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Tarantula not drinking after molting

Katforbes

New Member
Messages
1
Location
USA
Hello! Our tarantula molted for the first time on Feb 26th. Since then he’s pretty much stayed in the same place in his tank and rotates from side to side, up and down but hasn’t moved other than that. As far as we can tell he hasn’t had any of his water either. Is that normal? We thought he would look for his water shortly after molting and that it was important for him to drink after the molting process. Should we be worried???
 

Soulman

Active Member
Messages
355
Location
London
You can always just the housing,but yes I have noticed this. I've shared my home with some eight leg and 2 dangerous things
 

Jess S

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
1,197
Location
South Wales
As long as you have a water dish available, that is within easy reach of your t (i.e. sunken level into the substrate so it doesn't have to perform acrobatics), it should be fine. It will take a drink when thirsty.

There is a lot of fluid on the shed exuvia itself, and tarantulas seem to like to drink that (eeugh!), which is why people think their t has chewed it's moult. It hasn't, it was getting the moisture out.

What tarantula do you have?
 

Arachnoclown

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3 Year Member
Tarantula Club Member
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6,382
Location
The Oregon rain forest
They like acrobatics.... :D
20200126_124512.jpg
 
E

ExMember

Guest
Definitely keep fresh water available post molt. I wouldn't be too worried about it not drinking. Just went through this with my Pterinopelma sazimai. It moulted and didn't come out of it's burrow for a couple of weeks. It's fine now. @Jess S maybe it consumed enough fluid from it's moult?
 

Jess S

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
1,197
Location
South Wales
Definitely keep fresh water available post molt. I wouldn't be too worried about it not drinking. Just went through this with my Pterinopelma sazimai. It moulted and didn't come out of it's burrow for a couple of weeks. It's fine now. @Jess S maybe it consumed enough fluid from it's moult?

Exactly, I've had burrowers stay hidden like that too. And as @menavodi hints at, they could well be accessing their water when we're not around to notice, just not needing to drink enough to make the levels seem to go down, or even getting moisture from the substrate. I also notice that they often have a big drink prior to moulting which can sustain them through :)
 
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