How to know if my amblypygid is thirsty or is just doing fine?

[amblys]

Hey so I’m new to keeping amblys (got mine a 2 days ago) and I’ve been misting the enclosure daily as you should, however I’m a little fearful that I don’t know if my ambly is drinking or not? There usually a lot of water droplets especially in the glass after misting but I’ve never seen them drink? Should I be worried and is it possible to tell if they are getting water?
I did here they got most of it from their prey but I haven’t fed them just yet planning to soon though?

 

[MSobczak]

I wouldnt worry about it, if theyre really thirsty they'll drink. They get most of their water from prey items, so its normal to not see them drink often. Just make sure their substrate doesnt dry out because they dessicate easily.

 

[gzophia]

Hey so I’m new to keeping amblys (got mine a 2 days ago) and I’ve been misting the enclosure daily as you should, however I’m a little fearful that I don’t know if my ambly is drinking or not? There usually a lot of water droplets especially in the glass after misting but I’ve never seen them drink? Should I be worried and is it possible to tell if they are getting water?
I did here they got most of it from their prey but I haven’t fed them just yet planning to soon though?

Hi there! Don't worry, just keep misting daily for a few days until your new pet settles in (avoid hitting it directly though). It will drink if it is thirsty, but odds are you won't see this happening. Many amblypygi are extremely secretive; I have a Phrynus marginemaculatus that I have never seen eating or drinking yet it is pooping everywhere and doing fine.

Yes, they get a lot of dietary moisture from prey; you can offer prekill if you'd like. Prekill is helpful for more timid amblypygi, especially after arrival, and can make life easier for the keeper.

As @MSobczak said, you don't want the substrate to dry out since these animals live in damp areas and desiccate very easily, even with daily misting. The substrate should always be soaked. You can tell if an amblypygi is drying out/dehydrated if it stays on the substrate a lot.

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

If the setup dries out fast enough that daily misting doesn't make it soggy, it's probably a good idea to reduce the ventilation. Amblys like moist, poorly ventilated conditions and the easiest way to kill them is to keep them with too much ventilation and let them dry out. Reduce ventilation to a few small holes and you should be able to leave them a week or more without adding water (what's important is providing constantly humid conditions so they don't lose water, not giving them droplets of water to drink).

 

[gzophia]

If the setup dries out fast enough that daily misting doesn't make it soggy, it's probably a good idea to reduce the ventilation. Amblys like moist, poorly ventilated conditions and the easiest way to kill them is to keep them with too much ventilation and let them dry out. Reduce ventilation to a few small holes and you should be able to leave them a week or more without adding water (what's important is providing constantly humid conditions so they don't lose water, not giving them droplets of water to drink).

This exactly. While I personally think that providing water droplets via indirect misting is a good idea for the first few days following a new arrival, it really isn't necessary afterward. I believe Phrynus whitei (which is the species OP has) is not a particularly heavy drinker either.
Fastest way to kill an ambly is to give it too little humidity. You don't need a fancy humidifier or anything to prevent this; just reduce ventilation and soak the substrate.