humidity question

[kin-inam]

How do I know if the humidity is just right for my B.smithii and G.rosea. I can not get any humidity meter or anything like that, so I just have to do thing manually but don't know how. BTW they are all slings the smithii about 2in and the rosea about 5in. Thanks for your time.

 

[Scorp guy]

neither of them really need humidity. smithis are desert dwellars right?

 

[Cirith Ungol]

Yeah, don't bother . Actually, I don't bother with humidity for any of my T's as long as they have a large water dish. My avics and a few slings are the only ones where I don't have a water dish, so I squirt some water on the substrate every now and then (besides of trying to have them drink "from" a syringe).

Not sure about smithis being desert dwellers, but afaik they live in a dryer area. I could be wrongish though. roseas though do absolutely live dry and they dispise moist substrate.

 

[TheNatural]

take a look how humidity works:
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showpost.php?p=661073&postcount=15

Try to use the seach tool, there are a lot of threads about this subject.

Welcome to the boards

 

[Lover of 8 legs]

Both my B smithi & G rosea have been a lot more contented since I stopped worrying about humidity & interfering in their lives. I just keep a water dish filled at all times and both of them frequently drink from this.

 

[Fierce Deity]

Humidity is not important with them, and they don't seem to like moisture at all. If the substrate gets only a tiny bit wet, I'll see them on the glass for a week until it is bone dry again. Don't worry about misting or anything, as long as they have a clean full water dish, they'll do fine.

 

[TheDarkFinder]

B. smithi comes from the scrubland areas of the pacific coast of Mexico, so it is usually hot with little humidity.

Oh whats the point.

Had a long rant on this, but it will not change anything.

 

[Fierce Deity]

Whats wrong Dan?
Should I have added that they do not require hot temperatures, and that even though it is not very humid in the scrublands, the humidity is maintained in their burrows, and all tarantulas require humidity to an extent?

 

[Mike H.]

Internal hydration is far more important then the R/H in a room or tank, keep a water dish in the tank and offer well fed well hydrated prey and your spiders will be fine..

Regards, Mike

 

[eman]

Internal hydration is far more important then the R/H in a room or tank, keep a water dish in the tank and offer well fed well hydrated prey and your spiders will be fine..

Regards, Mike

I know I'm probably going to get shot for this one but I just couldn't resist...

The problem with your statement Mike (IMO) is the dehydration factor. Let me explain; Ts that do not have a proper burrow setup (not an open, exposed hide) cannot always sufficiently hydrate themselves - especially if the ambient environment is extremely dry... moreover, some ts don't actually drink that much water unless they start to become dehydrated IMO.

Have you ever noticed how a sling actually gains a considerable amount of weight or plumps up when water is added to their relatively dry substrate? This also applies to adult/mature ts as well.

The fact of the matter is that ts actually DO take in a considerable amount of moisture from the substrate they are on or (in the case of certain arboreal species) from having their environment dampened or misted... and I'm not talking about sopping wet here. Simple observation will demonstrate this quite readily. :wall:

Another point that seems to be missed is that many species of the ts we own, come from tropical rain forests which normally equates to higher humidity levels... why then is it a good idea to make them adapt to bone dry substrates/environments?

The bottom line is that you simply cannot guarantee that all of your ts will not suffer from long term dehydration effects, by only supplying them with a water dish on bone dry substrates IMO.

Cheers!

 

[Windchaser]

IHave you ever noticed how a sling actually gains a considerable amount of weight or plumps up when water is added to their relatively dry substrate? This also applies to adult/mature ts as well.

The fact of the matter is that ts actually DO take in a considerable amount of moisture from the substrate they are on or (in the case of certain arboreal species) from having their environment dampened or misted... and I'm not talking about sopping wet here. Simple observation will demonstrate this quite readily. :wall:

I don't think they absorb it from the air or the substrate. I have observed slings actually drinking water from the substrate. They appear able to drink the water from the moist substrate. In this case, the ambient humidity does little for them other than determining how quickly or slowly the substrate will dry. This also depends on ventilation.

I, like Mike, don't moisten the substrate for a significant number of the tarantulas that I have. All have water dishes and all are quite healthy. Many have been with me for a number of years. I would agree with Mike that hydration is much more important than ambient humidity levels. I am sure that there is some minimum level which needs to be maintained but I also suspect that this is much lower than what many would believe.

 

[TheDarkFinder]

Eman,
Hear that, that is the sounds of guns cocking.

You are 100% right, but you are not going to change public opinion on this, trust me I have tried. They will do what they want and we will keep reading people posting. "My tarantula is acting weird." "My tarantula had a bad molt." "My tarantula died."

In 22 years, I have never seen one of my taratulas drink. Never.

If your tarantula is drinking then it must be a sign of something.

So duck for cover, and get ready for the typical replies.

 

[DanHalen]

I've made it my personal goal to not mention my views on humidity any more...ever... even if I'm paid to do it... Everyone seems to be happier that way

But I think we can all agree that in answer to the question originally posted, a water dish will be fine.

