Brachypelma Smithi - Question about humidity.

[OdiousFox]

Hello, i was reading online that B. Smithi needs 50% - 60% Humidity, but the humidity in my home is around 75% - 80%. Will there be any problems? If yes, what can i do to decrease it?

 

[BarksandFarts]

Hello, i was reading online that B. Smithi needs 50% - 60% Humidity, but the humidity in my home is around 75% - 80%. Will there be any problems? If yes, what can i do to decrease it?

Humidity is actl pretty irrelevant with Ts. That said, keep the substrate dry and a filled water dish

 

[Storm76]

Humidity is actl pretty irrelevant with Ts. That said, keep the substrate dry and a filled water dish

I disagree. While for some species they tolerate a wider range, others require more attention. That you /can/ keep a T in a certain way, doesn't necessarily mean that T is happy. It's surviving, nothing else.

E. murinus comes to mind, the asian fossorials and heck - even Avics.

But regarding the question of the OP: You do not have to hit those numbers 100%. Slight variation is possible and won't have adverse affects with the species you keep.

 

[Theneil]

Ignore humidity numbers. you only need to worry about if the sub needs to be dry or moist. For B. smithi (is it actually smithi or is it hamorii which was formerly smithi?) it should be kept dry. With a water dish always available.

 

[boina]

I disagree. While for some species they tolerate a wider range, others require more attention. That you /can/ keep a T in a certain way, doesn't necessarily mean that T is happy. It's surviving, nothing else.

E. murinus comes to mind, the asian fossorials and heck - even Avics.

But regarding the question of the OP: You do not have to hit those numbers 100%. Slight variation is possible and won't have adverse affects with the species you keep.

I completely and utterly disagree. You cannot possibly deduce from humidity numbers whether a tarantula is thriving or surviving. I posted my reasoning in detail here.

OP, disregard what you read about humidity numbers, they are all pretty absurd, anyway. Keep you tarantula dry with a water dish and it will be fine.

And for a direct link to the humidity question: Air humidity vs. dampness of substrate

 

[cold blood]

I disagree. While for some species they tolerate a wider range, others require more attention. That you /can/ keep a T in a certain way, doesn't necessarily mean that T is happy. It's surviving, nothing else.

E. murinus comes to mind, the asian fossorials and heck - even Avics.

But regarding the question of the OP: You do not have to hit those numbers 100%. Slight variation is possible and won't have adverse affects with the species you keep.

They require damp sub, not some specific humidity.

 

[Storm76]

@cold blood
Exactly. But humidity is the amount of water in the air, which, is caused by the damp sub

@boina
I'm going to use the Ephebopus murinus as example - again. You can utterly disagree all you like, of course, but:

I never said -anything- about hitting the exact % numbers for humidity -I simply said some T's require more humidity. And on the species in this example: Yes, you can keep them bone-dry. Does the T thrive that way? No! They are used to a much higher humidity in their natural habitat and while I don't aim to have everything "perfectly" (since that's simply impossible!) I do try to provide what I can in order for the animal to be happy and comfortable.

My comment was simple a little note - no more, no less. Please do not read more into it.

 

[Nightstalker47]

Exactly. But humidity is the amount of water in the air, which, is caused by the damp sub

Humidity is just the wrong term, thats all. No tarantula ever needs set humidity numbers or ranges, its a carry over from the reptile hobby, and another tactic LPS use to sell new keepers expensive equipment they dont require.

I never once checked or monitored the humidity in all my years of keeping arachnids.

While for some species they tolerate a wider range, others require more attention.
E. murinus comes to mind, the asian fossorials and heck - even Avics.

I wouldn't go as far comparing avics to those moisture lovers. There has been great success keeping these predominantly dry, too much moisture will kill them rapidly if the vent isn't optimal.

