Misting...

So I regularly mist my Ts, Most of them are slings in containers too small for water dishes. Recently I have seen some people advocating not misting. My question is if I am not misting, how are my Ts going to get the water they need? I Know they'll get some from their prey, but don't they need more than that? if misting daily is too much how often should I mist so that they can get water, once a week? once every 2 weeks?

Thanks.

I used to mist. Now I simply use a water dish. I've never seen my pink toe ever descend her tank to drink from the dish. The humidity seems to stay high(around 75-80) with just an open dish.

Most tarantulas will get whatever water they need from their prey. I mist lightly once every week or so just out of habit but the substrate is kept dry at all times. I've only lost one spider, an A. avic, to a bad molt in three years (two of which I've kept them completely dry) so I don't think humidity is a big concern.

I keep my bigger tarantulas with water dish and don't mist at all. Conteiners with slings I mist every two days. So far I have no problem with bad molt or sudden death.

is it safe to keep a water dish for slings?won they drown?

Yes, keep misting the slings, especially in winter if you have to use a heat source which can dry out the air unnaturally.

Use your judgement for when they are large enough for a waterdish, although someone like CM may have some guidelines as to the "right size" - of course, it'll vary for species. Some slings are even more moisture sensitive than others.

I definately mist slings. I just let it dry out between mistings. For arboreals, I keep what little substrate I give them dampish, with very good ventilation. For terrestrials, I will dampen one side of the substrate and let the other stay dry. You'll start to get a feel for it eventually.

Seeing as how you're in Seattle, a couple hours south of me, we get pretty humid as it is around here. Even at that and all the added moisture up here in the mountains, I mist my slings every few days to once a week, like Sheri said depending on the amount of heat used, not a lot, just a small bit so they get some water on the sides of their containers. With the natural humidity level in this area, it doesn't tend to evorate as quickly. Slings really don't need a whole lot of "water" aside from what they get from their food. Plus, being here in WA, since we have a higher RH, misting too much can cause mold, especially in small sling containers.

Misting slings is a necessity because they cannot practically uses a water dish. Once they can use a water dish, that's when the misting stops except for the occasional rainstorm simulation for the heck of it (got to do something to entertain yourself in the middle of tank maintenance).

If moist substrate is your goal, then simply pouring water in there is a much better way of achieving it. If high humidity is your goal then moist subtrate, a water dish, and a room humidifier is a much better way of achieving this. Of course, I am highly doubtful that any T with some size on it needs either humidity or moist substrate but that's to each individual keeper to decide.

As was stated, some slings seem to be more moisture dependent than others. I have great luck keeping everything pretty much dry even as slings with the exception of Nhandu. I have murdered my fair share of Nhandu slings before taking this to heart.

i mist my sligs once or twice a week sometimes and it has not failed me yet...well ive only been keeping Ts for 3 months now but still i have 4 slings and there all doing great...i like to keep the substrate very moist so they can dig easier...sometimes ive noticed when the substrate is to dry they have a hard time digging a burrow...