Spiders need water to survive, and they can get it from different sources. They get the most of their water needs from animals they catch, but they will also drink from various water sources like puddles.
If spiders don’t get enough water and in time, they’re risking dehydration. A spider might be able to survive up to 8 weeks without water, but it will be able to survive significantly longer without food (up to several months).
When a spider can’t get enough water from the environment, it’s risking dehydration. Symptoms of spider dehydration include loss of body weight, low activity, and potentially death. It’s been found by studies that female spiders deal with dehydration better than male spiders.
Do Spiders Need Water?
Like the vast majority of species on Earth, spiders will need water to survive.
Water is necessary for transporting molecules throughout an animal’s body, such as oxygen, nutrients, and other crucial compounds that are necessary for the creature to survive. Without water, cells in the body would become dehydrated, which means they would not be able to function normally.
Water is also crucial for the body to absorb proteins and amino acids easier, which allows the animal to grow faster and stay healthy. And of course, water is also important for the organs inside the spider’s body, as it will support the main functions of the organs and allow them to do their work.
That’s why spiders will need to get water from their environment to survive as well. It’s one of the crucial resources they need to constantly find from the environment, and they achieve that with different means.
If you’re a beginner spider owner, then you might not know this, but spiders also need water to survive. While you might not actually see a spider drinking out of a bowl, you can be certain that they’ll use other means of getting water into their system.
Related: Do Tarantulas Need Water?
How Do Spiders Get Water?
Spiders can get water in a few different ways:
- They will get most of their water needs by hunting other animals. Luckily for spiders, they don’t have big demands for water like humans do, for instance, who need to drink about 2 liters of water every day. Spiders need small quantities, and even hunting other animals is often enough to get their share of water.
- If they can’t do that, they’ll try to find other water sources around them, like puddles. Spiders are very resourceful at finding water around them, and they need to get it often, especially if they aren’t able to catch any insects or animals around them. That’s when they’ll try to get their water from various water sources, such as puddles, for instance.
- They’ll also get water from morning and evening dew that’s collected on blades of grass or leaves. In fact, this might be the easiest way for most spiders to get water, since they tend to live in areas where dew collects, especially during autumn and spring.
If you happen to own a spider as a pet, then it’s better to just make sure that your spider has access to fresh, clean water. Just place a bowl next to it or near its habitat, and you’ll see that the water levels will start to drop as days go on.
Another alternative to placing a bowl is to water the earth inside the vivarium ever so slightly, which would allow the spider to suck up the water from the vivarium. However, the better strategy here would be just using a bowl with water, as some spider species are not particularly fond of humid substrates.
Related Article: House Spider vs Brown Recluse
How Long Can Spiders Survive Without Water?
Some spiders might be able to survive up to 8 weeks or even longer without water, although it will depend on the species.
Brown recluse spiders are particularly adept at surviving without access to water for prolonged periods.
Other spider species might not be as good without water. Some species might not be able to survive that long.
In any case, the majority of spiders will prioritize water to food if there is a shortage of both in their habitat. They cannot survive without water for more than a few weeks, but they might be able to survive for several months or even years without food.
That’s why if you own a pet spider and you’re planning a slightly longer trip away, it’s absolutely crucial that you leave a bowl of water near or inside the vivarium. The spider might be able to catch insects in your home, but finding water might prove to be a slightly bigger challenge for them.
Related: Can Spiders Swim? (And How They Walk On Water)
House Spider Compared to Other Spiders:
How Do Spiders Drink Water?
Spiders have internal muscles inside their mouths that enable them to suck water, similar to how you would drink if you were using a straw.
They’ll approach a water source and lower its front legs so they can access the water with their fangs. After that, the spider will use its internal muscles to start sucking up water, which is often a slow process. A spider might spend several minutes drinking water.
If you own a spider pet or a tarantula, you might have already seen your spider near a bowl or inside a bowl, drinking water. When it does that, it will look as though it’s drinking water effortlessly. Its mouth will appear stuck to the bottom of the bowl and the spider will slowly ingest the water it needs to survive.
Related: How Many Baby Spiders Survive to Adulthood?
Conclusion
You might not yet have seen a spider drinking water, but the fact is that they also need water to survive. They don’t need a lot, and small quantities are enough to sustain the spider for several days or weeks.
Spiders will get water from different sources, such as from their prey, from puddles or water bowls, or from morning and evening dew that collects on grass. They can go several weeks without water but will prioritize water to food if there is a shortage of both types of resources in their habitat.
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