 

[eman]

I don't think they absorb it from the air or the substrate. I have observed slings actually drinking water from the substrate. They appear able to drink the water from the moist substrate. In this case, the ambient humidity does little for them other than determining how quickly or slowly the substrate will dry. This also depends on ventilation.

I too have observed slings and ts of all sizes drink... there is no question about that. I also agree that ambient humidity levels have far less of an impact on the t's "internal hydration" than substrate moisture levels or drinking from a water disk. But, I have also witnessed many ts rehydrate themselves on moist soil alone (without actually drinking from a direct water source). I would be happy to demonstrate the process of rehydrating a small to medium sized healthy t, simply by placing it in a deli cup with moist substrate (by substrate I mean organic black earth). All you need is two specimens (pick your species) that were on very dry substrate... keep one on the same dry substrate and put the other one in the deli cup mentioned above. Take a good look at them 3 days to one week later. Again, simple observation can prove this very easily.

I, like Mike, don't moisten the substrate for a significant number of the tarantulas that I have. All have water dishes and all are quite healthy. Many have been with me for a number of years. I would agree with Mike that hydration is much more important than ambient humidity levels. I am sure that there is some minimum level which needs to be maintained but I also suspect that this is much lower than what many would believe.

I also agree that internal hydration is more important that ambient humidity levels... What I dissagree with, is how you acheive your internal hydration.

 

[eman]

Eman,
Hear that, that is the sounds of guns cocking.

You are 100% right, but you are not going to change public opinion on this, trust me I have tried. They will do what they want and we will keep reading people posting. "My tarantula is acting weird." "My tarantula had a bad molt." "My tarantula died."

In 22 years, I have never seen one of my taratulas drink. Never.

If your tarantula is drinking then it must be a sign of something.

So duck for cover, and get ready for the typical replies.

LOL! Thank you! I just thought it would be fair to also provide a different slant to this, more often than not, one-sided debate... but you are right, you wonder why people don't get the point after all the "mysterious death" posts.

Cheers!

 

[TheDarkFinder]

I've made it my personal goal to not mention my views on humidity any more...ever... even if I'm paid to do it... Everyone seems to be happier that way
But I think we can all agree that in answer to the question originally posted, a water dish will be fine.

We have chased each other around this tree many times.

It does not go anywhere.

In fact, I figure it like this. What ever you want to do, temperature, humidity, or cage size wise, go for it.

If it does not work then ok.
If it does then ok.

So, bottom line, what works for you, works. What works for me, works.

Do you always wonder why a the professional breeders and dealer do not get into this mess.

I have stop trying to convice people here, I personally do not care what they do, I can not change it.

So here is my promise, I will not post on inbreeding, humidity, or allergy topics. (Unless I start the discussion.)

It is just not worth it.

thedarkfinder

 

[CedrikG]

ohhh ok so im not alone to beleive in humidity ... I also stoped to try convincing ppl ...

 

[EDED]

i think people forget that T's have lungs, they are not fully water proof,,,air goes in, air goes out, humidity(moisture) goes in and out of their body too.

so i keep my tropical species like tropical species, humid.

im sure dry substrate with a big water dish works well too.

but bone dry substrate with no water dish will work with only certain arid species.

not much argument,,,whatever works, works right?

 

[Windchaser]

I too have observed slings and ts of all sizes drink... there is no question about that. I also agree that ambient humidity levels have far less of an impact on the t's "internal hydration" than substrate moisture levels or drinking from a water disk. But, I have also witnessed many ts rehydrate themselves on moist soil alone (without actually drinking from a direct water source). I would be happy to demonstrate the process of rehydrating a small to medium sized healthy t, simply by placing it in a deli cup with moist substrate (by substrate I mean organic black earth). All you need is two specimens (pick your species) that were on very dry substrate... keep one on the same dry substrate and put the other one in the deli cup mentioned above. Take a good look at them 3 days to one week later. Again, simple observation can prove this very easily.

Unless you observe then for every second of those three days, you cannot say that they are not actually hydrating themselves by "drinking" the water out from the substrate. I have actually witnessed them doing this, so I know they are quite capable of it.

The same applies to TheDarkFinder, unless you observe your tarantulas for every moment they are alive, saying you have never seen them drink proves nothing. It only means that you have not observed it.

As was pointed out so nicely by Code Monkey in this thread, the importance of humidity, at least with respect to molting, there is no evidence to support that ambient humidity is an important factor. Yes, you have maintained higher levels of humidity and have had good success. There are many of us who have not been overly concerned with ambient humidity levels and have had equal success.

 

[eman]

Unless you observe then for every second of those three days, you cannot say that they are not actually hydrating themselves by "drinking" the water out from the substrate. I have actually witnessed them doing this, so I know they are quite capable of it.

As others have already mentioned here; no sense beating on a moot point. :wall: