At what stage do you add a water dish to your sling's enclosure?

[drolmaeye]

I see many keepers do not use a water dish for small slings. My understanding is there are various ways to keep slings hydrated: through feeding, keeping lower/lowest levels of substrate damp, periodically adding water through mist or drops, etc.

For those who do not use a water dish for small slings, at what stage do you introduce a water dish? Is it when the enclosure is large enough to include one? Or when your sling reaches an approximate DLS? Any broad/specific guidelines to consider?

I am new to the hobby with a small A. geniculata sling living in a water dish-less home and looking for some insight for the future.

 

[A guy]

When there's space to do so.

 

[Mustafa67]

I see many keepers do not use a water dish for small slings. My understanding is there are various ways to keep slings hydrated: through feeding, keeping lower/lowest levels of substrate damp, periodically adding water through mist or drops, etc.

For those who do not use a water dish for small slings, at what stage do you introduce a water dish? Is it when the enclosure is large enough to include one? Or when your sling reaches an approximate DLS? Any broad/specific guidelines to consider?

I am new to the hobby with a small A. geniculata sling living in a water dish-less home and looking for some insight for the future.

I always add a water dish

 

[kingshockey]

Soon as it hits about a 1/4 inch at that size I normally house them in cages then with enough room to fit a bottle cap. Yep I house in bigger cages than neededits just what works for me

 

[Andrew Clayton]

I see many keepers do not use a water dish for small slings. My understanding is there are various ways to keep slings hydrated: through feeding, keeping lower/lowest levels of substrate damp, periodically adding water through mist or drops, etc.

For those who do not use a water dish for small slings, at what stage do you introduce a water dish? Is it when the enclosure is large enough to include one? Or when your sling reaches an approximate DLS? Any broad/specific guidelines to consider?

I am new to the hobby with a small A. geniculata sling living in a water dish-less home and looking for some insight for the future.

There is always space for a water dish no matter how small the enclosure.
Here is a 5cm cube container I use for Avic slings.

Avic sling enclosure

• Andrew Clayton
• Feb 16, 2025

Whole enclosure setup

Even a water dish in a 35ml vial for Arboreal slings,

For me at least there is no reason not to provide a water dish for slings, unless they are just hatched from a sac, in incubation.

 

[viper69]

Immediately!!

 

[MysteryInc]

I give all my tarantulas water dishes, you may have to get creative for the tiny slings.

 

[Ratmosphere]

All of the time.

 

[Requiem4aSpleen]

How small is the sling? If its 2i, I'd be VERY careful. I add a small dish to .5 and up.

 

[Brewser]

H2O is Essential
Your call on how to provide it.

 

[WolfieKate]

Always. I just size the water bowl, so it’s appropriate. Even my smallest slings will use a water “bowl”.

 

[viper69]

I see many keepers do not use a water dish for small slings. My understanding is there are various ways to keep slings hydrated: through feeding, keeping lower/lowest levels of substrate damp, periodically adding water through mist or drops, etc.

For those who do not use a water dish for small slings, at what stage do you introduce a water dish? Is it when the enclosure is large enough to include one? Or when your sling reaches an approximate DLS? Any broad/specific guidelines to consider?

I am new to the hobby with a small A. geniculata sling living in a water dish-less home and looking for some insight for the future.

Upload a pic of your Ts box so we can how large its home is, provide the box's dimensions too. People use everything from tiny LEGO pieces to SMALL tattoo ink cups for water dishes.

 

[Motherofspiders112707]

As soon as you get them. The size of the dish needs to be appropriate for the size of the sling, obviously, but once they have fluff on them, get SOMETHING in that tank. Otherwise they will get dehydrated

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I give it to them after .6”.

 

[drolmaeye]

Upload a pic of your Ts box so we can how large its home is, provide the box's dimensions too. People use everything from tiny LEGO pieces to SMALL tattoo ink cups for water dishes.

The perspective is a bit weird, but the cup is about 2.25" in diameter. Spider is a bit less than 0.5". I have a small tattoo ink cup. It think I will cut it down and add it at about the 6 o'clock spot. Spider has since dug a small burrow around the 12 o'clock spot.

 

[viper69]

The perspective is a bit weird, but the cup is about 2.25" in diameter. Spider is a bit less than 0.5". I have a small tattoo ink cup. It think I will cut it down and add it at about the 6 o'clock spot. Spider has since dug a small burrow around the 12 o'clock spot.
View attachment 494274

Nice and plump, that’s how I keep slings. Their only job is to grow and hide from predators

 

[drolmaeye]

Nice and plump, that’s how I keep slings. Their only job is to grow and hide from predators

I got it 10 days ago and it was quite small! Anyway, I have been offering it a very small red runner every three days and it seems to like that. But now I'm worried I'm feeding it too much as it's definitely filled out a bit.

So far I feel like both the spider and I are off to a decent start, just don't want to mess it up. I'll add the small water dish tomorrow.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I got it 10 days ago and it was quite small! Anyway, I have been offering it a very small red runner every three days and it seems to like that. But now I'm worried I'm feeding it too much as it's definitely filled out a bit.

So far I feel like both the spider and I are off to a decent start, just don't want to mess it up. I'll add the small water dish tomorrow.

Get a picture of the dish in your deli cup before you cut it smaller to get opinions. So you don’t make it too shallow. I’m using a pop lid for my biggest sling .8”-1”.

 

[goofyGoober99]

I got it 10 days ago and it was quite small! Anyway, I have been offering it a very small red runner every three days and it seems to like that. But now I'm worried I'm feeding it too much as it's definitely filled out a bit.

So far I feel like both the spider and I are off to a decent start, just don't want to mess it up. I'll add the small water dish tomorrow.

Don't worry too much about a feeding schedule. They don't need to eat every x amount of days or whatever. Better to go by abdomen size. Lil bro's looking chunky so you can probably go awhile before feeding again
I've used the blister packs from pills (just need to sand down any sharp edges) as water dishes for small slings.

I think she was a about 1cm here. I've switched all my slings to bottle caps now since they're all over 2cm.

 

[viper69]

I got it 10 days ago and it was quite small! Anyway, I have been offering it a very small red runner every three days and it seems to like that. But now I'm worried I'm feeding it too much as it's definitely filled out a bit.

So far I feel like both the spider and I are off to a decent start, just don't want to mess it up. I'll add the small water dish tomorrow.

No need to feed on a schedule. Feed as often as the sling will eat