Having a problem with Tarantula Room

leaveittoweaver

Arachnoknight
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May 7, 2009
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153
I had two tarantulas die this week during molting. T.Violaceps and my beloved P.Bromelicola. Needless to say I am fairly upset about this, they were both adult females. I've come to the conclusion the room must be too dry. This is my first winter in this house. The heat pours through the floor vents in that room first before the other rooms and it is much warmer in that room. Water dishes dry out usually within 24 hours. I also have my ball python in that same room and she has had trouble shedding as well.

Thoughts as to what I should do? I could cover the vents and see if that helps or ,maybe put a humidifier in the room? I'm really devastated over losing these two tarantulas...
 

cold blood

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I don't use the dryer in winter...I dry my clothes in the t room....they dry quick and add a little to the air in the room. I also keep a bucket n the room full of water. I used to keep a few aquariums in the room as well, that really helped, but ultimately they took up too much valuable t space.

One thing you need to do is dampen substrate more frequently, and even dampen sub for species you wouldn't normally dampen for. Its incredible how fast thngs dry out in winter.
 
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leaveittoweaver

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 7, 2009
Messages
153
I don't use the dryer in winter...I dry my clothes in the t room....they dry quick and add a little to the air in the room. I also keep a bucket n the room full of water. I used to keep a few aquariums in the room as well, that really helped, but ultimately they took up too much valuable t space.

One thing you need to do is dampen substrate more frequently, and even dampen sub for species you wouldn't normally dampen for. Its incredible how fast thngs dry out in winter.
Thanks @cold blood, those are all great ideas. I will start doing that. Thank you!
 

Rittdk01

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Oct 4, 2016
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Nothing scientific. I have a bunch of slings in 2 oz deli cups that I have to water every two days. I put on Netflix and water the little guys and top off the bigger ones with water dishes.
 

darkness975

Latrodectus
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Aug 31, 2012
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Nothing scientific. I have a bunch of slings in 2 oz deli cups that I have to water every two days. I put on Netflix and water the little guys and top off the bigger ones with water dishes.
I can't have a TV show or movie playing because it's too distracting as I want to watch the show. I play Musik instead since you don't have to "watch" that.
 

Rittdk01

Arachnoknight
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Oct 4, 2016
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258
^^^lol I “listen” to Netflix shows on my iPad while doing spider care. I should just turn on music.
 

BoyFromLA

Spoon feeder
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Oct 26, 2017
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^^^lol I “listen” to Netflix shows on my iPad while doing spider care. I should just turn on music.
I sometimes play sixty minutes of ‘Fireplace for Your Home’ on Netflix with my iPad for my tarantulas at night. All of my tarantulas simply do not care at all.
 
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G. pulchra

ArachnoGod
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Jun 7, 2005
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592
Like cold blood stated above, I overflow the water dish more often in the winter and I also keep a bucket of water in the room to add additional humidity.
 

edesign

AB FB Group Moderatr
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Apr 23, 2004
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I live in Denver, bone dry in the winter especially with the heater running. I run a steam humidifier in my T room set to 50%, sometimes a little lower, just depends. If I've moistened a bunch of tanks within a day or two (I have 90ish, mostly juvie and adults) that alone raises humidity for a few days and I turn the humidifier down to 40-45%. The humidifier helps increase the time it takes the substrate to dry and adds a little warmth in the winter (maybe a degree).

I've also shut the heater vent in the floor as the heater is directly below it in the basement and purchased a relatively cheap oil-filled radiant heater from Lowe's. Digital for $70 but you can set a specific temp or $40 for analog, unmarked dials and go by trial and error versus daily ambient temp swings outside. They don't dry the air out like ceramic, forced air heaters do. I set it at 76F and it barely gets warm to maintain. This will depend on the size of the room and how much heating is needed, of course.
 
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