Opinions on slings and burrowing

[Dandrobates]

I’m curious as to how many of you set up your sling enclosures for terrestrials such as Grammastola and Brachypelma with deeper substrate allowing them to burrow. Are there any benefits? Obviously it’s more difficult to monitor their food intake but easiler to maintain humidity. Opinions???

 

[Theneil]

I’m curious as to how many of you set up your sling enclosures for terrestrials such as Grammastola and Brachypelma with deeper substrate allowing them to burrow. Are there any benefits? Obviously it’s more difficult to monitor their food intake but easiler to maintain humidity. Opinions???

if a species needs moist sub i would offer a bit more for stability, but the brachypelma and grammostola don't need moist sub so i keep them predominately dry with enough sub for a shallow burrow.

 

[antinous]

What size are we talking about? If they're small, 3/4" or so, I'll put them in a condiment container. It's easier for me to monitor them that way and I find that they eat more readily that way as well.

 

[Dandrobates]

3/4 to 1 inch DLS (also when I say humidity I mean within the typically accepted recommendations for the given species) slightly moist at the bottom and dry at the top.

 

[Teal]

Humidity is moisture in the AIR. Which no tarantula needs. Moist substrate is another matter.

I give my slings enough sub to make a burrow at least deep enough that they can fit into entirely and hide a bit. My experience is that Ts who are allowed to burrow are calmer and less stressed. My priority isn't viewing my spiders... it is making them as content as possible.

 

[Dandrobates]

Humidity is moisture in the AIR. Which no tarantula needs. Moist substrate is another matter.

I give my slings enough sub to make a burrow at least deep enough that they can fit into entirely and hide a bit. My experience is that Ts who are allowed to burrow are calmer and less stressed. My priority isn't viewing my spiders... it is making them as content as possible.

Thank you. I should have phrased my post differently. By humidity I meant a moisture gradient in the substrate. It gets dry here in the winter so I wanted to provide a reasonable gradient that would maintain itself and not evaporate over night. I.e. one corner of the enclosure moistened slightly down to the bottom.

In retrospect I feel I should have housed one particular sling (G. Pulcra) in a smaller enclosure. Currently it’s in an AMAC box about 3x3 inches modified for ventilation. It has made a system of burrows at various depths that are visible through the sides. It seems to hang out at various depths at different times. That was my reasoning for asking what different people prefer.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

(also when I say humidity I mean within the typically accepted recommendations for the given species)

All NW terrestrial slings should be kept on slightly moist substrate until they reach juvie size.

 

[Nightstalker47]

All my slings have enough sub to make a shallow burrow, as long as I can still monitor them...I give them the option.

 

[ccTroi]

i keep my brachypelma and grammostola in very shallow substrate in portion cups