# Best way to make a desert-y terrarium?



## Cydaea (Feb 15, 2013)

I'm going to be overhauling my rosea's terrarium, and I want it to look desert-y. What's the best way to do it? I know I can't use just sand as substrate, but I would like it to look more like their natural habitat than the standard cocopeat.

Can I mix sand into the cocopeat? Or can I put a small layer of sand over the cocopeat? My rosea isn't much of a burrower so I don't think she'll be digging it up much.

For decorations I have a skull, some fake cactus and maybe some dry wood. 

Has anyone here attempted a desert-terrarium for their T's? If so, what materials/substrate did you use and does anyone have pictures for inspiration?

ETA: I have a bag of reptile sand lying around that I've had for ages, that's what I'd be using.


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## philge (Feb 17, 2013)

Desert doesn't necessarily mean sand. Grammostola rosea hails from the Atacama Desert. Picture a dry rocky landscape rather than sandy dunes. I think this could be achieved by mixing coco husk with sand and rocks. If you scroll down this page a little bit, you'll see photos of the spider's natural habitat: http://people.ucalgary.ca/~schultz/roses.html


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## Cydaea (Feb 17, 2013)

That looks like what I was envisioning  I'd really like to get that greyish color in the substrate. The sand I have is orange but when I mix it with cocopeat iI think it will lose it's color. I should mix a test batch to see what it looks like.


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## salmonstudio (Mar 1, 2013)

This is my old terrrium setup for my Brachypelma Smithi. as you can see half dessert theme, half normal/forest. in the dessert theme, i'm using rock, sand, and cactus.


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## Kazaam (Mar 1, 2013)

The ground in its natural habitat looks like loam to me and it's possible to use that with tarantulas.
There are also enough succulents that thrive in loam.


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## arachnidsrva (Mar 1, 2013)

that excavator stuff is pretty awesome, you add water and shape it to whatever you want

i use it for chalcodes and scorpions


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## Miehrano (Jul 14, 2013)

I dont want to buy the Exo-terra excavator stuff, it looks to be a good product. but its pricey here.
I was thinking of digging up some regular clay from a newly constructed road, its clay from ca 4 meter down, im thinking its very good to shape while its soft, but will become harder when it dries, but i still think my roseas could dig in it if i create some cracks for it to begin with. (And its free!)


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## josh_r (Jul 14, 2013)

Miehrano said:


> I dont want to buy the Exo-terra excavator stuff, it looks to be a good product. but its pricey here.
> I was thinking of digging up some regular clay from a newly constructed road, its clay from ca 4 meter down, im thinking its very good to shape while its soft, but will become harder when it dries, but i still think my roseas could dig in it if i create some cracks for it to begin with. (And its free!)


this is exactly what you should do. Then mix sand and peat into it to create a loamy soil. Your spider will do just fine in it.


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## Miehrano (Jul 14, 2013)

good to hear, my tarantula is doing great on regular dry soil, but i wish to make it look more natural.


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