# Substrate for Aussie Ts



## Oompoofishy (Feb 28, 2019)

Hi there everyone,

I am a first time T owner and unfortunately, live in Melbourne currently so I can only get my hands on OWs.

I'm in the process of placing an order for a Phlogious Strenuus and a Selenotholus Sp. Kotzman, both slings. From what I gathered in my months of research:

1. Substrate for both Ts need to be some sort of coco fibre/peat and it needs to be substantial enough for them to dig if they so wish to
2. Spaghnum moss seems to be a favourite with T owners for maintaining humidity and for deco
2. A hide should be provided
3. The enclosure should not be too tall as they might fall and hurt themselves
4. A water dish should also be provided in case humidity in the enclosure is not enough
5. Feeding for slings should be more often than adults (2-3 times a week compared to 1-2 times for adults, but really depending on the food item as well)

The question I have pertains to the humidity of the 2 species. I've seen one or two T online suppliers recommend the Strenuus to be kept slightly more humid and the Kotzman. Is that true? I also know that most T owners don't like talking about humidity in percentages so if the above rings true, could you please advise on misting? (i.e. How many times I should be doing that etc.)

I know that Ts are pretty hardy and relatively easy to keep but I'm still worried that I'm missing something out and want to get that all sorted before they come.

Any advice would be helpful really! Thank you so much.


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## cold blood (Feb 28, 2019)

Oompoofishy said:


> 1. Substrate for both Ts need to be some sort of coco fibre/peat


Any acceptable sub can be used for any t, regardless of species or needs...sub is a personal choice for the keeper.   Coco fiber is the hobby standard, top soil isn't far behind...peat is another option many love, but I find it very dusty and resistant to absorbtion, but once it does, it tends to hold moisture better than anything.   I use top soil almost exclusively.





Oompoofishy said:


> Spaghnum moss seems to be a favourite with T owners for maintaining humidity and for deco


Moss is fine, but don't over do it.  

Humidity doesn't need to be maintained, its an irrelevant term to t keeping.  When you see a t needs humidity, what it should be telling you is that it requires damp substrate....its literally as simple as adding water when the sub dries out.



Oompoofishy said:


> A hide should be provided


always for any terrestrial or fossorial species.



Oompoofishy said:


> The enclosure should not be too tall as they might fall and hurt themselves


correct....how deep your enclosure is will dictate the depth of substrate.   Fossorials should be kept in deeper enclosures to accommodate this deeper sub.



Oompoofishy said:


> A water dish should also be provided in case humidity in the enclosure is not enough


Yes, but a water dish is for drinking, it has nothing to do with husbandry.



Oompoofishy said:


> Feeding for slings should be more often than adults (2-3 times a week compared to 1-2 times for adults, but really depending on the food item as well)


There are no hard and fast rules for feeding, its quite variable...10 people could all have differing schedules and all raise healthy ts.

Generally, you can feed more often if you feed smaller prey, less often if you feed larger prey.   I feed slings once every 2 weeks, but feed large prey, as a result I still maintain fast growth rates.



Oompoofishy said:


> The question I have pertains to the humidity of the 2 species. I've seen one or two T online suppliers recommend the Strenuus to be kept slightly more humid and the Kotzman.


Just damp substrate, do not measure humidity, just add water to the sub as it dries.


Oompoofishy said:


> could you please advise on misting?


Don't.

Instead pour water directly onto the sub...its more important that the deeper parts of the sub remain damp, its less important for the surface, and misting only dampens the surface.

Misting is for drinking opportunities, not husbandry...just like a water dish.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Vanisher (Feb 28, 2019)

Australian tarantulas is outside of my expertise. Keep them as a Haplopelma i guess, but less moist substrate?


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## Andrew Clayton (Feb 28, 2019)

@RezonantVoid Talk to him he knows quite a bit about aussie Ts

Reactions: Like 2


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## RezonantVoid (Feb 28, 2019)

Hi mate. I'll try and link you the substrate I use for all my T's, it was called Lithuanian cocopeat or spagnum peat and it came in a big bundle. It comes damp already so you don't need to prep it or anything just put it straight into your containers. 
Keep in mind that Phlogius and Selenotholus have different preferences for how damp their sub is. For Phlogius, I like to see a fine film on condensation along the whole sides of the container, but Selenotholus are a bit more of an arid zone species so if you let the first few centimetres of top substrate dry and and keep the rest looking darker that should be fine, but maybe as a sling keep it all slightly damp and slowly let the topsoil dry out as it grows. I'd keep a bundle of spagnum moss in one corner of each container that is kept damp as much as possible, or sprayed at least every time it looks really dry.
Phlogius will burrow, especially Strennus, but they do like a curved piece of gumtree bark or similar to hide under. Selenotholus will most likely only use a burrow or live inside the spagnum moss bundle.
Hope this helps, welcome to the hobby mate

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Oompoofishy (Feb 28, 2019)

RezonantVoid said:


> Hi mate. I'll try and link you the substrate I use for all my T's, it was called Lithuanian cocopeat or spagnum peat and it came in a big bundle. It comes damp already so you don't need to prep it or anything just put it straight into your containers.
> Keep in mind that Phlogius and Selenotholus have different preferences for how damp their sub is. For Phlogius, I like to see a fine film on condensation along the whole sides of the container, but Selenotholus are a bit more of an arid zone species so if you let the first few centimetres of top substrate dry and and keep the rest looking darker that should be fine, but maybe as a sling keep it all slightly damp and slowly let the topsoil dry out as it grows. I'd keep a bundle of spagnum moss in one corner of each container that is kept damp as much as possible, or sprayed at least every time it looks really dry.
> Phlogius will burrow, especially Strennus, but they do like a curved piece of gumtree bark or similar to hide under. Selenotholus will most likely only use a burrow or live inside the spagnum moss bundle.
> Hope this helps, welcome to the hobby mate


This is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks sooooo so so much!


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## Vanisher (Mar 1, 2019)

ResonantVoid, atleast one who like me uses peatmoss!

Reactions: Like 2


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## RezonantVoid (Mar 1, 2019)

Vanisher said:


> ResonantVoid, atleast one who like me uses peatmoss!


Yea lol it hasn't let me down


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## Beggottenson (Mar 1, 2019)

king of Aussie Ts rezonantvoid has entered the chat

Reactions: Like 2 | Funny 1


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## RezonantVoid (Mar 1, 2019)

Beggottenson said:


> king of Aussie Ts rezonantvoid has entered the chat


I wouldn't say king, there are people on here that have lots of Aussie T's as well.
@Rhino1 for instance has more than me I think. But thank you for the compliment

Reactions: Love 1


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## StampFan (Mar 2, 2019)

RezonantVoid said:


> I wouldn't say king, there are people on here that have lots of Aussie T's as well.
> @Rhino1 for instance has more than me I think. But thank you for the compliment


If you had to pick *one* aussie T to keep, which would it be?  

Might try to get one, so curious on peoples' thoughts.


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## RezonantVoid (Mar 2, 2019)

StampFan said:


> If you had to pick *one* aussie T to keep, which would it be?
> 
> Might try to get one, so curious on peoples' thoughts.


If you're wanting uniqueness, the answer is 100% Selenotypus sp. Champagne Robustus. However I don't think Steve Nunn ever shipped them outside Australia, so I'd have to say Phlogius Strennus is a close second choice

Reactions: Like 1


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## StampFan (Mar 2, 2019)

RezonantVoid said:


> If you're wanting uniqueness, the answer is 100% Selenotypus sp. Champagne Robustus. However I don't think Steve Nunn ever shipped them outside Australia, so I'd have to say Phlogius Strennus is a close second choice


Looks like my only option right now is S crassipes.


