anyone use backyard dirt as substrate?

[EndlessForms]

:? i get about ten large for a dollar at my lps im not aspose to get that many but well im a regular i mean ill give you a dollar man you dont live but twenty mins from me

lolz well i have literally, 10$ so i'm gonna not spend that in case i have an emergency with them or something and to buy them food. the only reason i wanted more substrate is to add maybe a half burried cave\plants and maybe a few small hills here and there the tank is just a basic 'hide and dish' right now i like to make 'em a bit more elaborate that that

 

[groovyspider]

lolz well i have literally, 10$ so i'm gonna not spend that in case i have an emergency with them or something and to buy them food. the only reason i wanted more substrate is to add maybe a half burried cave\plants and maybe a few small hills here and there the tank is just a basic 'hide and dish' right now i like to make 'em a bit more elaborate that that

ok i see.hmm wait till next payday

 

[EndlessForms]

ok i see.hmm wait till next payday

you mean wait 'till i can get a job lol no one will hire me until i'm sixteen in October :wall:

 

[neubii18]

No .

This made me laugh!Straight and to the point!Lol!

To the OP.It's probably not safe.I would just get some Sphagnum Peat Moss from HomeDepot for like $2.Very soft bedding.My favorite.

 

[Hobo]

You can buy the exact same coco coir you can get at a pet store at any home depot or gardening center. The only difference being the packaging, quantity (you get more) and price (it will be significantly cheaper).
I bought three cubic feet of the stuff for $7.
At the pet store, that won't even get me two small bricks... And all just because it's "for pets". It's the biggest scam.

 

[EndlessForms]

This made me laugh!Straight and to the point!Lol!

To the OP.It's probably not safe.I would just get some Sphagnum Peat Moss from HomeDepot for like $2.Very soft bedding.My favorite.

awesome. how much do you get for 2$?

You can buy the exact same coco coir you can get at a pet store at any home depot or gardening center. The only difference being the packaging, quantity (you get more) and price (it will be significantly cheaper).
I bought three cubic feet of the stuff for $7.
At the pet store, that won't even get me two small bricks... And all just because it's "for pets". It's the biggest scam.

lol yeah i didn't know that you can get it there..gotta go check it out

 

[groovyspider]

You can buy the exact same coco coir you can get at a pet store at any home depot or gardening center. The only difference being the packaging, quantity (you get more) and price (it will be significantly cheaper).
I bought three cubic feet of the stuff for $7.
At the pet store, that won't even get me two small bricks... And all just because it's "for pets". It's the biggest scam.

for real? ?

 

[ZergFront]

I don't dig substrate out myself(never know what plant food my Mom put in or where my Dad might have used weed killer). I use potting soil I buy. Check the ingredients in the back to make sure there is no wood chips, fertilizers, manure, etc.

For added safety, I broil it in pans in the oven to kill stuff that might be living in there. Don't leave home with the oven on.

 

[LeilaNami]

As far as baking the soil, yes you can. I tend to soak the dirt for a day or so before cooking it though. You then spread a thin layer in a baking dish so it heats up through out. As for wood, it's better to put it in water and soak it before putting it in the oven because the water heats up far better and penetrates far better than if just heating dry wood. That is how many driftwood sellers sterilize their wood. You then have to let it cool for a while before use. Unless you are flat out broke, it would be more economical work wise to just buy some cheap soil from the garden center. Otherwise, if you have a few days on your hands, you can do what I said. I do this sometimes when I get fed up with buying contaminated bags that I have to sterilize myself anyway. I would be weary using leaf litter with inverts simply because it is difficult to sterilize if there happens to be anything hitch-hiking on it.

And yes, many products marketed for pets are scams. Heat lamps come to mind.

Edit: Just keep in mind that sterilization may or may not be 100% complete depending on what is actually in the dirt but should kill everything that will actually be a problem to the animal.

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

I don't really understand the chemical and pesticide paranoia that occurs in questions regarding soil from the outdoors. It sometimes appears that everyone forgets or doesn't know tarantulas live in people's backyards and in city run parks in their range in the country. Some, at least from what I've seen in the suburbs of Dallas/ Ft. Worth Texas, have very well maintained landscaping! If chemicals were such a big problem that the pet trade community makes it out to be, I don't think tarantulas would be as prevalent in suburban neighborhoods as they are. Also, it seems very unlikely that the top soil, compost, peat moss, etc. bought at a garden center is sterile or even "clean." Who knows what trucks it is carried around in or even where it comes from exactly?

If one wants to try using soil from the backyard, it's really easy to try out. Just put some in a container and keep it as if there was a tarantula in it and find out if you start growing things in it. The chemical argument to not using backyard soil is silly I think, but organisms growing out of control in the soil is likely but could easily be tested for. A little experimentation, common sense, and trial and error will go a lot further with captive husbandry practices than following the unsubstantiated and vague responses here.

