B. Smithi and Water Dish

[Travis K]

QUESTION:

I have a large female B. Smithi and have a water dish in with her. I wonder if i actually need it though? I fill it up and she really doesnt pay any attention to it, it just slowly evaporates. I think she is getting all the water she needs form her B. Dubia Roaches, she is kinda a pig if you know what i mean. Her tank is deep with substrate so the humidity is pretty much a med low constant, it doesnt flucuate very much.

Really if there is no need to give her water, then i would just assume take it out, cause i don't like the way it looks.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Yes, you need it. Even if you don't see her drinking ever, she probably is, even if only once or twice a month while you're asleep.

We've had several threads with people wondering why their tarantulas were displaying some odd symptoms, only for us to discover that it was dehydration because the owner didn't think their tarantula was ever using the water bowl.

 

[julesaussies]

QUESTION:

Really if there is no need to give her water, then i would just assume take it out, cause i don't like the way it looks.

If you don't like the way it looks, get one you don't mind looking at.

i catch mine drinking from his dish all the time. Definately not enough to make a difference in the water level like my dogs. i don't know how much of it he actually drinks or how much gets evaporated. i just clean it and give him fresh water once a week but he definately uses it. i'm also home a lot and i keep kind of crazy hours so i have noticed several of my large T's drinking much more often than i ever read about on here.

Get a new dish if you like, but keep the water.

 

[Travis K]

Ok

Thats enough proof for me, ill look around for a decent natural looking water dish.

 

[Beth-Tex]

Currently I have 3 B. smithis & I have seen all of them drink water. Mine (for some reason) seem to like the water particularly after they have eaten. It may be due to the fact that is when I change out the water or it could be that they are cleaning their mouth parts after eating. Don't know, but do know that they utilize their water at various times.

Beth

 

[GailC]

I rarely see any of my T's drink but I know they do. My juvi smithi will sit in her dish if its empty, in fact a few of my T's will do that.

I always use deep plastic lids for dishes but my new smithi came with a nice grey fake rock looking dish, looks nice but holds very little water.

 

[_bob_]

awww thirsty t

 

[-Sarah-]

Yep, your tarantulas absolutely need a water dish in their terrariums. A lot of my tarantulas will sit in their empty water dish, too. They also like to poop and throw partially-eaten crickets in there, so I have to keep an eye on those dishes I've seen most of my tarantulas drink, except for a few of the anti-social ones who would rather wait until night to come out.

-Sarah

 

[NeitherSparky]

I see mine drinking often enough.

 

[penny'smom]

I've never actually seen Penny drink, but I am cleaning pieces of subst out of it almost daily, so I take that as proof she's using it.

 

[baf236]

I've never seen my B. smiti drink but a few times the water dish (gatorade cap) was full and when I looked again just 1 hr later it was completely empty.

 

[Water spider]

My subadult B.smithi sometimes sits in his water dish, and often goes there to eat his prey.

 

[pinkzebra]

I have seen most of my 50+ tarantulas drink at one time or another. I wouldn't go without one in my enclosures. My smithi is one of my biggest drinkers.

 

[Rochelle]

My big smithi-girl "Juanita" actually sits most of the time right over her water dish; and will defend it to the last....
If you don't like the looks of your dish, you could always go to the local dollar store and pick up a few of those tiny glass ashtrays. It ends up looking like the T. has her "good crystal" out...
Flea markets are a good source of unique dishes for water, also. When you have more than 50 tanks lined up with "crystal" dishes and bone china... well....it looks pretty.!
*embarrassedsmiling*

 

[Mushroom Spore]

I've never seen my B. smiti drink but a few times the water dish (gatorade cap) was full and when I looked again just 1 hr later it was completely empty.

It's also possible there's a strand of spiderweb in there leeching out the water, if it's emptying that quickly.

 

[penny'smom]

Now that I think about it, my old smithi (RIP) was at her dish rather frequently. I had to refill it every 2-3 days.

 

[gothmog]

*Hic*

 

[penny'smom]

LOL...good to the last drop!