Water bowls. Are they really necessary???

[P. Novak]

I don't understand why this is an argument at all, why not just put a waterdish in their cages? It's not like they are expensive or anything of that matter. It can't hurt, but the lack of one has a potential to do so. I don't necessarily say they need one, but the benefits outweigh the risks.

What's that saying? Oh yea, "It's better safe, than sorry".

 

[Poxicator]

Peace

Are you sure about that? perhaps you should have said Peaced off!

Looks like i struck a raw nerve, you should get a band aid for that.
I'll leave your gnashing for others to reply to.

 

[Treynok]

Argument was the wrong word as this is more of a discussion and everyone involved has remained civil. Discussing is a good thing and I do realize every keeper has the right to keep their animals the way they want to. My only real point to the post was if they so commonly use a water dish when provided why would anyone not provide a dish besides personal choice.

I've kept no species that have buried their water dish but have kept no species yet that heavily dig. I can understand as this is a good counterpoint to having a dish.

Do you provide another source of moisture to the T besides solely food in these cases?

 

[curiousme]

Do you provide another source of moisture to the T besides solely food in these cases?

When we rehoused it we went without the dish, but make sure that there is always a wet spot for it every week or so to drink from if it needs it.

I personally don't feel comfortable only providing water through food. I am not saying it is wrong, but that personally I wouldn't.

 

[JimM]

Looks like i struck a raw nerve,

Don't flatter yourself junior.

 

[Stewjoe]

But if I take away the water dish where will my T's put their bolus?

 

[JimM]

I personally don't feel comfortable only providing water through food. I am not saying it is wrong, but that personally I wouldn't.

You know it's funny, my smithi seems to be bent on filling in the dish ASAP, and one of my GBB's webs it over almost immediately. These are two of the handful of my specimens that get a dish, but just funny that they refuse to use it and seem almost offended by it's presence.

 

[Fran]

IMO, it is irresponsable to fail to provide to your t's a simple water dish full of water.
Irresponsable and a very stupid unnecessary risk.

 

[MIC]

The OP's question was: Water bowls. Are they really necessary???

Definetely the answer is NO. What is necessary is the 'WATER'.

Now is raising the question ' under what form the water must be supplied?' and the answers is few. (misting the substrate, offering preys regurarely, having a water bowl).

To decide what is the best way to offer water, IMO we must consider which of the above ways permits the tarantula to regulate by itself the water reception and the humidity degree. I suppose that a water bowl gives to the spider the 'pleasure' to have a direct access to water and gives also the opportunity to 'play' with the humidity, filling with substrate the disk if it wants to increase the humidity or webbing the disk if it likes more dry conditions.

So from the spider point of view I would say that offering a water bowl is the best choise. From the owner point of view is another story. For someone who has just a couple of tarantulas I don't thing is a serious work to clean and refill the disk every week or a couple of weeks. But for someone who has dozens of them is a hard a time consuming work to do this. I think that the last one has all the right to invest on minimizing the work, on the presumption that he will not hurt the animal after all.

 

[Fran]

The OP's question was: Water bowls. Are they really necessary???

Definetely the answer is NO. What is necessary is the 'WATER'.

Now is raising the question ' under what form the water must be supplied?' and the answers is few. (misting the substrate, offering preys regurarely, having a water bowl).

To decide what is the best way to offer water, IMO we must consider which of the above ways permits the tarantula to regulate by itself the water reception and the humidity degree. I suppose that a water bowl gives to the spider the 'pleasure' to have a direct access to water and gives also the opportunity to 'play' with the humidity, filling with substrate the disk if it wants to increase the humidity or webbing the disk if it likes more dry conditions.

So from the spider point of view I would say that offering a water bowl is the best choise. From the owner point of view is another story. For someone who has just a couple of tarantulas I don't thing is a serious work to clean and refill the disk every week or a couple of weeks. But for someone who has dozens of them is a hard a time consuming work to do this. I think that the last one has all the right to invest on minimizing the work, on the presumption that he will not hurt the animal after all.

I dont agree to some statements.

First, if you are not gonna have the time to provide the propper and minimal care requirments such a water dish, then cut down your collection.

open water source is a must for a propper care, and is extremely easy to provide...and its free.

That you want to have 1000 T's and because of that you are not providing them water dishes? You might not be cleaning regularly, neither feeding regularly= Poor care of your animals. simple.


For the love of God , I understand some people dont have the means or the necessity to provide them with an accurate hygrometer/thermometer, or humidifiers or 40G tanks. Ok, but water dish? Poor care.

 

[LirvA]

hey am I doing it wrong on my water dish for my A. metallica?

It's the bottom of a plastic cup ... probably about 3 inches deep or so. Freakin crickets keep falling in and drowning. asl;kjdl;fkjasdfl;kjsdflj

 

[curiousme]

I dont agree to some statements.

First, if you are not gonna have the time to provide the propper and minimal care requirments such a water dish, then cut down your collection.

open water source is a must for a propper care, and is extremely easy to provide...and its free.

