High Humidity

[skinnyartist]

Hey everyone, I have a new setup with an E. Campestratus female, proximately 3 inches. I used exo-terra plantation soil, which I believe is basically nothing but coco-husk fiber anyway. I bought the compressed brick form which requires adding water to it, and I had left it sit two days after mixing in the open to let some of the water evaporate. It was still slightly moist but not at all soggy.

In any event, my terrarium is keeping a humidity of nearly 90%! There's no condensation on the glass, and the surface of the substrate is drying, but it's been that high for almost a week now. It isn't dropping and I'm concerned for my T, because her humidity range should be more like 60%.

My question is should I just let things go and will she be fine while the humidity naturally dissipates as the substrate dries, or should I do something else? Thanks!

 

[satanslilhelper]

Let it dry out on its own and you should be fine within a week or so. The T shouldn't have any adverse reactions to the extra humidity IMO.

Your right that what you have is coco-fiber.

 

[Rue]

The Plantation Soil I used also held the water 'too well'. I had mould growing after 3 weeks (no spiders yet). Yesterday I scooped out the mould, and stirred it up...boy was it ever wet!

I called the manufacturer of a seedling potting product (peat moss, vermiculite and perlite)...he said there is no pesticides in the product whatsoever and that it's heat sterilized too...so I think I'm going to go with that...easy to handle for small amounts...and I won't have to soak it in order to use it.

 

[rabidchipmunk91]

I think it would be ok to let it dry out on it's own, but if you think it will take too long you could try taking some out and spread it out to dry.

 

[Rob1985]

I switched back to peat moss... easier to deal with.

 

[Londoner]

Is your enclosure well ventilated? If it is, just let the sub dry out naturally in the tank. If you're using one of those round, plastic dial type hygros to monitor the humidity, the chances are that the reading isn't accurate anyway.

@Rob; about halfway through your thread I knew you'd go back to peat moss!

 

[skinnyartist]

Thanks for the tips. I'm going to try stirring the substrate a bit so that the moister stuff gets to the surface to dry out, because the top layer is drying.

My main concern was that it might be harmful to her. She did just eat for the first time last night since I've had her, which is good news.

Also, I'm using a digital thermometer and hygrometer combo, positioned at the top of the terrarium.

 

[esotericman]

I called the manufacturer of a seedling potting product (peat moss, vermiculite and perlite)...he said there is no pesticides in the product whatsoever and that it's heat sterilized too...so I think I'm going to go with that...easy to handle for small amounts...and I won't have to soak it in order to use it.

Double check to see if it has surfactants. These are "wetting agents" and very common in seedling mixes. They may or may not pose a hazard to the animals.

I advise people to follow Michael Jacobi's video's advice and compost stuff BEFORE using it, or composting in the enclosure. It is going to happen anyway, these are biological systems, and no amount of sterilization or mucking with stuff will stop fungi and bacteria from claiming the mother load of food found in substrates which were or are biologically centered. The only things which would not grow fungus are perlite and vermiculite. I am so darn happy to see vermiculite is so rarely used any more in the hobby! In any case, rot happens in the presence of plant remains when water is available. Save yourself some stress, and just embrace it.