What's with Ts and Watermelon?

EricSJCA

Arachnopeon
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Jan 8, 2016
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I thought maybe my potentially pregnant female Grammostola pulchripes was just having weird cravings, but then the male did the same thing:
Picked up a small slice of watermelon rind and held it for at least an hour before dropping it. Hard to tell if they got anything out of it or if the rind had just desiccated partly on its own.
116369812_10224086385533307_7682733794780407014_o.jpg 115912768_10224086385853315_4233238226594042973_o.jpg
 

mack1855

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I’m more curious why there was watermelon rind in a T enclosure.Not being critical,just was scratching my head over that.
I’m always open to new T keeping ideas within reason,but this is really out there .
Is something you read about,or thought up on your own.
 

EricSJCA

Arachnopeon
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Jan 8, 2016
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It was an ivory roach's last meal.
Those roaches hide better than they run, and I sometimes put in a little of their food to lure them back out.

I've been offering the Ts water sprinkled on glass and leaves, so it was a little odd to see both Ts finding and picking up melon like food. It was actually hard to get those pictures because there were droplets all over the glass. I imagined they must be detecting something else besides water since there were easier ways for them to get water—or maybe not.
 

mack1855

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Am I reading that correctly.You are feeding roaches while they are in the T,s enclosure?Well,thats different.Neat story,and response from your T,s.
 

Jess S

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Would you let me recommend providing a waterdish? It'll be beneficial for your T's and a lot easier than you. :)
 

EricSJCA

Arachnopeon
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Would you let me recommend providing a waterdish?
Are you trying to civilize my Ts?
They've been drinking distilled water off of leaves and other objects as long as there's been Ts.
Next thing you know, you'll have them eating with tableware.

Yeah, I guess I could wash out their watering dishes and start using those again, but then I have to open the lid, take them out, wash them, put them back, fill them, put the lid back on...
How often am I supposed to clean their water dishes?
 

Jess S

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Are you trying to civilize my Ts?
They've been drinking distilled water off of leaves and other objects as long as there's been Ts.
Next thing you know, you'll have them eating with tableware.

Yeah, I guess I could wash out their watering dishes and start using those again, but then I have to open the lid, take them out, wash them, put them back, fill them, put the lid back on...
How often am I supposed to clean their water dishes?
I just fill with tap water. When they need refilling i give the dish a quick rinse under the tap making sure to wash off webbing, substrate etc (cos it wicks the water out, often emptying the dish before you know it). No fancy distilled water in my house lol :)

Ps if you strategically place the dish under a vent hole on the lid, you don't have to open up to fill it. I just squirt the water in with a pipette. If it looks dirty or if it emptied in a suspiciously short amount of time (which indicates something is trailing in it wicking it out) then I give it a quick wash.
 
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EricSJCA

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Watermelon is 99% water I’ve read...
:lol: To allow for a little more mystery, watermelon's only 92% water—the rind they got, between 80 & 85%
Now I just need some dehydrated watermelon...

Yes, it's probably the water, but I've had soaked coconut coir, soaked moss, and other wet items in there and haven't seen them picked up yet.
 

DomGom TheFather

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This just proves that EVERYBODY loves watermelon.
Stereotype busted!

And you thought it was a roach thing. Tisk.
 

BladeGypsy

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Neat and interesting story - thank you for sharing.
For what it's worth, I second adding water dishes to your enclosures. Sure it can be a PITA to change them out, especially with a large collection, but it is worth it for the ideal care of the animals.
As far as how often to change water dishes - in general I do a full change on everyone in my collection about once a week. However, if I notice a dirty dish with a bolus or something unsavory looking in it I change it earlier.
For example, I just changed everyone's water dishes, did necessary feedings and spot cleanings yesterday - takes about two hours....I wake up to find that my G. actaeon female that had fed yesterday decided to deposit the remains of her dubia into her water dish - so I changed it again. If one does not keep up with proper water dish care - mold, mites, and other potential problems can arise.
A tip if you choose to start using water dishes - I use clear condiment cups for my juvie Ts and up that I purchased at Walmart - they seem to work best for me as they hold quite a bit of water, are affordable, and when the water even begins to fog I can see it easily.
HERE is a link to the cups I use: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Gessner-3oz-Condiment-Cup-Clear/15055470


For the water used itself - I was told to not use distilled water as it lacks certain nutrients or something.
I use Spring water OR I use tap water, but I let it set out in a container for a couple of days to evaporate the chlorine and such that the water is treated with.
I hope some of this helps.
Best wishes.

Oh, and just a thought about why they picked watermelon up but not coco fiber and moss...perhaps because it is something easy to pick up that is kinda a chunk like piece of matter - like a bug. Whereas, coco fiber and moss are not really that physical consistency. Maybe they can taste the slight sweetness of the melon as well and therefore prefer it over plain water?...
 
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EricSJCA

Arachnopeon
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For the water used itself - I was told to not use distilled water as it lacks certain nutrients or something.
I use Spring water OR I use tap water...
The reason I'm skeptical about the aversion to distilled water is that's what most Ts are most likely to encounter as dew or droplets after a rain—unless they drink muddy water, but then we're all doing it wrong.
Spring water is more like something they'd find if they were lucky enough to have a fresh pond, stream, or spring.
The other reason I spray distilled is to avoid mineral buildup on the glass.

But you could be right. Maybe the watermelon was attractive because it contains something they were missing in the distilled water.
I'll try going back to the bowls for a while, anyway.
 

BladeGypsy

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Indeed, you have a point. :)

One thing I meant to mention - there are tons of more visually attractive water dishes out there, but the other reason I use those deli cups is because they are totally non-porous - so scum buildup (and therefore cleanup) is minimalized.
When time, I remove the water dish, wipe with a clean towel (to remove that thin layer of slime gunk that sometimes occurs), and then rinse again to make sure there was no residue left from the towel, then fill with water. Perhaps excessive, but it works for me.

Filling from the vents can work - but I have run into issues with that if one gets a bit overzealous with the watering vat, even here in dry Colorado.
 

nicodimus22

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I just want to congratulate you on being the first person to ever put those particular words in that particular order.
 

viper69

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:lol: To allow for a little more mystery, watermelon's only 92% water—the rind they got, between 80 & 85%
Now I just need some dehydrated watermelon...

Yes, it's probably the water, but I've had soaked coconut coir, soaked moss, and other wet items in there and haven't seen them picked up yet.
Clearly the source I read this from flunked plant biology. :rofl:
 
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