 

[EndlessForms]

I don't really understand the chemical and pesticide paranoia that occurs in questions regarding soil from the outdoors. It sometimes appears that everyone forgets or doesn't know tarantulas live in people's backyards and in city run parks in their range in the country. Some, at least from what I've seen in the suburbs of Dallas/ Ft. Worth Texas, have very well maintained landscaping! If chemicals were such a big problem that the pet trade community makes it out to be, I don't think tarantulas would be as prevalent in suburban neighborhoods as they are. Also, it seems very unlikely that the top soil, compost, peat moss, etc. bought at a garden center is sterile or even "clean." Who knows what trucks it is carried around in or even where it comes from exactly?

If one wants to try using soil from the backyard, it's really easy to try out. Just put some in a container and keep it as if there was a tarantula in it and find out if you start growing things in it. The chemical argument to not using backyard soil is silly I think, but organisms growing out of control in the soil is likely but could easily be tested for. A little experimentation, common sense, and trial and error will go a lot further with captive husbandry practices than following the unsubstantiated and vague responses here.

*like* lol

 

[esotericman]

Ignoring the paranoia regarding possible organisms in the soil which might harm an alien species, I have four practical considerations to ponder.

1) Soil is HEAVY. A shelf full of soil filled enclosures could weigh more than that same shelf full of books. This is a real concern as many keepers have stacks of animals. If you had a couple naturalist vivaria, not a big deal.

2) Handling substrate moisture in soil can be a real pain. If you over wet coir or peat, you only have to increase the air flow and the surface will be dry in a couple hours. With heavy clay soils, it could take days. Also, water does not move into soil the same way, thus you'd need to account for that when you do add water, assuming you're not keeping a desert species.

3) One of the reasons for molting is to replace damaged exoskeletons. Damage occurs due soil abrasion. If you have an obligate burrower which evolved to deal with soft loams and you put it in a sandy soil, you could cause some interesting care issues.

4) Store purchased "soil" often has "compost" or "night soil" or basically composed feces from humans or livestock. I have a difficult time finding soil at my local home depot which does not have either wetting agents or compost in it. The concern with compost is that it is not regulated via labeling, and you could be doing your best only to end up with lead and cadmium levels in your substrate high enough to cause issues.

Now then, if you're comfortable dealing with those ideas, then feel free do collect soil which you are sure is safe. Contaminants are of variable concern depending on where you live or how far away from people you can get. And while I do not believe there is a single pathogen in most soil (worldwide site after all), I do agree that pasteurization to avoid weeds is a good idea.

There have been plenty of great keepers who have used native soils over the years, and I have never seen a report to suggest there are any risks other than what I suggested.

Lastly, if you do use soil, please share the pictures and observations, it is the only way any of us learn anything.

 

[Jrod]

i want to add depth to the substrate in my parahybana tank, she's in a ten gall and the sub is only 2" i know it needs to be a lot deeper. but i don't want to spend 20$ on coco fiber to fill it up..so will it work to use some dirt from my backyard to fill it about halfway up and then put the coco fiber on top of that? does anyone else do this?

no it mite hive bacteras the mit kill her onles you water it then put it in your microwave

 

[groovyspider]

no it mite hive bacteras the mit kill her onles you water it then put it in your microwave

:clap: i actaully some what undrstud wut uo sed

 

[Jrod]

no

exactly, but my point is, if there selling top soil with no additives, its just plain dirt, why should i buy their plain dirt, instead of going out into a less populated area and getting my own??

just buy coco husk thats what i use it like a spong it holds humity

gust my som from pet co

---------- Post added at 06:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:38 PM ----------

:clap: i actaully some what undrstud wut uo sed

ya i can not spell i am ging to git a indan ortemintel have ed vise

 

[cromero68]

Coco Husk and vermiculite is all you need. For plants maybe mixing potting soil with out the chems/fertilizers with the c. husk and verm.

 

[baboonfan]

i want to add depth to the substrate in my parahybana tank, she's in a ten gall and the sub is only 2" i know it needs to be a lot deeper. but i don't want to spend 20$ on coco fiber to fill it up..so will it work to use some dirt from my backyard to fill it about halfway up and then put the coco fiber on top of that? does anyone else do this?

Chemicals in the soil along with unwanted local wildlife could be a serious problem. More eco earth is the way to go.

 

[EndlessForms]

guys, i know about coco fiber, and am no noob to vermiculite, so you dont need to tell me about them

i'm simply asking a hypothetical question all i need is answers regarding the pros and cons of using [sterilized] soil i don't need to be told all the benefits of coco fiber, i know it's WAY better, but this was just an idea to expand a bit..

 

[groovyspider]

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ya i can not spell i am ging to git a indan ortemintel have ed vise

no i dont hsve any pookies :razz:

 

[baboonfan]

ok two things, one they seriously sell 40 pound bags for 1.29$??? wow! lol also, whats the difference between topsoil they sell, and topsoil i can go into the woods and get myself?? i admit that my backyard isn't a good place to get it because of possible chemicals in the soil

Chemicals are a potential problem but I would worry more about local wildlife. If I were to use soil in my area I can know that I would have ants galore in my T cage.