Coconut Husk Substrate

[RangerLiz]

I've got my very first tarantula and I put her on coconut husk substrate because I did not want to risk accidentally poisoning her with potting soil fertilizer. However, she is reacting to it the way Shultz describes in his "Taratula Keeper's Guide" the way tarantulas react to Vermiculite! She won't walk on it and she is clinging to the glass. I left a little water in the husk based on Shultz recommendation. Maybe I left in too much? If I bake it in the oven (it's snowing here, no help from the sun) would it make her happier? If the humidity is higher based on the soil will it endanger her life?

 

[Agent Jones]

What species do you have?

 

[rvtjonny]

you can stick it in the oven to dry it out, i nuke it
better off on the dry side just keep a sm bowl or a soda cap with water

 

[Sathane]

Unless the humidity is very high in relation to the proper conditions for your species for a prolonged period, it shouldn't harm her aside from the annoyance.
Higher humidity also promotes mold growth so watch out for this as well. I'd take some of the leftover cocofibre (if you still have some that wasn't used) and spread it out thinly in a large plastic bin. It will dry out fairly quickly and you can cover the moist substrate with this drier stuff.

Alternatively, you could put her in a temporary enclosure with paper towel substrate for a few hours while you bake the substrate (this stinks - literally).

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Yeah, we need to know what species you've got. But really, odds are it's just "oh god new substrate" syndrome. Tarantulas don't like change, and putting them in a new enclosure or changing their substrate will cause some wall-clinging for a few days to a few weeks before they settle down again.

 

[Miss Bianca]

Unless the stuff is soaked.. your little guy is probably just adjusting...

this all depends on the species though, as previously mentioned...

for example, if it's an Avic it's acting perfectly normal and should start webbing soon, if it's a Grammostola it'll probably be misearble until things dry up...

 

[RangerLiz]

She's a Mexican Red Knee. She has done some webbing. I hate to traumatize her anymore. On any normal day the stuff would have dried out quickly but the weathers been terrible. What would be better for her, to dry out a layer and put it on top or tranfer her to a temp and bake the whole mess?

 

[Agent Jones]

She's a Mexican Red Knee. She has done some webbing. I hate to traumatize her anymore. On any normal day the stuff would have dried out quickly but the weathers been terrible. What would be better for her, to dry out a layer and put it on top or tranfer her to a temp and bake the whole mess?

Just leave it alone and let it dry naturally. If she's webbing, she'll get over it, imo. Unless it's sopping wet, then that's a different story.