What happens when it rains in the, umm, RAINforest

[Pacmaster]

So in my researching for my soon to be blondi, I have read a few different sources to say that misting the enclosure is good, but getting the actual tarantula wet is bad.
No further explanations given in at least 3 sources.(robc, I loved that link and I shouldnt even have to tell ya that your not included in this statement)
Actually, I got the notion from the wording of said statements to mean getting ANY tarantula wet is bad.

Im just wondering if Im reading too much into the statements, or if it is in fact bad to get Ts wet :?

I mist my avic cube enclosures about 2-3x a week, and of course the Ts get wet- theres nowhere for them to go.
I dont and havent ever tried to NOT get them wet.
Im not talking a torrential downpour, but I use a cheapo 1pump/1spray trigger spray bottle from a 1$ store, and each cube gets 4 squirts . . .

I think I have 3 out of 35+ Ts that are not from tropical south american RAINforests . . .
Cant tell me that avics have umbrellas down there . . .

 

[codykrr]

im sure they do get moist...but not wet...and acually avacs usually build web up in the trees under leaves and such from my readings and reports...so rain doesnt get them wet....but ive also heard of the rivers flooding till they fall into the water and kinda..."swim" to the next thing to climb on....also i doubt a T blondi would get wet considering in the wild there burrows are about 4 to 5 feet deep...so they would stay quite cool and humid. but far from wet. and as far as getting your Ts "wet" just as long as there book lungs dont get wet they will be fine...

 

[TiberiuSahly]

Not getting a tarantula wet makes sense from the perspective of disease and parasite transmission. It is known that bacteria spores develop in moist environment and that fungus spores and parasite eggs are best transmitted with water as a "vector". So practically, wetting a tarantula increases the chance that more parasite organisms will develop on your animal or that it will catch an infectious disease, which it may or may not spread to other animals.
Otherwise, the "hairs" on the tarantulas isolate the animal from water pretty well.
If I am talking stupid please correct me.

 

[Miz]

seems pretty solid to me

 

[peachypaderna]

Yipes. I misted the film pot of my Chaco spiderling earlier today, and a drop of water accidentally fell square on him/her. Does that really harm the sling? I noticed that he/she recoiled a bit, but that's about it.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

I think you guys are reading too much into it. As far as I know the only reason not to spray a tarantula directly - and it's a good reason - is because it freaks them out and they pretty clearly don't like it.

It's like if you were chillin in your living room and some jerk suddenly blasted you in the face with a firehose.

 

[Cocoa-Jin]

I think you guys are reading too much into it. As far as I know the only reason not to spray a tarantula directly - and it's a good reason - is because it freaks them out and they pretty clearly don't like it.

It's like if you were chillin in your living room and some jerk suddenly blasted you in the face with a firehose.

thank you!

 

[Pacmaster]

I think you guys are reading too much into it. As far as I know the only reason not to spray a tarantula directly - and it's a good reason - is because it freaks them out and they pretty clearly don't like it.

It's like if you were chillin in your living room and some jerk suddenly blasted you in the face with a firehose.

Now see, that makes sense to me.

 

[equuskat]

I think you guys are reading too much into it. As far as I know the only reason not to spray a tarantula directly - and it's a good reason - is because it freaks them out and they pretty clearly don't like it.

It's like if you were chillin in your living room and some jerk suddenly blasted you in the face with a firehose.

Exactly. The water doesn't "harm" the tarantulas. Have you guys seen H. gigas swimming? They do. Most tarantulas will seek shelter from rain, though, because they just don't like it. Your avics probably don't mind terribly if they aren't running away. Just don't squirt them directly! lol

 

[barabootom]

Just don't squirt them directly! lol

If you do squirt them directly, the avics might squirt back.

 

[MizM]

Not getting a tarantula wet makes sense from the perspective of disease and parasite transmission. It is known that bacteria spores develop in moist environment and that fungus spores and parasite eggs are best transmitted with water as a "vector". So practically, wetting a tarantula increases the chance that more parasite organisms will develop on your animal or that it will catch an infectious disease, which it may or may not spread to other animals.
Otherwise, the "hairs" on the tarantulas isolate the animal from water pretty well.
If I am talking stupid please correct me.

This is precisely that I keep most enclosures bone dry. A big bowl of fresh water is all they need.

With blondi, I DO keep the substrate moist on one end of the enclosure, but I keep roly poly bugs in the enclosure as little free housekeepers!!

 

[MrRogers]

Something tells me tarantulas would've lost the evolution battle a long time ago if water hurt them that much. I'm no scientist but water and rain have been around for a long time. Pretty sure Ts can deal with a little bit of it. :?

 

[Agent Jones]

Something tells me tarantulas would've lost the evolution battle a long time ago if water hurt them that much. I'm no scientist but water and rain have been around for a long time. Pretty sure Ts can deal with a little bit of it. :?

Mhm. I mist my avic slings regularly, and since they like to bask on the top vents of their vials, they do get sprayed. They're alive and well.

 

[MizM]

Something tells me tarantulas would've lost the evolution battle a long time ago if water hurt them that much. I'm no scientist but water and rain have been around for a long time. Pretty sure Ts can deal with a little bit of it. :?

Oh sure, doesn't hurt them a bit. But in the wild, there are all kinds of flora and fauna that keep the mold and parasites down. We simply cannot reproduce that in captivity, so when you introduce mositure, you encourage little nasties.

They also would have lost the evolution battle long ago if they couldn't exist in dry conditions. They are not nearly as delicate as some think they are and can adapt very well to the things we subject them to in order to satisfy what WE think is best.

 

[wedge07]

Exactly. The water doesn't "harm" the tarantulas. Have you guys seen H. gigas swimming? They do.

They even go fishing! I really am going to have to get one of these.

I really wouldn't worry about getting T a little wet, just don't soak them. I don't really know if all Ts can swim or can even be submerged in water like H. gigas but to me it seems Ts are not really built to handle a lot of water due to the fact that their breathing apparatus is on the ventral side of their abdomen. Just a thought.

 

[Moltar]

My body is waterproof but that doesn't mean I like getting sprayed with a hose...

 

[MizM]

Ts are covered by a waxy-like substance that prevents them from becoming truly wet. It holds an insulating layer of air next to their "skin". If you've ever seen a T. blondi submerge itself, you can see that very thin layer of air around it, they almost look metallic.

 

[wedge07]

Ts are covered by a waxy-like substance that prevents them from becoming truly wet. It holds an insulating layer of air next to their "skin". If you've ever seen a T. blondi submerge itself, you can see that very thin layer of air around it, they almost look metallic.

That is pretty interesting. I have seen Rob's H. gigas video and it does look metallic. I had thought it may might been caused by air pockets created by the Ts hairs. Is that in the TKG? Where did you read that? I am just curious.

 

[MizM]

That is pretty interesting. I have seen Rob's H. gigas video and it does look metallic. I had thought it may might been caused by air pockets created by the Ts hairs. Is that in the TKG? Where did you read that? I am just curious.

TTKG, page 162. (3rd edition)

 

[Miss Bianca]

That is pretty interesting. I have seen Rob's H. gigas video and it does look metallic. I had thought it may might been caused by air pockets created by the Ts hairs. Is that in the TKG? Where did you read that? I am just curious.

I've read it in different places actually, that about the waxy layer of protection.. but yes, it is actually in TKG...
on pg. 22 of the 3rd edition...