E. campestratus Question.

[Godzilla2000]

Is cactus soil good for a picky Pink Zebra Beauty? Gypsy seems to not be particularly fond of the forest floor mulch substrate I'm using. I have a bag of Cactus soil lying around and I was going to use that. But I wanted everyone's advice first before I try it.

 

[Immortal_sin]

what is cactus soil? is it a sand mixture?
I use straight peat moss for both of mine, and they seem to be just fine on it

 

[Godzilla2000]

Originally posted by Immortal_sin
what is cactus soil? is it a sand mixture?
I use straight peat moss for both of mine, and they seem to be just fine on it

It's basically potting soil but formulated for Cacti. It looks just like standard potting soil except the minerals are a little different as pertaining to the needs of a healthy, growing cactus. I'd really appreciate any expert advice. I don't know if Cactus soil is just as equal in safety as regular potting soil. I think due to my E. Campestratus' deformities the Cypress Mulch is just to harsh for her and she needs something softer.

 

[Immortal_sin]

hmmm, sorry, but I have no idea...maybe someone else will have had some experience either way with it to help you out

 

[jwb121377]

I wouldn't use it, as most of the cacti soils I've seen have perlite in it.

 

[Joy]

Originally posted by Godzilla2000
Is cactus soil good for a picky Pink Zebra Beauty? Gypsy seems to not be particularly fond of the forest floor mulch substrate I'm using. I have a bag of Cactus soil lying around and I was going to use that. But I wanted everyone's advice first before I try it.

A couple of questions occur to me in reference to your inquiry:

1) What are the ingredients in your cactus soil? Anything with added fertilizers isn't a good idea for tarantulas (although I wouldn't imagine fertilizers are likely in a mix for cacti). Sand or other abrasive ingredients aren't a good idea, either.

2) Do you have your spider in a burrowing set-up? E. campestratus will build beautiful burrows if allowed IME, but I doubt cactus mix is suitable for this purpose. A peat/sphagnum or peat/soil substrate would be my recommendation in this case--in fact, it's what I'd recommend whether your spider is allowed to burrow or not. My feeling is that there are enough possible complications involved in dealing with tarantulas without deliberately introducing more in the form of an experimental substrate mix.

Joy

 

[conipto]

Originally posted by jwb121377
I wouldn't use it, as most of the cacti soils I've seen have perlite in it.

So to most of the other soils they sell now (scotts "Potting Soil" is Sphangum peat and perlite). Peat/Verm is my fix!

Bill

 

[Code Monkey]

Originally posted by conipto
So to most of the other soils they sell now (scotts "Potting Soil" is Sphangum peat and perlite). Peat/Verm is my fix!

Bill

Heh, and I've gone completely minimalist on the last several cages I've set up and just went with vermiculite. The more I thought about it, the more I realised the peat was just there to make the substrate dark.

 

[conipto]

Originally posted by Code Monkey
Heh, and I've gone completely minimalist on the last several cages I've set up and just went with vermiculite. The more I thought about it, the more I realised the peat was just there to make the substrate dark.

Can't really burrow in straight verm either.. which may or may not be to your liking, since I know you keep mostly NW'ers..

Bill

 

[Henry Kane]

Hmmm, I add peat in order to help the T's burrows easier and stronger. Still, I've never tried straight verm with any of my burrowers/excavators. Have any of your burrowing T's had any trouble with just the straight vermiculite Chip? How about with the verm sticking to their scopulae? I'd guess that would be a bit less of a prob with the finer grade vermiculite but I also read that the finer stuff may be damaging to their book lungs.

Atrax

 

[Code Monkey]

Originally posted by Atrax
Hmmm, I add peat in order to help the T's burrows easier and stronger....Have any of your burrowing T's had any trouble with just the straight vermiculite Chip?

Not much of an issue with the relatively small number of truly obligate burrowers I have (one) and it's a sling. I'm still keeping the slings on a peat/verm mix for precisely the reasons you note, though. I'll probably use a peat or soil mix for it as it grows larger.

It's more of an experiment at this point as I've only I've rehoused 5 of my Ts on straight verm. The bloodleg is still deciding whether it even wants to touch it. The pinktoe obviously could care less. The curly hair could have cared less and immediately jumped into pushing it here and there to make himself a custom fort. The redleg seems purely neutral on the subject (has never shown any sign of substrate manipulation). And the bluebloom seems very content and enjoying the better moisture retaining capabilities.

I've had no more problems with particulate matter clinging to the Ts than with a 50/50 mix. At any rate, if it doesn't seem to work as well, I'll switch back, but I wanted to try straight verm with larger specimens to see how well it functioned.

 

[Godzilla2000]

I think the reason why Gypsy doesn't like the Cypress wood mulch is because it irritates the crooked telotarsus she has on her rear leg whenever she walks over it. Other than that she's perfectly fine. I'm just looking for a substrate that's nice and sof so as not to cause her anymore discomfort.

 

[Beth-Tex]

The softest thing I have found is Peat Moss. Which you can leave a bit loose or pat it down just a bit.
I've had to change all my Ts out of it though, because the batch of Schultz Peat Moss that I got has all these tiny little bugs (that move kinda fast) in it. I mean the enclosures were infested. I was so disappointed after all the glowing reports from everyone about Peat Moss.
My poor slings are now having to be changed until I can get rid of them. I do not keep them over moist......never have done that & my slings seem to do well with that but nevertheless.........all those creepy crawly nasty little bugs.

Vermiculite is another option.......unfortunately I can't get it here in this area, but I have had it in the past (in Calif) & it is soft & non abrasive to the spiders.