H. lividum and aspen

[Snake_Eyes]

I was at the pet store recently and they had a H.lividum that had made an pretty impressive burrow in shredded aspen bedding, when I asked the guy about humidity he stated that he mist's it a couple of times a day and seems to do a decent job of keeping humidity up, He also said that he has kept a couple of his own cobalts in the past on it and they did great.
I currently keep my P. murinus on aspen which works great with it being a low humidity species but what about for higher humidity species?

 

[Mattyb]

I don't worry about humidity.



-Mattyb

 

[Randolph XX()]

wood shavings= super bad choice
1. they don't really absorb or release water as good a soil base substrate
2. they might be posion to inverts, just like those woods of wich your closets are made
3.They don't give strong support for burrowing Ts, burrow may collapse

 

[Vys]

I do, I generally keep it away

If the spider hangs around by the waterdish an awful lot when you are concerned whether the tank is too dry, I'd say you have valid concerns. If not, then that waterdish might be enough.

 

[Washout]

Wood shavings cause leasions on the lungs of rats, verified in testing. So personally I won't ever use them.

 

[Windchaser]

I will join with the others and recommend that you not use any type of wood or bark chips. Check out the poll on substate choices. You will see that the majority prefer and have success with peat moss.

 

[brandi]

This isn't a "yea" or "nay" on the woodshavings, I just wanted to throw in that Aspen does not have the aeromatic oils that will harm your animals. Cedar and Pine do. I personally don't like wood shavings for anything if I can avoid it, but if you descide to use them, go with the Aspen.
B~

 

[JimBaskey]

I now have 2 H. Lividum, and I keep mine in a 5.5 gal. tank, 2/3 full with Jungle Mix that I wet down as I put it in(not soup, but like a decently watered plant), start a small burrow spot(which never works, she digs where she wants too) and cover the top with plastic wrap according to how humid I need it. Ex., cover it 80%, and it will stay around 80%. I also have a hygrometer that I drop in from time to time just to see how wet it is.

 

[Sheri]

That sounds WAY too wet.

Expect a mite/mold problem before long.

 

[brachymad]

I dont know about aspen . Never used it . But can you have the substrate too wet. If you have drainage at the bottom of your container as well as ventilation at the top any exess can simply drain away . I keep lividum in Tall containers with holes top and bottom. I pour water in at the top and let any exess drain off at the bottom . I know of a couple of people that soak some of their housing in a bath of water then let it drain.