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## RezonantVoid (Mar 2, 2019)

StampFan said:


> Looks like my only option right now is S crassipes.


S.Crassipes is still nice though, fast growers like all Phlogius. Strennus though has nicer colours and webs more than Crassipes to memory. If you ever stumble across Strennus, I highly recommend them.


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## StampFan (Mar 2, 2019)

RezonantVoid said:


> S.Crassipes is still nice though, fast growers like all Phlogius. Strennus though has nicer colours and webs more than Crassipes to memory. If you ever stumble across Strennus, I highly recommend them.


I've seen North American keepers give *deep* substrate for the S. crassipes, but I've seen Aussie keepers keep them almost like a NW terrestrial.  What's the best practice in your opinion?  Thanks!


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## RezonantVoid (Mar 2, 2019)

StampFan said:


> I've seen North American keepers give *deep* substrate for the S. crassipes, but I've seen Aussie keepers keep them almost like a NW terrestrial.  What's the best practice in your opinion?  Thanks!


From what I can tell, deep sub is not really necessary. Crassipes will burrow more than other Phlogius but despite my juvie having quite an extensive burrow it is almost always outside, even during the day and only uses the burrow to eat in. If you are getting a sling give it 10cm of substrate and a bark hide, and see which it prefers to use


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## Rhino1 (Mar 6, 2019)

RezonantVoid said:


> I wouldn't say king, there are people on here that have lots of Aussie T's as well.
> @Rhino1 for instance has more than me I think. But thank you for the compliment


Yeah nah, you are the go to man, respect. Its your passion for what you do and that follows through into your posts as well as wanting to help out. I love my T's and devoted alot of time to volunteering with helping research way back (wow before I even met my wife), so around 20 years ago but alot has changed since then and @RezonantVoid helped bring me up to speed with all the changes species, sub species, locales etc, he is has been a great help
This is a really good thread, keep it going, also welcome @Oompoofishy that is one helluva user name, keep us posted with how everything is going with your new T.

Reactions: Like 2


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## Rhino1 (Mar 9, 2019)

Back to substrates, for slings I tend to use straight peat with a piece of sphagnum as decor, I used to use coco fibre but didn't like all the hairs and chit that's in some brands but peat is a pain too if allowed to dry out completely.
Once they hit the juvie sub adult stage and are due for new containers I mix an aussie red sand/soil through it as it holds it structure very well and there is little risk of burrows collapsing, it has to be an Australian brand of Australian sand as its more of a red clay base than actual sand I guess and can be sculpted and packed whilst wet, like that excavator stuff. The imported red sand isn't much chop at all to be mixed and is a very loose silica type sand and isn't even suitable for our scorpions as they can't burrow into it, avoid it.
I used to do a mix of sphagnum, peat and fine bark that worked well but always seems to look messy and I lost some selenotypus juvies in this mix a few years back so I canned it, any of the previous suggestions are fine and I guess it's more personal preference and what species and style of enclosure you have.


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## Beggottenson (Mar 10, 2019)

RezonantVoid said:


> From what I can tell, deep sub is not really necessary. Crassipes will burrow more than other Phlogius but despite my juvie having quite an extensive burrow it is almost always outside, even during the day and only uses the burrow to eat in. If you are getting a sling give it 10cm of substrate and a bark hide, and see which it prefers to use


How moist should the substrate be for my 1 inch p crassipes?


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## RezonantVoid (Mar 10, 2019)

Beggottenson said:


> How moist should the substrate be for my 1 inch p crassipes?


A light film of condensation on the side of the container should be fine. They are from North Queensland which is mostly rainforest, so just keep the sub slightly damp but not wet. At room temperature it should just feel cool to touch

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Beggottenson (Mar 10, 2019)

RezonantVoid said:


> A light film of condensation on the side of the container should be fine. They are from North Queensland which is mostly rainforest, so just keep the sub slightly damp but not wet. At room temperature it should just feel cool to touch


Awesome thanks!!


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