Water bowl for small slings?

Morris23352

Arachnopeon
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Oct 5, 2010
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16
What can I use as a water bowl do small slings around an inch? Can they drown? I've always used a soda bottle cap with a few pebbles in it. Any ideas?
 

Poec54

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I use the plastic lids from 16 oz water bottles. I give them to all my slings 1/2" DLS and up. None have ever drown.

Pebbles are a poor idea. Completely unnecessary, and you can't keep them from accumulating bacteria.
 

parthicus

Arachnopeon
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Feb 7, 2014
Messages
23
A soda bottle cap/acrylic cap is what I use for slings 1"+. If they are smaller than that, you do not really need to provide a water source other than the moisture you put into its enclosure. Pebbles are a bad idea. Just put a little bit of water in the cap instead of using pebbles.
 

Poec54

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It's best to use something plentiful and disposable, as water bowls become receptacles for boluses & feces.
 

GG80

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Nov 26, 2013
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For a 1" sling you'll have no problem with a regular bottle cap. For slings 1/4" and up I've been using the tips of plastic clothes pegs for 2 years and they work a treat.
 

Poec54

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For me, the cutoff sling size for water bowls is 1/2". At 1" there's no issue whatsoever.

For slings under 1/2", instead of a water bowl I lay some long fiber sphagnum on the substrate and keep that moist.
 

bryverine

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Apr 18, 2012
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For me, the cutoff sling size for water bowls is 1/2". At 1" there's no issue whatsoever.

For slings under 1/2", instead of a water bowl I lay some long fiber sphagnum on the substrate and keep that moist.
Can you use a cotton ball/Q-tips like you would for treating a dehydrated tarantula or is this just asking for bacterial growth?
 

Poec54

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Can you use a cotton ball/Q-tips like you would for treating a dehydrated tarantula or is this just asking for bacterial growth?

Wet cotton gets disgusting pretty quick with mold, mildew, and bacteria. Is there some reason why you can't use long fiber sphagnum?
 

Flexzone

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Mar 1, 2015
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Can you use a cotton ball/Q-tips like you would for treating a dehydrated tarantula or is this just asking for bacterial growth?
The ph of peat moss inhibits most bacterial and mold growth, Cotton on the other hand would be like rolling the welcome mat for microbes. Best not to use it.
 
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Vindicta

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 21, 2016
Messages
7
I have tons of various sizes of seashells, I use Itty bitty ones flipped over for a water bowl when there's not enough room for a bottle cap in a sling container and then move up to bottle caps when I can. I've also been using larger seashells for hides but I think I'm gonna switch to wood.

I've heard of people using empty pill bubbles as water bowls for little slings too.
 

Fins

Arachnosquire
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May 18, 2011
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129
I started saving the caps to my contact lens cases. I get a new case with each bottle of solution. Didn't take long to have a nice supply.
 
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