Hard substrate or soft substrate; which is better?

50centipede

Internecivus raptus
Joined
Oct 21, 2018
Messages
84
I'm using 100% peat moss at the moment, but always felt like it might be too soft and easy to crumble for burrowing T...
Would it be better to mix it with mud/soil to improve integrity?
 

Katiekooleyes

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 4, 2018
Messages
82
Pure peat moss sounds like it'll be too wet for a T. More mud/soil sounds better, especially is that particular species is fosseral. Which species is it that you're thinking of?
 

Chris LXXIX

ArachnoGod
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Messages
5,845
I've used Irish moss peat for my S.subspinipes (which is a diehard burrower) and I never had a issue. IMO everything rotates about the parameters needed by the invert in question, not about the "medium" used as a substrate (well, unless someone really use something inadequate, of course).
 

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,223
peat moss sounds like it'll be too wet for a T.
Sounds wet? Like any sub, its only wet when you add water.

Its very light, so its easy to burrow through and webbing from the t is more than enough to hold burrows.

Sub is a matter of personal preference....any accrptable sub can be used for any t.

Eco earth, jungle mix, coco fiber, peat, dirt, its all acceptable substrate.
 

Tenebrarius

Arachnoangel
Joined
Sep 8, 2018
Messages
912
softer -> harder

air -> feathers -> water -> soil -> cement -> virbranium

pick your poison, I recommend a good medium value: normal soil.
 

Katiekooleyes

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 4, 2018
Messages
82
Sounds wet? Like any sub, its only wet when you add water.

Its very light, so its easy to burrow through and webbing from the t is more than enough to hold burrows.

Sub is a matter of personal preference....any accrptable sub can be used for any t.

Eco earth, jungle mix, coco fiber, peat, dirt, its all acceptable substrate.
You're right, It's only wet when added with water.

The position I was coming from was that the second water is added, it's like Thorpe Park for a T. Of course, the counter argument is that no water should be added at all. But taking into account the T's that enjoy a bit of humidity, and human error (over spilling waterdishes etc), a slightly less "offensive" substrate might work out for the better .
 

Tenebrarius

Arachnoangel
Joined
Sep 8, 2018
Messages
912
dear OP, this is a nuance, as long as you got soil that is safe it is good enough. Just use normal coco fiber, which is what I recommend to beginners to avoid fertilizers and other stuff, dont get the reptile kind it's over priced. or if you have enough common sense to buy the right soil then do that you can get a huge bag for cheap.

yes, yes, I know of naturalistic approaches and using mud and sand mixtures, but as I point out that is a nuance and Ts are perfectly happy with most dirt.
 

Vanisher

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 2, 2004
Messages
2,533
Pure peat moss sounds like it'll be too wet for a T. More mud/soil sounds better, especially is that particular species is fosseral. Which species is it that you're thinking of?
If one let peat moss dies out before using it is will be dry! Never use the peat that comes in bricks like eco earth, those you have to soak in water and it takes long tume till them dries out. By peatmoss in bags. This type is dry or slightly moist. I have used peatmoss since i begun collecting tarantulas. I have found it very good both in price and performance. It all depends how you pack it down. It is not hard to pack down dry peat, but even better is to moist it slightly, pack it down and let the enclosure dry out a couple of weeks. Thete are diffrent types of "grindings" some peat ar very finely choppt, and some have more structure. Both are good. I have in the past used the more finly ground, but latly bought a large bag with the more coarse stuff. Peat are very lightweight too
 

Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
Staff member
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Messages
4,096
I'm using 100% peat moss at the moment, but always felt like it might be too soft and easy to crumble for burrowing T...
Would it be better to mix it with mud/soil to improve integrity?
I would mix it with dirt to improve stability (or just use dirt).
 

Vanisher

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 2, 2004
Messages
2,533
There is no bad stability with pure peat! Coco fibre on the other hand have bad stability
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
To my knowledge all the bricks we see that require hydration are not peat moss, which actually is getting harder to obtain- they are just ground up coconut shells.
 

spodermin

Arachnosquire
Joined
Mar 26, 2019
Messages
93
I use a mix for all my spiders, and adjust the ratios depending on desired humidity

-cocofibre
-organic potting soil
-vermiculite
-sphagnum moss

For arid species like my OBT, I use mostly dirt with a little bit of cocofibre (like 70/30) no added vermiculite or sphagnum.

Opposite end of the spectrum, my T. Stirmis have like 10/90 dirt to cocofibre, with a lot of added vermiculite and I top it with sphagnum.

@cold blood is right in saying cocofibre alone is fine, but I find it dries out too quickly (which is what makes it crumble and lose integrity) so add some vermiculite to combat this. That being said, I have a sling that is in pure cocofibre with an elaborate maze of tunnels that hold up quite well.

Also since you're making a thread asking about substrate let me add something I find extremely valuable: for any species that are kept super humid like my t. stirmis I mentioned, always add springtails and/or isopods.
 

Vanisher

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 2, 2004
Messages
2,533
As long as its tamped down, it holds up as well as anything and makes for perfectly stable burrows.
I have tried it, but i couldnt tamp it down as well as i can with peat or soil, and when it dried ut, it crumbled more than peat for me. But it is very individual what you like i guess
 
Top