Tarantula Substrate - How offten do I Change?

[texascowboy1979]

how often am I supposed to change the substrate?

 

[Talkenlate04]

I have tanks that have not been changed in years. Spot clean goes a long ways. Just remove prey remains when you see them and take out T poo once and a while and you will be fine for a long time imo. If there are massive mite or mold issues at some point then you would do a change then.

 

[texascowboy1979]

10-4 good buddy

 

[Widowman10]

spot cleaning's all i ever do. and they're fine.

 

[rustym3talh3ad]

i also agree that spot cleaning goes a long way but if its a humid or semi humid critter u may wanna average ur cleanings 3-5 months apart at most IMO. cuz regardless if u can see problems with mold or algae humidity causes issues. if its a completely dry species then the previous post'ers are probably 100% correct.

 

[ReMoVeR]

how do u do those spot poo cleaning on the glass without harming ur T ??

//Tiago

 

[Widowman10]

how do u do those spot poo cleaning on the glass without harming ur T ??

put a cup over it!

 

[ReMoVeR]

i mean what do u use, how do u do it? xD i know how to deli cup my T O do i?) LOL




//Tiago

 

[sntcruzan]

Cover the T and spray the glass with water. Then take a paper towel and wipe it off. It may take a few times to get it clean. T poo is not that hard to wipe up.

 

[Aragorn]

Oh, man.... I haven't change mine in years. I was thinking about changing, but really never gotten around to it. The enclosures look fine, though, no mold or mites, so I'm not worried. I guess one of the advantage of keeping T's are that they are very low maintenance pets.

 

[texascowboy1979]

So in a nut shell, as long as I clean their "house", the tarantulas should be fine... and only do compleat changes when I spot worms, mites or fungus...

 

[Aragorn]

I believe you have the H. lavidums isn't that correct? I know you do from the turtle forum. I believe this species needs to be kept in a humid environment, so you may need change it more often than the one I have because mine are kept in a bone dried substrate. I believe the wet substrate may cause bacteria to build up more and attracts gnats and fungus, so definitely clean it out more often. That's why I don't keep species like this.

 

[texascowboy1979]

I believe you have the H. lavidums isn't that correct? I know you do from the turtle forum. I believe this species needs to be kept in a humid environment, so you may need change it more often than the one I have because mine are kept in a bone dried substrate. I believe the wet substrate may cause bacteria to build up more and attracts gnats and fungus, so definitely clean it out more often. That's why I don't keep species like this.

Yes... Turtleforum member...

My H. Lividums substrate is kept half moist... its not dry and not wet.. it is moist... I dont let water build up because of mold or fugus or gross ness... so its like a moist dry mixture... after those worms... i diecided it was too moist the 1st time..

 

[Widowman10]

or just use a sponge, it comes off quickly with a stroke of a damp sponge...