That you want to have 1000 T's and because of that you are not providing them water dishes? You might not be cleaning regularly, neither feeding regularly= Poor care of your animals. simple.


For the love of God , I understand some people dont have the means or the necessity to provide them with an accurate hygrometer/thermometer, or humidifiers or 40G tanks. Ok, but water dish? Poor care.

Our Ts that do not have water dishes, do not have them because they will not leave them alone. Period. We don't have 1000 Ts, or too little time to do upkeep, but when the tarantula repeatedly buries a dish so well that you can't even tell where it has gone to; do you dig up mounds of substrate to find it, or do you take the hint and leave it out? In my opinion, digging up their enclosure to find it is more stressful than providing water through the substrate. I would love to provide a dish for these Ts that don't have one, but they do not seem to want one.

Now since the title of the thread is:

Water Bowls. Are they really necessary???

How about you answer that question and not 'How do you feel about people not providing a water dish'. I understand that you feel it is lazy to not provide one and that it is a poor care habit, but the truth of the matter is that they aren't necessary and it is possible to provide proper hydration through other methods.

It is bad advice to tell beginning keepers and even some more experienced keepers to not have one, but it can be done safely and smartly. However, the point of the thread was not to give advice on the subject, but opinions and experiences on whether it is necessary.

 

[Fran]

Our Ts that do not have water dishes, do not have them because they will not leave them alone. Period. We don't have 1000 Ts, or too little time to do upkeep, but when the tarantula repeatedly buries a dish so well that you can't even tell where it has gone to; do you dig up mounds of substrate to find it, or do you take the hint and leave it out? In my opinion, digging up their enclosure to find it is more stressful than providing water through the substrate. I would love to provide a dish for these Ts that don't have one, but they do not seem to want one.

Now since the title of the thread is:

Water Bowls. Are they really necessary???

How about you answer that question and not 'How do you feel about people not providing a water dish'. I understand that you feel it is lazy to not provide one and that it is a poor care habit, but the truth of the matter is that they aren't necessary and it is possible to provide proper hydration through other methods.

It is bad advice to tell beginning keepers and even some more experienced keepers to not have one, but it can be done safely and smartly. However, the point of the thread was not to give advice on the subject, but opinions and experiences on whether it is necessary.

And I think it is necessary, specially for adult tarantulas.

(Since 1995 I had one bad molt, 1 month ago, resulting in death, 1 . Water dishes do much more than providing water strictly to drink )

 

[curiousme]

And I think it is necessary, specially for adult tarantulas.

(Since 1995 I had one bad molt, 1 month ago, resulting in death, 1 . Water dishes do much more than providing water strictly to drink )

See that post answers the question nicely.

Now, when you say 'it does much more', can you explain? I am fairly sure I know what you mean, but I would love to hear how you explain it. You have a TON more experience than I do and I respect that, just so there is no confusion.

 

[Fran]

See that post answers the question nicely.

Now, when you say 'it does much more', can you explain? I am fairly sure I know what you mean, but I would love to hear how you explain it. You have a TON more experience than I do and I respect that, just so there is no confusion.

Thanks,

I do know what you mean, and I say this because im quite sure 99% of the people is not gonna take the time to mist or soak or provide adecuate care for their T's the way you show you do, hence the PUT A WATER DISH .

The water dish provides general humidity in the whole terrarium (obvious, I know) also it gives a tarantula the chance of, in any given time that the T decides to molt, even if is one from a drier surrowndings, it can always decide to molt right next to the dish for a smooth molt. I Am sure many of you have seen this before.

Besides this, with a large enough eater dish, it gives the great advantage of keeping the substrate drier which will pretty much eliminate mites infestation.
Drier substrate with a water dish=no problem.

Also, when gravid, T's will make the determination if avoid the humidity covering it up with dirt or, as it is my case right now with an LP, lay right next to it for the extra moist.

In general, water dish is in general an all around great idea in my opinion.

 

[RottweilExpress]

"Water bowls. Are they really necessary??? "


No. But they help. A well moisted corner does the job and is often less tampered with than a bowl.

 

[Fran]

"Water bowls. Are they really necessary??? "


No. But they help. A well moisted corner does the job and is often less tampered with than a bowl.

I guess you have never kept Theraphosa, Pamphobeteus,Megaphobema...

 

[RottweilExpress]

I guess you have never kept Theraphosa, Pamphobeteus,Megaphobema...

I'm sooo tired of your big mouth. It's even bigger than the rest of you.

 

[Fran]

I'm sooo tired of your big mouth. It's even bigger than the rest of you.

poor baby.

 

[Zoltan]

Moderator's Note

RottweilExpress & Fran: if you guys don't like each other, feel free to ignore the other's posts, using the ignore list function if you are incapable to otherwise, but please don't derail this thread. I'd only like to read about whether are water bowls necessary from now on here.