Water bowls.

[Anni Weatherley]

I kind of need advice, I've had my chili rose, Matilda, for about a month, and today I was looking in the tank and thought the water bowl looks quite horrific and muddy, and it was definitely time to take it out and clean it. So I tried to pick up the sponge, which was this little yellow thing they sold me at the pet shop, but the sponge has become so wet and dissolved that even when I got it out in bits, there was no way of really washing it. I've just been tipping water on it all this time to keep it moist, I've found Matilda drinking from it several times so I don't think it bothers her too much, but it looks really horrible and I'm worried it's unhygienic.

Has anyone got any advice about maintaining water bowls? Does there have to be a sponge in there? And if not can I use kitchen sponge or something else that doesn't eventually turn into a disgusting mush? Also how often am I actually meant to clean them out?

[James Box]

welcome to the forum!!!

ahh that pet shop should really be smacked upside the head!

sponges as you've seen can become hotbeds for bacteria, mould, etc.

you really shouldn't need one at all.

is your spider a spiderling or about adult in size? if a spiderling, you only need to mist or dribble some water down the sides or moisten some of the substrate (in my experience at least)...if an adult, then it should cope with a waterbowl just filled with water.
however, luckily they like it dry so water isn't that big of a deal for them
they'll get most moisture from prey items, as far as i've seen.

but yeah, i wouldn't use a sponge, that's really not good for the spider.

[Anni Weatherley]

Her body is 2.2" not including legs, with legs, depending how she sits I guess she's about somewhere between 3 or 4 inches maybe. I'm not sure how old that makes her, I know I've definitely seen bigger, but I'm fairly sure she's not a spiderling. I've taken the sponge out and put it in the bin, cleaned out the water bowl and replaced the water. It smelt like a pond, I really should have done this sooner!

[Peter Roach]

SPONGE !!!!! YEUCK !!!!

Nasty horrible things.

Whoever sold you that piece of discusting nastyness needs a severe slapping

For an adult any size water bowl can be used under 3inches wide and 1 inch deep (I use yop milkshake bottle lids), for juveniles i use the green plastic milk bottle lids and for slings .... i dont bother, as long as one end of the tub is slightly damp.

[Clinton Hogben]

Manky Sponge AArrgghh

As mentioned don't do it sponges hold bacteria
inform the shop owner of his errors (muppet)
just a plain water bowl will be fine your "T" is big enough not to drown
you can put in a few pebbles to allow prey items like crickets to get out when they fall in

All the best

[Kate Arbon]

Chuck the sponge. They are pointless. A shallow waterdish like a jar lid or milk bottle lid is fine.

[michaelmckinney]

Yet another case of stupid pet shop workers,

I live in Northern Ireland and they're a dime a dozen over here.

Talk a big game, but when they speak to someone who actually knows something they freeze!!

One thing that sticks in my mind is a wholesalers in N.I called Glenkrag, now I went for a job with these people and their animals were in such an appauling condition, I tried to report them and turned a job down when offered one, but as I turned it down they said no on second thoughts we wouldn't hire you anyway, you haven't got a clue??!!!!!

But someone told me the guy in charge of the invertabrate section told my friend, don't feed your tarantulas too much, their abdomen will explode!! Load of tripe if you ask me if they're not hungry they won't eat DUHH!!!!

Still seething,

Michael..