A. genic substrate question

Graves6661

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Dec 31, 2015
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Ive been reading several posts found using the search function of this forum and found a few contradicting answers for my question.

Ive read A.genics like a slightly humid environment so when I set up the enclosure i moistened the substrate which is eco-earth. Acouple days after introducing the T I noticed it was spending alot of time on the side of the container off the sub so I assumed it was too moist. I let it dry out naturally over the weekend and kept the water dish full. When I checked this afternoon to feed I found the T sitting in to the water dish which was approximately half full. Im assuming it was just drinking since as soon as I put a feeder roach in it got out of the water dish to hunt the roach down.

So how do you genic owners generally keep the enclosures? Dry sub with weekly/bi-weekly misting? slightly moist sub?
 

Poec54

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Slightly moist substrate for genics, no misting. It's scares spiders (who are afraid of being washed away in a flash flood) and sends urticating hairs airborne.

No tarantula should have soggy substrate. The categories are: moist, slightly moist, and dry.
 

KezyGLA

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Just overfill the water dish to dampen the surrounding substrate and let it dry out Then repeat process. You could place a little moss in the enclusure and just wet it now and then to hold humidity.

Make sure the water dish is fresh and always full
 

Chris LXXIX

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A water dish always full, and with a pipette and room temperature water I directly add water in the substrate. Only part of the substrate slightly moist is what works for me (a 0.1 specimen, not a sling).

Keep in mind that, where you live, play a role in that. Now this isn't a concern for you, since you live in the East Coast, but if someone lives in a desert area, things changes, obviously.
 

Poec54

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Just overfill the water dish to dampen the surrounding substrate and let it dry out Then repeat process.

I prefer to randomly sprinkle water on the substrate throughout the cage. Having one spot that is consistently the place getting moistened (overflowing the water bowl) promotes an assortment of things living there.
 

Graves6661

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cool deal. Thanks for the advice everyone. I like the random sprinkle of water @Poec54 mentioned. Ill give that a try today and see how the T reacts over the next week or two. I was worried I was keeping it too dry for the Ts liking.
 

KezyGLA

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I prefer to randomly sprinkle water on the substrate throughout the cage. Having one spot that is consistently the place getting moistened (overflowing the water bowl) promotes an assortment of things living there.
Yes I agree. If kept constantly moist anywhere it can open the doors to pests. I let it dry out completely before adding more. I find keeping a little moss in enclosure and dropping water over it now and then is the better option.
 

Poec54

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cool deal. Thanks for the advice everyone. I like the random sprinkle of water @Poec54 mentioned. Ill give that a try today and see how the T reacts over the next week or two. I was worried I was keeping it too dry for the Ts liking.

When you sprinkle, don't go overboard, you can always add more water later. Take the local temps and humidity/rain into account, as they'll influence evaporation.

Most tarantulas are from high rainfall areas and prefer moist substrate. Species from areas with pronounced dry seasons can die in moist cages (most Aphonopelma, east/south African baboons, etc) and need dry substrate and good ventilation.
 

tetracerus

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May 16, 2016
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Further backing of what people advised against above:



Oops :(
Now I know...
 
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