Going on vacation, how long can T's survive without water?

[vespers]

I have a few specimens that habitually scat in their water, that feels like a losing battle at times, a few others that drop bolus in it every time, not much gratitude for the board, love and lodgings I selflessly provide the little bar stewards /

Fortunately, none of mine usually take a dump in their water dish or fill it with substrate (I think my pokie crapped in her's one time last year). I never have crickets drown in the dishes either. I use 'reptile' water dishes that look like faux rock, and they have little "steps" inside that allow crickets to climb out.

 

[Marijan2]

Fortunately, none of mine usually take a dump in their water dish or fill it with substrate (I think my pokie crapped in her's one time last year). I never have crickets drown in the dishes either. I use 'reptile' water dishes that look like faux rock, and they have little "steps" inside that allow crickets to climb out.

how much t's you have? if you are not experiencing these issues, you clearly need alot more

 

[Poec54]

how much t's you have? if you are not experiencing these issues, you clearly need alot more

Really. Clearly this guy need more T's. I have spiders crapping in their bowls on a daily basis, along with tossing boluses in them, and every week crickets drown in a few too. That's why I only use disposable plastic water bowls. When they get something disgusting in them, they get thrown out and replaced. I can't spend the money on fancy bowls, nor the time scrubbing them.

 

[vespers]

I can't spend the money on fancy bowls, nor the time scrubbing them.

I can give my T's "fancy" bowls 'cause I don't have 100 of them. :laugh:
Seriously though, I live in an apartment and don't really have room for 100 of them anyhow. But hey, why can't a $100+ spider have a $5 water dish? Just sayin'.

 

[Kaltheory]

Really. Clearly this guy need more T's. I have spiders crapping in their bowls on a daily basis, along with tossing boluses in them, and every week crickets drown in a few too. That's why I only use disposable plastic water bowls. When they get something disgusting in them, they get thrown out and replaced. I can't spend the money on fancy bowls, nor the time scrubbing them.

Bottle caps, Bottle caps everywhere

 

[Poec54]

why can't a $100+ spider have a $5 water dish? Just sayin'.

When you have a lot of $100 spiders, as many people do.

 

[vespers]

When you have a lot of $100 spiders, as many people do.

Many people do? I doubt tarantula hoarders are all that common... :laugh:

 

[Poec54]

Many people do? I doubt tarantula hoarders are all that common... :laugh:

How long have you been on the boards? Many of the people selling slings have good-sized collections, especially if they're breeding on a regular basis.

 

[MarkmD]

Many people do? I doubt tarantula hoarders are all that common... :laugh:

Thairs probably alot more T hoarders than you think, most dont just hoard them but breed them, that gives more T's back in to our hobby, some sell them to LPS and online dealers.

 

[SuzukiSwift]

Yeah we need T hoarders, especially those that breed and sell so we can have more Ts yay!

I used to find nice 'natural' looking water bowls for my Ts, but they kept leaking so I just gave up and now I use random porcelain stuff and bottle caps. I have some Ts who don't have water bowls (OBTs and Haplos) but the rest of them usually just dump dirt into them =P But I religiously clean the bowls and refill them just in case they want to drink out of them, it's preference really

 

[vespers]

How long have you been on the boards?

Longer than you than you have. And its not that hard to read the join date under one's username...

Many of the people selling slings have good-sized collections, especially if they're breeding on a regular basis.

You think? :sarcasm:

You can't even acknowledge a joke either, apparently...

 

[Poec54]

You can't even acknowledge a joke either, apparently...

You need to add some humor to your jokes.

 

[Arachtion]

Now-now boys...

 

[vespers]

You need to add some humor to your jokes.

Maybe you need get a sense of humor? The "laughing smiley" in my posts should've been a hint. See, this is what I was talking about in another thread about being reluctant to participate/post on the board these days. I can't even make a post about water dishes without getting some crap from you. Sad. And its not like anyone can avoid it either, considering you post in nearly every new thread in the tarantula section. Guess I'll stay out of this thread now too...

 

[catfishrod69]

HI,

My name is John. And i am a tarantula hoarder.

 

[Stan Schultz]

... @Pikaia There's still actually months before the leave.

Good! We've got lots of time for preparation.

Go to any nearby college or university biology department and hunt up the microbiology or botany instructor. Ask them for a few empty, standard sized petri dishes. They come in tops and bottoms, so you'll only need about half as many dishes as you have tarantula cages. (But, getting a few extra does no harm.)

Go to your friendly neighborhood grocery or party shop and buy a package of small (about 6 oz.) El Cheapo plastic drink glasses.

With a large, hot nail (heat a nail by holding it with a pair of pliers on the kitchen range) melt a small notch in the lip of a plastic glass. IMPORTANT: The depth of the notch cannot be larger than the wall height of the petri dish!

Fill the glass 2/3 to 3/4 full of tap water, place half a petri dish upside-down on top of the glass and quickly turn the whole assembly upside down. You now should have a plastic glass of water upside down in the petri dish. If you do it right you'll make a small water fountain. Air will bubble through the notch you melted into the glass and water will escape until the water level in the petri dish blocks it. As the tarantula drinks the water, or as it evaporates, a little bubble of air will manage to get into the glass and a corresponding amount of water will flush into the dish. Thus, the water level in the petri dish will remain constant for as long as there is water in the glass. Probably for several weeks.

Now here comes the experimental part. You'll need to experiment with the notch size so you get enough water into the petri dish so the tarantulas can drink, but not so large a notch that the dish overflows. Try several notch sizes until you get it just right.

In practice, you set it up, then push the glass to the back of the petri dish (off center) with the notch towards the middle of the dish, not at the back, blocked by the petri dish's wall.

The next problem is to weight or fasten the glass/petri dish down so the tarantula doesn't mistake it for a ping pong ball and dump the whole thing in its cage!

I'll try to get a few photos of what I mean posted for you in a few days. Stay tuned.


Tarantulas are survivors. Someday they'll be digging their burrows on our graves.
-- S. A. Schultz