 

[cold blood]

Exactly. But humidity is the amount of water in the air, which, is caused by the damp sub

OK, here's the thing....the book lungs do require a certain amount of moisture to function, and the damp sub, due to evap, provides what they need. So while I disagree, you aren't entirely wrong, as it is this thin layer of damp air they need, but that's all they need, a damp layer just above the substrate, which is provided for simply by having the sub damp.

But to say they need humidity in the enclosure or in the air isn't really true, a t cannot get/extract moisture from the air, it can from the substrate....the ambient humidity both outside and inside is not relevant, as long as the sub is damp. Any t can be kept at any humidity level....people successfully keep Theraposa in the desert by keeping damp sub and Brachypelma hamorii in the Phillipenes simply by keeping the sub dry....why? Because the ambient humidity means nothing ultimately from a keeping standpoint.....its all about moisture in the substrate.

The whole term "humidity" over-complicates people's views on t keeping, and makes it seem harder than it actually is...its probably the #1 source of beginner confusion and its all because people still harp on that word, humidity. If that term was never in this hobby, new keepers would have a much easer time keeping and understanding how to keep their ts. JME

Personally I really do wish people just stopped using the term completely and left it with their reptiles and amphibs where it belongs.....easily my least favorite term thrown around in this hobby....well power feeding is close guess....hehe. JMO

 

[boina]

They are used to a much higher humidity in their natural habitat

But that doesn't tell you a thing about what a tarantula really needs - they may just barely survive that humidity in their natural environment, they may actually survive despite the high humidity instead of it being beneficial. Just because their natural environment is like that does not mean they need that specific factor in captivity to thrive. High humidity without the appropriate microbiota is a dangerous game, see Avics.

Their natural habitat is NOT the best guide to specific factors, like humidity. Did you read that thread I linked?

Edit: Yes, some tarantulas depend on moist sub, Avics NOT being one of them, but no tarantula needs moisture in the air 2" over its head.

 

[Storm76]

Considering the OP had a simple question that was already answered, it would seem my sidenote has sparked quite the discussion. Not to derail this thread any further, I'll just say let's agree that some of us disagree

 

[Chris LXXIX]

@boina

The 'humidity numbers' of today are:

Berlin: 25

Dresden: 85

Hamburg: 47 (47 means 'a dead man talking' to you, in a dream)

Aachen: 75

München: 18

Stuttgart: 54

 

[EDED]

numbers can be useful, using a pretty good probe. this way we eliminate what one person calls humid or damp substrate vs another person thinking what is damp/humid

bone dry substrate with a water dish that doesnt dry out quickly maybe okay but so many variables and so many different species of Ts out there, I am not sure if we can say all ts are fine with dry substrate and a water dish.

some will surprise you with a crappy ending,,,,

some will surprise you thinking 'hey i thought this was from a jungle of South America and it hates damp substrate?" or "from equator region and prefers cooler temp?"

more anecdotal info we have better for everyone. I believe each species needs specific attention however most of the time we can get away with basic set up.

i dont think there is no real answer or one perfect method.
dont you think that is the beauty of this hobby? not only watching Ts eat poop and molt but tinkering around with different setup and breeding etc.

 

[Greasylake]

they may just barely survive that humidity in their natural environment, they may actually survive despite the high humidity instead of it being beneficial

I can tell you the last few weeks I've barely been surviving the heat and humidity in Texas. Definitely not ideal for human survival when you go outside, take a deep breath and start worrying you're going to drown.

 

[cold blood]

bone dry substrate with a water dish that doesnt dry out quickly maybe okay but so many variables and so many different species of Ts out there, I am not sure if we can say all ts are fine with dry substrate and a water dish.

i dont think there is no real answer or one perfect method.

No one is suggesting dry with a dish is good for all ts, and no one is saying all ts need to be kept the same. Or that there is but one method for keeping all ts.

Ts that need moisture, need damp sub (because that's what they need, moisture, not humidity)...some need more than others, some need less...how much they need dictates how damp the sub will be. And yes, it is different for each, but for those that require moisture, damp sub does the job providing what they need, where they need it.