Hysterocrates gigas enclosure

[LucaD]

Hi peeps, I am wondering if it is a good ideea to set the enclosure for the H. Gigas to have only coconut fibre as substrate. I already had mixed coconut fibre and soil as enclosure and had some wood as decoration (more like the burrow entrance) but it started to get molt (i admit i was idiotic enough to moist it too much). So I want to completly rehouse it and put only coconut fibre and a small dish of water ( an enough size where she can have "baths" as I noticed she loves to go out every night and just sit in the water dish I had. Some advices would be really apreciated.

 

[Nightstalker47]

I house both my large Hysterocrates females on pure coco fiber, just be sure to give them several inches sub depth for them to burrow.

Also, if you see it hovering over the water dish every night you may be keeping things too dry.

 

[LucaD]

This are the soils I initially used to mix the coco fibre with...

Belive me it was not dry because this is the main reason I rehoused her in the first place... I was concerned the humidity was not high enough and I sprayed every 2 days and when I emptied the enclosure the bottom was dripping wet... I know , I'm stupid

Also this is how I set up the new enclosure with coco fibre only...

 

[Nightstalker47]

Also this is how I set up the new enclosure with coco fibre only...

Much more sub, they build deep intricate burrow...one of mine has five different entrances/exits.

Belive me it was not dry because this is the main reason I rehoused her in the first place... I was concerned the humidity was not high enough and I sprayed every 2 days and when I emptied the enclosure the bottom was dripping wet... I know , I'm stupid

Humidity is meaningless, the sub just needs to be kept moist. Misting is pretty pointless as well, especially with a fossorial....you want the water down deep in the sub not at the surface, just pour water directly instead.

 

[LucaD]

I am building it as we speak. Can you bear with me a couple more minutes? Here, I added some more

 

[KezyGLA]

Spiderlife and spider mix are terrible substrates which are prone to grow mould. They contain bits of natural wood which mould will thrive on.

I use topsoil or coco fibre (or a mix of both)

 

[LucaD]

Well this time is coco fibre only... one last thing.. is it ok if I add some moss like this?

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I always used, for my H.gigas- no brands - therefore normal 'anonymous' coco fiber (plenty of that); a piece of cork bark for hide, with a pre hole nearby; and a water dish.

Zero issues, easy as heck, happy - and quite shy - African spider

 

[LucaD]

Well... that's her

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Well... that's her

Personally I would offer a more little water dish (that one seems a little pool) and a piece of cork bark, no matter, for hide

 

[Greasylake]

I'm surprised no one mentioned this yet, but get those rocks out of the water dish. Your spider wont drown, especially this species and at this size.

 

[kevinlowl]

Well... that's her

is that saffron sprinkled beside the water dish?

 

[viper69]

I'm surprised no one mentioned this yet, but get those rocks out of the water dish. Your spider wont drown, especially this species and at this size.

You beat me to it


H. gigas "should" really be kept in a palladurium that way one enjoys the full range of their abilities and lifestyle.