Heat matt causing condensation

[Jonathan6303]

 

[Cash4mould]

no such thing as to smalll for a water bowl the sling wont sink and drown all the lil hairs cause them to float ontop of the water. highly suggest you use the search function on this forum and read up on some of the basics on sling care in general with an open mind without all the stuff you heard from the shop owner. just a suggestion only its your sling you do as you want with its care good luck

I do animal care at college and ive been taught to put like little rocks at the bottom of the water bowl so they dont drown since their lungs are on the bottom but i suppose these are fully grown tarantulas and not slings. Im not sure why i would need to change it if its working fine tho. It would add a lot of moisture to her enclosure as a milk bottle top would easily take up 1/4th to 2/4ths of the enclosure im sorry i dont mean to sound arrogant or rude its just been working absolutely fine for months and im having condensation issues even without the heat matt now and dont want to risk adding extra moisture but i will certainly check out that section if the forum thank you.

 

[Cash4mould]

You don’t need to put cotton wool in there, she won’t drown and can’t drink properly from it. Just give her a bottle cap with standing water. Also cotton wool will harbour bacteria. This is very outdated care information.

I change it daily. Ive seen her drink from it. A milk bottle cap is too big i know you are all giving good advice i just dont want to add more moisture to the tank when this thread is about a condensation problem.

 

[HeartBum]

I change it daily. Ive seen her drink from it. A milk bottle cap is too big i know you are all giving good advice i just dont want to add more moisture to the tank when this thread is about a condensation problem.

If you’re worried about the size then use something like tattoo ink pots. Just please, for the sake of your T, get rid of the cotton wool. They CANNOT drink properly from them, no matter what you think you’ve seen. She’s probably getting most of her moisture from her prey.

 

[Smotzer]

I do animal care at college and ive been taught to put like little rocks at the bottom of the water bowl so they dont drown since their lungs are on the bottom but i suppose these are fully grown tarantulas and not slings. Im not sure why i would need to change it if its working fine tho. It would add a lot of moisture to her enclosure as a milk bottle top would easily take up 1/4th to 2/4ths of the enclosure im sorry i dont mean to sound arrogant or rude its just been working absolutely fine for months and im having condensation issues even without the heat matt now and dont want to risk adding extra moisture but i will certainly check out that section if the forum thank you.

You need to replace some of the substrate with drier substrate you’re having condensation issues because it is wet, and a water bowl isn’t going to add more moisture that you need to worry about. Your substrate has too much moisture that’s what you should be worried about not a water bottle cap for it to have access to clean, unobstructed, water.

Frankly just because somethings been ‘working’ for months doesn’t mean that it’s optimized for tarantula care. I suggest taking the advice of the members who have spent time to give you suggestions to improve the well being of your tarantula.

 

[Frogdaddy]

Excess moisture from a small bottle cap used for water is the least of your concerns. Soaking wet substrate for a species that hails from a very dry area should be your priority. As in completely replacing the wet sub with bone dry sub.

 

[MarkJ]

Lots of great advice here, hope your sling's enclosure responds quickly to the changes.

That said,

How are we not discussing the bone graveyard surrounding this spider?

 

[Dorifto]

Get rid of the heat mat, it's dangerous to tarantulas.
You need ventilation holes - a lot of it! - you're suffocating it with stagnant air.
Your enclosure is much too wet. - there shouldn't be condensation.

Please please please please please read this site on how to care for a G. rosea since right now, you have it in a death trap.

Heat mats are not dangerous, heat mats used improperly, like in this case, they are, those are two completely different things. They can be as dangerous as an improperly setted enclosure without a heat mat. We should educate on how to use them properly instead of spreading that false claim.

Ps: I don't want to sound rude


OP. Follow the instructions suggested above

 

[Myrlina]

I use those plastic boxes for slings, and they are fine but you need to CHANGE out the substrate asap for something much drier, it will take forever to dry naturally. The sling will not drown in a bottle cap of water. Get rid of the rocks. G. rosea are very hardy temperature wise and will be fine at room temperature of 18 degrees C or so.

 

[PhoenixFyre]

Heat mats are not dangerous, heat mats used improperly, like in this case, they are, those are two completely different things. They can be as dangerous as an improperly setted enclosure without a heat mat. We should educate on how to use them properly instead of spreading that false claim.

You're absolutely right, I stand corrected.
I've just seen and heard of too many people killing their T's with a damn heat mat that I think I have a severe hatred for those things and T's - even though I have them for my reptiles.
I guess I saw the picture and thought, "OMG here we go again..."

Gawd, I could possibly be having a Heatmatphobia moment...