Should I transition A. Chalcodes from moist to dry substrate?

[LordAnon]

I finally bit the bullet, and at the narbc I purchased a sub-adult Arizona blonde female.

The vendor I purchased her from seemed knowledgeable, but she kept her on moist substrate. 70% coco, 30% peat moss with some chunks of sphagnum moss. Afaik, A. chalcodes should be kept arid.

Should I allow the substrate to dry out completely?

 

[BoyFromLA]

I am sure many will chime in if you could provide a photo or two of your enclosure.

 

[LordAnon]

I am sure many will chime in if you could provide a photo or two of your enclosure.

I will when I can. My question doesn't really seem to need one tho, I'm just wondering if anyone keeps their chalcodes moist or if I should allow it to dry up. She's not even in a permanent enclosure, how I set her up will depend on whether others recommend dry substrate, moist substrate, or moist substrate that should be allowed to dry.

 

[Teal]

Dry, deep substrate with a water dish.

I'm curious what this vendor said to make you think they seemed knowledgeable...

 

[LordAnon]

Dry, deep substrate with a water dish.

I'm curious what this vendor said to make you think they seemed knowledgeable...

TBH, I kind of said that just so I don't seem like some know-it-all saying she has no idea what she's talking about.

The other thing that made me iffy about her was that she insisted I hold her. I appreciated seeing how placid she is, but I was definitely nervous about somebody around me bumping into me or scaring her.

 

[cold blood]

The other thing that made me iffy about her was that she insisted I hold her

thats the opposite of knowledgable...thats whats known as irrisponsible

 

[Teal]

Yeah, nothing about that vendor sounds knowledgeable.

 

[LordAnon]

Yeah, in retrospect probably not. Her care sheet also said "no tarantula is venomous enough to put you in the hospital". Seems to me like she's still living in the days when most pet stores only carried G. Rosea.

She was very enthusiastic, which was nice. I guess I confused that with genuine wisdom. Or I just didn't think about it too much because I was really happy with my new T.

 

[Paul1126]

She was very enthusiastic, which was nice. I guess I confused that with genuine wisdom. Or I just didn't think about it too much because I was really happy with my new T.

Was she also good looking? Might be the reason for you thinking she was so knowledgeable

 

[Vanisher]

Was she also good looking? Might be the reason for you thinking she was so knowledgeable

You mean the Arizona blonde?

Yeah, in retrospect probably not. Her care sheet also said "no tarantula is venomous enough to put you in the hospital". Seems to me like she's still living in the days when most pet stores only carried G. Rosea.

She was very enthusiastic, which was nice. I guess I confused that with genuine wisdom. Or I just didn't think about it too much because I was really happy with my new T.

She may be enthusiastic? But, my mother is enthusiastic too, but she knows absolute nothing about tarantulas!

 

[LordAnon]

Was she also good looking? Might be the reason for you thinking she was so knowledgeable

Haha no, she was older. Like someones pudgy grandma.

 

[Tenebrarius]

your vendor sounds like they drank bleach as a child. I dont see why you would use moist sub at all? if it is a sling I understand doing partial wetting but my modus operandi is to keep desert Ts like the desert: DRY. sorry you got feed info from a godless heathen, clearly they never read arachno 1:5 " 'he who handle-ith a T is not cool with god, yo', said Jesus"

 

[SonsofArachne]

Her care sheet also said "no tarantula is venomous enough to put you in the hospital".

LOL, I have a number of OW's that would prove her wrong.