# can you over humidify



## Arachnokid 93 (Sep 12, 2006)

can you over humidify a tarantula like if a humidity level is to much will it die please post


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## Mike H. (Sep 12, 2006)

"Most" spiders do just fine with a water dish and room temps, humidity IMO is way overrated, in the future for questions you will want to post in the Tarantula Questions & Discussions forums, this section is for pictures...

Regards, Mike


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## BLS Blondi (Sep 12, 2006)

*Humidity requirements*

Humidity can impact a tarantula's well being.  For example, keeping a C. crawshayi in high humidity can be disasterous.  I have heard (but never witnessed) on two separate occasions (from two separate people) that when the respective C. crawshayi molted, their new skin was so soft, that some of the legs ripped off during molts.  Now that is obviously not without skepticism, but who wants to take that chance?  For "high humidity" tarantulas like T. blondi, they need the humidity to breathe properly.  Which is why you may sometimes see T's hovering over their water dishes.  Keep in mind though a humid cage and a wet cage are two different things.  I the substrate is totally soaked, then you have too much.  Each species, and more specifically, each individual, has their own requirements.  I have tons of adult female T. blondi that all have different levels of humidity. Granted, they are all high levels, but some prefer almost 90%, and I have one that prefers 68%.


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## Snipes (Sep 12, 2006)

Im sure that really high humidity for a species with lower humidity requirements can be bad, as BLS blondie said.
High humidity encourages infections of mites, mold, and other things that can bring an end to the t. 
So i would say yes, you can overhumidify a tarantula.


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## TheDarkFinder (Sep 12, 2006)

For this questions i well say is there too much humidity for humans. yes. At a certain point humidity will turn from comfortable to harmful. Too much humidity can cause stress in some people and for some kill them. Humans prefer no more then 60%.

As for the tarantula option, probably not. Humidity alone can not kill or make sick a human, humidity alone can not kill or make sick a tarantula. 

High humidity can cause mold, mites, fungus, and bacteria to exploide. 

This is just some of the issues with humidity. 


Alot of people prefer to keep tarantulas at room humidity, usually 20-40%, with water dish. I have had nothing but issues with this. 

My tarantulas web and dig the water dish is never left alone. So it would require me filling 300 water dishs twice a day in some case every day.  

I raise humidity levels to what they would be naturally and feed them well. Keeping an eye on the humidity levels and air flow I have had not a problem for more then 22 years. 

If they become dehyrated or stress I make sure they have a dish. 

I prefer humidity between 60-80% depending on species. 

The take home is that extra air flow. If the substrate dries out in a few days after a good soaking then you are doing fine. 

You are seeing two extremes here, one side that does not give water dish and maintain humidity. One side that does not worry about humidity and gives  a water dish. 

Both sides work well and suffer few problems. 

Should you own a tarantula with out a water dish and a wet substrate, no. I have been doing this for a long time. I know what to look for. Should you only give a dish and dry substrate to T. blondi who's owner lives in Arizona with no air conditioning. No. Both would create a nightmare.

Unless you are welling to understand that species that you own, you should keep it with a water dish, damp substrate, and a hide. Let the substrate dry out completely then rewet it. If you can squeeze water out of the substrate then it is is way too wet.


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## metallica (Sep 12, 2006)

Arachnokid 93 said:


> can you over humidify a tarantula like if a humidity level is to much will it die please post


yes you can.


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## The_Lycanthrope (Sep 12, 2006)

Ouch...
I can testify that statement though. My A. Chalcodes, native to the deserts of Arizona, is now nicely situated in it's new enclosure.
The substrate I use is coconut fiber mixed with "desert sand". The coconut fiber needs to be mixed in water before use, so at first it was very damp.
Believe me, it was crawling on the walls for those first few days.
Now it's fine though, nice and cozy in it's burrow.


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## TheDarkFinder (Sep 12, 2006)

The_Lycanthrope said:


> My A. Chalcodes, native to the deserts of Arizona, is now nicely situated in it's new enclosure...Believe me, it was crawling on the walls for those first few days.
> Now it's fine though, nice and cozy in it's burrow.


You would think that it would cause that, you would think. 

