how often do you fully clean

chilean

Arachnosquire
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May 25, 2007
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How often do change the substrate? Entirely clean... Some time after a molt... Every couple of months...?
 

TTstinger

Arachnobaron
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I try to every 3 to 4 months sometimes sooner if something smells funny or I see some nasty
 

arrowhd

Arachnolord
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I do a substrate change around every 2-4 months. Just depends on whether it looks like it needs it or not.
 

NYCspiderGuy

Arachnoknight
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different schedules for different spiders.... but generally when it needs it!

some of my T's make more of a mess with wet things, waste material, and dead cricket bits. If the tank starts to smell that is another good sign.
The better you maintain it, the longer it will go before needing change... but that is obvious.

Some will say every 6 months or so... maybe.
I change them when they need changing - short but unhelpful answer... I know.

Others may have more to say about it, but there's nothing particularly dirty about the molt(in my idea). If you remove the old bits there seems no reason to change substrate just because of that.

More about mold or smell or other problems.... then you change it to protect the T.
If not, I say leave them in peace..
 

tabor

Arachnoprince
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my l. parahybana has been on the same substrate for 3 years or so :eek:

she is the cleanest spider i own though, and leaves food bolas in one corner of her cage for easy cleaning. im actually hesitant to change it at this point as its been so effective up until this point.

for my more moisture loving or messy T's i change the substrate every 3 months or so. i also change slings substrate quite frequently.
 

Brian S

ArachnoGod
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Most of my spiders havent been changed in years! You all dont need to be doing that so often
 

Thoth

Arachnopharoah
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Good spot cleaning will reduce the frequency for the need for complete cleanings. Majority of my ts have been on the same substrate for more than a year a few are pushing 2-3 years.
 

AubZ

Arachnoprince
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May 19, 2007
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Good spot cleaning will help you alot and allow you to use the same subs for a long time. I do spot cleaning twice a week. And yes, if the enclosure smells funny, rather change it to protect your T.
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
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Feb 13, 2006
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Unless I have a mite or mold outbreak I don't change at all. I spot clean as others have mentioned but that's it.
 

tarsier

Arachnodemon
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Mar 31, 2004
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Rarely. Only time i remember changing substrate was if i found an outbreak of mites or something of that magnitude.
 

jbrd

Arachnoprince
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Mar 8, 2005
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Substrate change

We are borderline anal retentive in our cleaning of our T's enclosures. At least once a week they are thoroughly inspected for left over prey items, mites and mold. This has lead to well over a year plus before substrate changes.
So as long as your diligent in your cleaning you should be able to go a very long time between major overhauls of your enclosures.
 

peterspiderling

Arachnosquire
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May 6, 2007
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with my P. Regalis i change it every 4 months or so, but all my spiderlings, i dont bother cos by the time it needs changing they need a bigger tank :D
 

Nitibus

Arachnodemon
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Feb 7, 2007
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I do a substrate change around every 2-4 months. Just depends on whether it looks like it needs it or not.
Changing substrate that often leads to T stress. T's in their natural habitat can live in the same undalterated 5 square feet for 30 years ! Listen to people like Talkenlate04. Unless you have something that threatens your T ( molds or mites ) leave them be. Spot cleaning is all you need to do on a regular basis.
 

GoTerps

Arachnoking
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Never... unless I'm changing the enclosure for some reason.

Eric
 

spid142

Arachnobaron
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Apr 9, 2006
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substrate change

As others mention, I regularly check enclosures for mold etc. And only remove a problem area, and replace wth fresh sub there, only time I do a complete change is when the T has outgrown a enclosure and needs new anyway. Too much change in environment stresses a T, they need a stable environment with familiar sub and furnishings they are used to. My opinion is leave the cage interior alone as much as possible.
 

beetleman

Arachnoking
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Jan 5, 2005
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never,but with my arboreals i sometimes have to clean the glass sides when they poop there.but that's it.
 
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