)

I don't put water out for any of my arboreal spiders. The misting or the crickets must be enough, they've come on great.


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## sp1d8r (Feb 16, 2010)

The only arboreal T I have a water dish for is my P. metallica, and that was cos it cost me £110 and it was my first pokie :lol2:. All my other arboreals just seem to rub their mouthparts on the sides of their tubs or on their webs.


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

well good news is she seems to be perking up, I'm just keeping her in there tonight but I can she's walking around seemingly normally after being on her side in a death curl (legs right under her) unmoving for three days! 

So before folks assume something like DKS when their T just sits hunched in the corner and seems lethargic..maybe try rehydration.: victory:


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## sp1d8r (Feb 16, 2010)

Happy days :2thumb:,I think the name Phoenix is suitable has s/he has risen from the ashes :whistling2:


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

None of mine have water dishes that are used. I spray all of mine every week and never lost one to dehydration


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## Stelios (Aug 28, 2009)

I give all mine a water dish as I don't mist/spray unless I'm breeding and tying to trigger a sac drop, ( what does it do? raise the humidity for a brief period? Give the T a limited opportunity to drink?).
If they have a water dish they can drink when they please.
The only one that I didn't was G.rosea as I wanted to see if they could survive on just prey and no water.
It survived but when I decided to give it a water dish it exhibited some funny behaviour!
It got in the water dish and for ten minutes before it drank, kept on dipping in the water like it was washing/ dancing.
It was more frenetic at first I was watching it for ages before I had the brainwave to garb some footage, doh.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v622/Stelios/?action=view&current=BathTime.mp4
I received two female regalis (was meant to be a breeding pair), from the infamous Peter Parker, and there was a very long delay, from when he packaged them to when I actually got them.
It was well over 3 weeks.
When I housed them the first thing they both did was walk down to the water bowels and drink.
I mean I ushered them in at the top and they didn't hide or settle they went straight for the water.
I would't like to speculate on how they know where to find the water, but they can.


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

Stelios said:


> I would't like to speculate on how they know where to find the water, but they can.


aye after putting the avic in the ICU I thought I'd give all the T's fresh water bowls and such.

The P.murinus came out and walked towards me when I was filling the bowl and overflowing it with a spray bottle, it doesn't usually approach like that and I think it could sense the water somehow. It pressed it's mouthparts against the substrate then went for the water bowl. The A.genic was near the door to the enclosure and the water bowl was in the middle of it, when I filled the bowl and looked back a minute later, it was face down in the water too.

So it does seem they all know it's present somehow. But as usual the A.genic has now tipped the bowl over and both Brachys have filled there's with soil. I don't think some T's appreciate standing water being in their vicinity all the time...


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