What about Brachypelma albopilosum, Brachypelma boehmei, Brachypelma smithi,  Brachypelma vagans, Acanthoscurria geniculata, Aphonopelma seemanni and the other hundreds of speices that climb the walls for the first few days or weeks  after the substrate change?

thedarkfinder


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## Jaygnar (Sep 12, 2006)

I reccomend that anyone who is keeping animals in their care should have the common decency to give the humidity requirements that their pets deserve or not keep them in the first place. Too humid an environment can cause various problems. Just be kind to your pets and give them proper care or send them to somebody who will. Namely me!


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## Nate (Sep 12, 2006)

Here are issues that are caused by having high humidity levels:

 http://www.gasairconditioning.org/relative_humidity_chart.htm


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## TheDarkFinder (Sep 12, 2006)

Nate said:


> Here are issues that are caused by having high humidity levels:
> 
> http://www.gasairconditioning.org/relative_humidity_chart.htm


ok but what does that have to do with tarantulas?


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## DanHalen (Sep 12, 2006)

What about C Cyaneopubescens


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## dGr8-1 (Sep 12, 2006)

@ TheDarkFinder
Great advice. Hope everyone reads this thread. Issues on humidity and substrate and neverending.

Peace out


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## Nate (Sep 13, 2006)

TheDarkFinder said:


> ok but what does that have to do with tarantulas?


Bacteria, fungi and mites have nothing to do with tarantulas? :? 

I don’t know about you but these are things I try to avoid.


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## Talkenlate04 (Sep 13, 2006)

Hey dark question for you, when I lived in Indiana I had nothing but mite problems..... and there is a lot of natural humidity there, I had to sit and wait for each meal to be completed so I could remove the remains.
But now that I am back in Oregon I have not had a single mite problem........ Are mites more prevlant in different parts of the country?


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## TheDarkFinder (Sep 13, 2006)

Nate said:


> Bacteria, fungi and mites have nothing to do with tarantulas? :?
> 
> I don’t know about you but these are things I try to avoid.


Because they are talking about a home, with walls, carpet, atitics, basements, crawlspaces. 

In the tarantulas cage you have a few logs, substrate, and maybe a clay pot. One, if those things get out of control then you have thousands if not hundreds of thousand of dollars worth of damage. The other you clean out and move on.

Lastly, some tarantulas come from places that are 25-35C with 100% humidity. In these places humans doe not survive long.  when you are talking 5-6 kPa (44 mg/l) you are talking alot of water in the air. This would be a nightmare for most humans. A sona all of the time. 

To talkenlate04
           Yes locality can effect mold, bacteria, mites. this is why some pople have alot of problems and some do not.


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## Nate (Sep 13, 2006)

The question was in regards to high humidity levels. I’m simply showing data that supports that high humidity levels promote growth of things that *could* lead to illness or possible discomfort to the tarantula. It’s up to the individual to choose to ignore it. I simply posted information so the keeper can make a better informed opinion.



TheDarkFinder said:


> Because they are talking about a home, with walls, carpet, atitics, basements, crawlspaces.


That data isn’t only used for human dwellings. It is also a industry standard guide for the care of animals for the line of work I do.


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## TheDarkFinder (Sep 13, 2006)

Nate said:


> That data isn’t only used for human dwellings. It is also a industry standard guide for the care of animals for the line of work I do.


Which animals do you work with, mammals, birds?

The majority of animals alive on this planet have humidity in the wild well above 60% most of the time. They are not dying from it. just wondering.


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## Nate (Sep 13, 2006)

We house rodents, rabbits, fish, canines, felines and primates. Each major species does have a specific humidity ranges in each room to meet there living requirements. No different then varying tarantula species. The “golden” range for a lot of species is also recommended for our common areas (halls and office areas) and rodent rooms by the vet staff is 30%-70% based upon that data to minimize the promotion of growth of bacteria, mold and mites.

I’m *not* saying must keep your tarantulas within these ranges but to inform people when you go out of the ranges you are increasing your odds of possible complications. Of course world location, husbandry and ventilation (air exchanges) play a VERY important roll but so does relative humidity levels.

If you choose to keep a species at 80% humidity my advice is to offset the possibility of increased growth of bacteria, mold and mites is more regular cleaning compared to something you may keep at a lower humidity.



TheDarkFinder said:


> High humidity can cause mold, mites, fungus, and bacteria to exploide.


The data chart builds upon this statement giving it actual values people can consider when selecting a humidity range. So I find it a little puzzling why you don’t see how it’s relevant.


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