I am confused by this apparent contradiction.
That's a joke, right? Substrate is made to breed all kinds of microorganisms! I mean, any kind of healthy substrate should be full of them! Everyone who rated that post 'agree' hasn't really thought about it...
It has been proven it to at least myself with my own collection.@MintyWood826 - I actually think that's an extremely good question, especially since I can't come up with a good answer on top of my head
To the best of my knowledge this 'tarantulas drink from substrate' theory has never really been proven, though... I'm not saying it isn't true, I'm just saying I haven't seen irrefutable proof that they even do that.
It surprises me you haven't seen at least one tarantula drink from the substrate in your own collection. There is nothing special about it. When an area of the substrate is soaked, like when one overfills the water cup/ dish, the tarantula spreads it chelicerae and pedipalps and presses itself onto the substrate instead of over the source of open water. In fact, in my experience, when given a choice tarantulas prefer to drink from the soil instead of the water cups I provide. The only reason I can ascertain is that it is easier for them. The amount of water a tarantula can get from the substrate depends on what type of substrate is used though. Coco fiber soaks up water like a, wait for it, sponge (!) and my tarantulas stay in the drinking position for longer than with topsoil which takes longer to absorb water poured onto it.
I actually have seen my G. pulchra drink from the substrate! If I ever see it happen again, I’ll have to take some photos.
Guess I didn’t really think about it either and just jumped to what first came to mind lol Makes a lot more sense when I actually think about it
Just petstores trying to find a way to be lazy and not give them clean water . Wonder how many of there inverts get eaten by the hordes of crickets jumping around inside cages.
I *always* see people posting about the risks, but I have never actually heard of anyone's T being eaten by feeders...Just petstores trying to find a way to be lazy and not give them clean water . Wonder how many of there inverts get eaten by the hordes of crickets jumping around inside cages.
Go figure I can't find it now, but there's a video on YouTube of a woman's sling (I believe it was a G. pulchra) that got killed by a superworm or mealworm that escaped getting eaten, burrowed, and reached adulthood. It does happen
I saw that one too. It's a real thing. Only a few of the sling's legs were left.
Oh, I wasn't meaning that it doesn't happen... just that I had never actually read any accounts of it/seen photos of it myself.
Well, not necessarily "escaped," they were put in the enclosures during feeding and their owners didn't take them out when they weren't eaten.
Sorry, by "escaped" I meant "escaped being eaten" by the tarantula.Well, not necessarily "escaped," they were put in the enclosures during feeding and their owners didn't take them out when they weren't eaten.
One time, I dropped a superworm ("feeder form" not beetle) on my avicularia's web and it bit her, causing her to bleed a lot, but thankfully only on the leg. That was before I learned about crushing heads. The crushing-head method is pretty popular not just so they don't burrow but also so they don't bite, I believe.
And - same spider - I dropped a cricket on the bottom to let her hunt, and it NOTICED my avic on the wall, and kept JUMPING at her over and over, forcing her into a tiny stress ball. Never seen anything like it! Not saying you don't think they do, just wanted to add that I've personally seen "feeder forms" still attack, even when the tarantula isn't molting, so I'm sure it would've been worse if she was