Avic won’t drink from water dish

[Liam52]

Hi all,

My MM A. Avicularia M6 has stopped drinking from his water dish as of late. He just webs it up and the webbing wicks the water into the substrate. Is there any alternative way to ensure he’s getting proper hydration? I lightly mist the enclosure hoping he’ll just drink from the glass/the webbing but I’ve never physically observed him doing so. He also eats about 50/50 when I feed him, so he may be getting some hydration that way. Just looking for any suggestions, thanks in advance!

 

[DaveM]

He'll eat less often because he's a mature male; that's normal. Just drip a few drops of water into his web retreat and onto the fake plants, a couple of times a week. He will drink if he needs to, even if you don't observe it. Take care of this old guy while he lasts, and enjoy!

 

[Matt Man]

find him a lady M6

 

[viper69]

Normal- add water dropwise to silk near him

I still use water dish

 

[bellesova]

I know some Ts aren't keen on them; I tend to use milk bottle caps as they are wide and shallow. I also mist whichever side of the tank the spider is not currently in to keep the humidity at the right level; remember that just because you don't see a T doing something, doesn't mean they're not! As long as he seems happy in himself and is engaging in his usual behavior, I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[freedomisle]

I have only ever seen one of my tarantulas drink from her water dish twice in 10 years. I keep her water dish clean and filled with water as a backup more than anything. I would just take out the water dish, clean and refill it. Don't worry about how often he drinks, it's rare for a tarantula to drink and in your case he is a mature male.

Tarantulas like to mistreat water dishes, from seeing how far they can bury it in the substrate, flipping it over, using it as a dumping ground for substrate and ofc finding it a useful anker point for webbing. I've also had my tarantula use it as a toilet.