why is my tarantula drinking excessively?

Peachypeach

Peachypeach

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Jan 31, 2015
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My 1 1/2inch chaco golden knee has been drinking SO much!! I'm am filling the water bowl up at least once a day! today I have filled it up twice! * the size of the dish is a coke bottle lid*

Is she/he okay?

Or is the bowl just too small and I'm worrying for nothing
 
lalberts9310

lalberts9310

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Is the bowl big enough for him to put his carapace and front legs in at the same time? Also, the water can just be evaporating quickly.. I have to refill water bowls twice a day because of the drought here.., what are the room temps, is the air dry in the room? do you actually see him drinking a lot? If so, did he recently molt? Is his abdomen shrivelled/very small?

Edit: never mind the size of the bowl, I didn't see you were using a coke bottle lid untill I read your post a second time. I would try and put a bigger bowl in, not bigger than the leg span of course..
 
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milky

milky

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Perhaps the temperature in the terrarium is very high or the dish is leaking?
 
lalberts9310

lalberts9310

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milky said:
Perhaps the temperature in the terrarium is very high or the dish is leaking?
Click to expand...
We have a very hot and dry climate this summer and I have to constantly refill water bowls because of the water evaporating to quickly, I also have to constantly wet the sub, it's bone dry within a matter of a few days.
 
advan

advan

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More than likely silk "wicking" the water out. Remove dish and clean it.
 
Poec54

Poec54

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Peachypeach said:
My 1 1/2inch chaco golden knee has been drinking SO much!! I'm am filling the water bowl up at least once a day! today I have filled it up twice! * the size of the dish is a coke bottle lid*
Click to expand...

It's not drinking that much water; where would it put it?
 
cold blood

cold blood

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advan said:
More than likely silk "wicking" the water out. Remove dish and clean it.
Click to expand...
This all the way...and tiny bit of substrate, moss, a stick or even small strands of webbing will all wick water away very quickly....the t most definitely is not drinking that much water...winter's dry, too, which also means (as others have said) that evaporation is much quicker as well and also likely playing at least some role.

When I notice this I do exactly what Chad suggested, I pull the dish and wipe it clean, especially concentrating around the lip of the dish...there's ALWAYS at least a little webbing, often a lot more than I expect.
 
viper69

viper69

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Or it could be bleeding to death and drinking to keep up it's blood pressure..anything is possible.
 
82Baboons

82Baboons

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I doubt hes drinking all that, probably just evaporating. I live in North Dakota, so the winters here are super dry cause its so cold. I mist twice as much, and ise a humidifier to keep the humidity up.
 
EulersK

EulersK

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I somehow doubt that the keeper is still reading this thread a year later...
 
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