How do you change an OW tarantula's water dish?

[UralOwl]

Usually I just take out the bowl and refill and/or clean it if my T has decided to kick some of her substrate into the dish. I've tried just pouring some water into the dish without actually taking it out, though I usually always end up accidently spilling some of it onto the sub, and my G.Rosea doesn't like that one bit.

She doesn't seem to care about me taking out the dish and has only every reacted once (started casually walking towards me when I put my hand in her enclosure to get the dish, disturbed by the vibrations I suspect). But it does make me wonder, how do you change the water dish safely when it comes to fast & aggressive/defensive Old World tarantulas? I don't own any as of yet, but it is something I've pondered if I do ever end up getting one. I've tried searching for this, though can't seem to find any info.
One of my friends who has a young OBT almost had it escape once when he had to change the dish after she'd taken a dump in the water.

 

[le-thomas]

I'll either just open up the container and take out the bowl, pour through the lid, or open the lid slightly, grab the dish with tongs, fill it, and put it back this same way or by opening the lid completely. Generally, the best thing is to just not disturb the tarantula.

 

[Vespula]

I just wait until the orange demon is in her hole and reach in quickly with twelve inch tongs.

 

[StonyJ]

well im lucky my OW T is a cobalt blue so u usually clean it when its in its hole. but other than that i just use my syringe to shoot water in the dish. and ive had the same problem with my rosie shes the devil.

 

[UralOwl]

Thanks for the replies, though none of them are too reassuring, lol.
Thankfully, I think I'm just going to stick with my New World terrestrials for the time being anyhow.

 

[wesker12]

Thanks for the replies, though none of them are too reassuring, lol.
Thankfully, I think I'm just going to stick with my New World terrestrials for the time being anyhow.

Get some fast, mean, gorgeous OW arboreals and just take a few shots before ballsing in bare handed

Seriously though a good syringe works wonders for meanies.

 

[Niffarious]

Interesting, never thought of a syringe!

I've never had a problem using just tongs to remove and replace water dishes. Although in the back of my mind, I'm always wondering - can't these guys run up said tongs? Haha

 

[catfishrod69]

Depending on which of my tarantulas im watering, i use tweezers/16" curved forceps/and bare hand.

 

[BrettG]

How? Really freaking carefully,that's how.

 

[poisoned]

I'm filling dishes with pressure flower mister (is this the right word?). Just unscrew the nozzle and a nice stream comes out

 

[BrettG]

I'm filling dishes with pressure flower mister (is this the right word?). Just unscrew the nozzle and a nice stream comes out

Exactly what we do.Gives you that added reach around the spiders that would rather suck your face.Ingrates. They should be glad they even have a water dish....

 

[wesker12]

Exactly what we do.Gives you that added reach around the spiders that would rather suck your face.Ingrates. They should be glad they even have a water dish....

hahahahaha you are so right! Like I was removing a bolus from my plattys enclosure and she dug her fangs inside my pencil that I was using to pick it up and wrenched it out of my hand. I looked at her in disbelief and briefly considered just letting her home be stinky if she wanted it so bad before blowing on her and grabbing it while she was distracted.

 

[Masurai]

Get some fast, mean, gorgeous OW arboreals and just take a few shots before ballsing in bare handed

Seriously though a good syringe works wonders for meanies.

I'll back this 100%, I have one of those big syringes you use in the kitchen. If i had to do this i would take it and put some tubing on the end that way my hand was never in the enclosure.

 

[Cldfire]

I rather use one place in corner of enclosure for misting than using water bowl for OW's. If you want to be extra safe you can moist it through the lid.

 

[Tbone192]

I have the ultimate solution for you. I mainly keep OW T's as I am highly sensitive to UrS. I store my tongs so that the grippy bits are submerged in oil. This way, when I am feeding, spiders can't climb the tongs. I had a close call with a 5" C dyscolus when I started keeping, almost made it to my hand. I had to drop the tongs nice and low so as not to flip him out of his enclosure. Oiled tongs = no issues. Typically when I open the enclosure my T's either freeze or immediately hide, then I can quickly grab dishes or spot clean, when I'm dealing with an angry spider, I just wait for them to hide and then I cover their burrow temporarily until I finish up in their enclosure. Sometimes I don't even remove the old dish, I just throw a new one in.

TLDR: oil your tongs, not the handle though. Be quick and efficient when working in your T's enclosure. If anything seems sketchy, close the lid and try again later.

 

[kingshockey]

long pair of tongs just pluck it out replace with a new one then fill it close the lid. i have a stash of new bottle caps pb lids etc so i can either wash the dirty one or toss it out depending on how many replacement lids i currently have. either way your always gonna want to use a long pair of tongs anytime your messin with a ts cage ow or nw. its just common sense

 

[Tbone192]

@kingshockey is absolutely right, would you rather use A or B for a tarantula enclosure? Common sense is the name of the game, spidey sense helps a lot too

 

[Arachnophobphile]

I rather use one place in corner of enclosure for misting than using water bowl for OW's. If you want to be extra safe you can moist it through the lid.

Anything that keeps your T and you safe works.

If you have a fossorial OW then cup the burrow entrance with one hand. With the other hand use tongs to remove water dish and replace or refill it, very simple.

My vagans may not be an OW but she will not hesitate to kick UrS at you. In one motion I pop the lid and cup her. Sometimes she runs for the burrow with her abdomen sticking out. Either way she gets cupped. With my other hand I can do maintenance or refill waterdish.

Arboreals require a different technique. I find arboreals way easier to work with than terrestrials.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

12-year-old question? Same exact way I change a new worlds… 10” tweezers help too if your spider is angry .. but I Would wait til there away from the water dish to grab it . Don’t risk any t biting the 10” tweezers .
How do you change an OW tarantula's water dish?

 

[Kada]

I'll back this 100%, I have one of those big syringes you use in the kitchen. If i had to do this i would take it and put some tubing on the end that way my hand was never in the enclosure.

thats how I fill all our water dishes as well. Big syringe with aquarium tubing on the end. Just need to open a tiny crack and stick it in. If the dish is dirty and needs taking out, I use a towel, or shirt or something, stick long tongs in as small a Crack as possible and use the towel to cover all the open areas of the lid opening around my tongs. If there is no opening, they can't escape..