GBB substrate discussion!!

[erguayabero]

I'm looking some information about the different kinds of substrate (not exactly the ideal) who the chromatopelma can live without health problems!!
also link to older discussions!!

Psdata: sorry about the orthography!!

 

[erguayabero]

tomorrow arrives my new GBB and I tink to use river sand, is very similar to the desert sand!! i know that tis substrate is not the ideal but the problem is that here the pet shops sell only dogs, cats and fish stuff!!

which better substrate can i find in the nature??

and how can i disinfect this sand??

 

[Terry D]

Erguayabero, I'm not much on the shopping scene in Venezuela but if there's a home and garden center near you they might have peat moss in bags or bales. It is most frequently used in gardens to improve the soil and depending upon origin, to lower the ph. Make sure that it does not list any extra additives on the label.

There have been a few keepers here aboard that have used bagged topsoil with success as well- again, no additives. I am surprised that pet shops in your area do not carry coco-coir. Good luck with your new arrival and hope you find something soon. Terry

edit- Btw, no sand!

 

[Bengal21]

and how can i disinfect this sand??

I don't know if sand is ok for a GBB, but you can disenfect almost anything you are going to use with a few sessions in the microwave or oven on 350. Just take care not to burn your house down.

 

[erguayabero]

thanks for the advices! the problem is because sell any kind of exotic animals is forbidden in Venezuela, thanks to that is so hard and expensive find or buy tarantulas and any accessories!!

Another question: ill have her in my room with an a. avicularia but in the night the temperatures goes down to 64-66 Fahrenheit (18°-19°).
they can have any problem with these temperature?
and i want to put an artificial light to their terrariums, wich tips you can give me??

 

[razor244]

the temp may be a bit lower then optimum but from what i understand GBB are pretty hardy, more so then avic's. so if ur avic is doing well your gbb should be good.

 

[Bjamin]

The night temp is a bit low but I don't see that being a problem but don't use any lights not only do the t's not need them they don't want them.

 

[AmbushArachnids]

The night temp is a bit low but I don't see that being a problem but don't use any lights not only do the t's not need them they don't want them.

I have lights above my Ts and even my burrowers will come out to lay in it. They dont seem to mind at all. Just make sure your enclosure has a place to escape the light and thats fine. Not all Ts dislike light. Infact it tells them what season it is along with temperature and humidity.

 

[Great Basin Ben]

MORE GBB Substrate questions

Given that the GBB lives in a region where sandy soil IS prevailing, would a sand / coco-coir combo work? I've read that the GBB is such a prolific webber, due to the poor, or rather sandy composition of its soil, and the webbing is used to create a support structure for their burrowing activities.

I DO understand the inherent problems with using nothing BUT sand, and even more so the problems that "wild" sand could cause, but what about a store bought, "terrarium" sand / coco combo? If you sprayed or misted the sand down, before effectively "mixing" it with coco, it might not just settle down to the very bottom of the enclosure, and act as a binder of sorts for the coco...

I've seen many folks describe their GBB keeping success with a vermiculite mix, also. Would a coco / vermiculite combo, work better than a sand combo? and would either of these types of substrates promote burrowing, more than the other??? I know the GBB likes it arid, so whatever was used, it would have to be as dry as possible, but still compact fairly easily, right???

 

[Protectyaaaneck]

Looks like a pretty sandy environment to me.

 

[GForce14063]

I personally use a substrate mix of peatmoss and vermiculite about 50/50 or60/40 and then I add a little water and microwave for 5 minutes on hight to sterilize. I strain the peatmoss to take out the large particles but that is my own preference.

 

[Great Basin Ben]

Looks like a pretty sandy environment to me.

MANY thanks for that vid!!!
It is almost entirely sand, where their type locality is.
...and to think that folks used to keep them in jungle or swamp type set-ups.

 

[Protectyaaaneck]

MANY thanks for that vid!!!
It is almost entirely sand, where their type locality is.
...and to think that folks used to keep them in jungle or swamp type set-ups.

No problem. I can't take all the credit though. Cody first showed me that video if I remember correctly.

Lots of info out there, all you gotta do is search.

Btw, I keep mine on 100% coco-fiber and have had no problems yet.

 

[killy]

I can only speak from personal experience, that experience being that Honeybee, my GBB, doesn't give a rat's patootie what kind of substrate I give him, he's only going to entomb it in wall-to-wall webbing anyway. Have a look. Notice how he's got it fixed so that he never has to set foot on the substrate if he doesn't want to. Great webbing is one of the hallmarks of this variety, so I'm told, and I believe it. This substrate is coco fiber, by the way, and dry as a bone.

 

[robc]

100% Dry Eco-Earth hands down!

 

[TalonAWD]

I use Dry sphagnum peat moss. They will web up all the areas where they will touch the ground. They do not like to lay on substrate.
If one wanted to use sand mixture I don't see a problem with it IMO. They will blanket it anyway.

 

[Great Basin Ben]

This may be somewhat off, topic, but this species is REMARKABLE!!! Their prolific webbing capabilities are one of the hallmarks, that make them so much so, in my opinion... And their color has SOME potential.

 

[mercury904]

Fine sand has the tendency to cake around the mouth,thus making feeding difficult for the spider..I've seen this happen on my dessert scorpions but they still seem to be in perfect shape...just my opinion what im saying is the risk is always there...If you cannot afford to lose it then do a preventive maintenance

I also wanted a gbb on a sand dune setup,just for a change :drool: