# What are your thoughts on "misting?"



## xtravertmom (Apr 23, 2011)

When I first got my T, I was told to mist his aquarium every day, to keep it humid, which I did but it drove Opie nuts! The I ran across 3 books who all have different opinions on the subject.
One says is doesn't really matter if I do or I don't
Another says Not to mist becuse it makes the T angry becuase it doesn't like his hairs to get wet, it effects his nerve sensors.
And the 3rd says to mist. This helps keep the humidity factor up and aids when molting.
What your opinion?
Mom


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## fartkowski (Apr 23, 2011)

I think pouring water right on the substrate is more effective than misting.


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## JC (Apr 23, 2011)

*Never* mist the tarantula itself, only its surroundings. Misting daily is not necessary as long as you have the correct type of substrate which should hold the humidity. Peat moss and Eco Earth are the most popular choices to accomplish this. Although for slings, mist so that the water droplets form on the sides of the tank for them to drink from. 

Most _Avicularia_ prefer to drink water accumulated on the sides of the rather than a water bowl as a some of the species in this genus rarely ever touch the ground once they find a good home on a tree.

Adult terrestrials do not require misting at all. Provide a water dish and control the humidity by flooding the substrate rather than misting. Make sure you are keeping the humidity correct for your species. The humidity requirements for a _Theraphosa blondi_, for example, is completely different from that of a _Grammostola rosea_ or _Aphonopelma chalcodes._ 

Constant misting will stress a tarantula, so keep it to a minimum.


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## Mojo Jojo (Apr 23, 2011)

If you are going to mist and you want to keep the walls of your enclosure clear, I'd use distilled water so you don't get hard water deposits which seem impossible to remove and look like crap.  Some people worry that the tarantula won't get any nutrients from distilled water and also recommend using a water dish filled with tap water.


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## Bill S (Apr 23, 2011)

Big Dragonfly said:


> Some people worry that the tarantula won't get any nutrients from distilled water and also recommend using a water dish filled with tap water.


Tap water doesn't contain nutrients either.  Some minerals, especially calcium (which tarantulas don't need much of) and some other residues of water treatment processes, which also don't benefit tarantulas much.  Any nutrients or minerals the tarantula needs will be far more abundant in crickets and roaches than in water.  Feed your feeders well and that should be plenty for your tarantula.

I agree with Big Dragonfly - distilled water helps keep the sides of the containers clear enough to see through.  I live in an area where the well water has a lot of calcium in it, so I avoid spraying it on the sides of my containers.


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## Tym Hollerup (Apr 23, 2011)

Typically I try and mist once every week or two depending on what species it is and what the humidity level is currently at.


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## xtravertmom (Apr 23, 2011)

Big Dragonfly said:


> If you are going to mist and you want to keep the walls of your enclosure clear, I'd use distilled water so you don't get hard water deposits which seem impossible to remove and look like crap.  Some people worry that the tarantula won't get any nutrients from distilled water and also recommend using a water dish filled with tap water.


I was told never use tap water because of the minerals, so I use drops that take all the un-necessary elements out of tap water. 2 drops for every 8 oz of water.  I use this for his sponge dish and for misting, it never leaves any residue of the sides of the aquarium.


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## jgod790 (Apr 23, 2011)

fartkowski said:


> I think pouring water right on the substrate is more effective than misting.


Yea that's what I do. Just carefully pour water straight onto the substrate, but not to much.


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## advan (Apr 23, 2011)

xtravertmom said:


> I was told never use tap water because of the minerals, so I use drops that take all the un-necessary elements out of tap water. 2 drops for every 8 oz of water.  I use this for his sponge dish and for misting, it never leaves any residue of the sides of the aquarium.


If you have a sponge remove it, it will just become a culture(bacteria). I wouldn't use drops for the water, just use filtered water or distilled water. Enjoy your new friend.


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## paassatt (Apr 24, 2011)

Misting the enclosure does absolutely nothing to raise or maintain humidity.


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## Bill S (Apr 24, 2011)

xtravertmom said:


> I was told never use tap water because of the minerals, so I use drops that take all the un-necessary elements out of tap water.


The drops aren't for removing minerals, but for removing the chlorination.  Chemicals for chlorination are toxic to fish and other aquatic animals, and may be harmful to other inverts.  At one time chlorine was used for this, but it tended to dissipate.  Now other chemicals are used that do not readily dissipate.  The drops remedy this.  But they do not remove any other elements and impurities, such as calcium or iron.


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## AmbushArachnids (Apr 24, 2011)

When misting becomes heavy its not really misting as much as it is "misting resulting in a flood".


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## Fran (Apr 24, 2011)

paassatt said:


> Misting the enclosure does absolutely nothing to raise or maintain humidity.


Misting will increase, *momentarily*, the humidity. 

In my opinion use mineral water for the dishes, and achieve the humidity requirements with moist substrate/some air flow restriction and, if needed, a humidifier/fogger.


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## AbraxasComplex (Apr 24, 2011)

paassatt said:


> Misting the enclosure does absolutely nothing to raise or maintain humidity.


I take it you're referring to the quick spurt or two that leaves a fine film in the air and settles on the glass/ornaments with next to no soaking power?



When I mist, it rains. And I mean rains in some of my tanks. All my planted display tanks have glass tops. As an example for my converted china cabinet I actually spray the inside of the top glass piece from the side door with my pressure mister. I spray it for 5+ minutes. It collects the water and starts dropping off as large rain drops which actually help wash off leaves quite well. The runoff flows into the properly drained planted areas while pushing along any debris that can be broken down as fertilizer for the plants. Granted I only have to do this in these tanks once every 2-3 weeks. Some of the vases 3-6 months the evaporation/transpiration is minimal.


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## Tym Hollerup (Apr 24, 2011)

I NEVER use tap water under any circumstance. I go to Pick n' Save or Piggly Wiggly and buy those gallon jugs of Ice Mountain water and use that for any and all water that I give. Whether that be used for watering dishes, misting, or even mixing substrate. You never know what type of chemicals may be lurking in your tap water. I'd rather not chance anything.


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## beckett5000 (Apr 24, 2011)

I only mist my tanks when I see signs of premolt. Other than that all my T's do just fine with only a water dish. This probly isn't a good idea for all T's because some require much higher humidity than others. I keep N. colloratovillosus, A. brocklehursti, A. geniculata, G. pulchra, L. parahybana, and C. cyaneopubescens. Some might not agree with me only misting when it's time to molt, but it's always worked for me, and my T's have never had a problem. I do mist much more with slings though. A couple squirts every other day, and again it all depends on what T's you're keeping.


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## Bill S (Apr 24, 2011)

AbraxasComplex said:


> When I mist, it rains. And I mean rains in some of my tanks. All my planted display tanks have glass tops.


You bring up a very good point.  For planted terraria, misting (or "raining") is very useful, if not required.

On another aspect - "mist" is a normal, natural phenomenon in many areas where tarantulas are found.  In some cases, it can be the primary source of water.  (The Atacama Desert, for example, gets virtually no rain, and receives almost all its water in the form of mist.  Plants and animals that live there are adapted to get their water in this form.)  While I do not advocate spraying your tarantulas, misting their cages is reasonable.  I don't mist mine very often - water bowls and dampened substrate usually provide all the water and moisture they need.  But an occasional misting can help.


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## gromgrom (Apr 24, 2011)

when i first got into the hobby i was against doing it, but now i have to. its just so much faster than dumping water. plus, i mainly keep aboreals and, atm, baby terrestrials, and they drink from the droplets


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