How to prepare peat moss?

[Autonerd]

Hi all, I am working on my rose's new digs. I bought both all-natural potting soil and peat moss; not 100% sure which to use, as Schultz reccommends soil (or vermiculite) but the majority opinion here seems to be peat... anyway, I don't want to kick of that debate again, my question is if I go with peat moss, do I need to do anything to it (ie add water as Schultz recomments doing w/ potting soil) or do I just pack it into the cage?

TIA!
Aaron the n00b

PS -- still looking for help on the cotton ball vs. egg sac thing -- http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=135284 -- pictures at bottom of p. 1.

 

[K-TRAIN]

i normally soak my peatmoss, unless its a species that absolutly cant live with humidity.

if you decide to soak i normally use a container, put water in it and then peatmoss, and squeeze the peatmoss until it forms a ball without dripping.

that way, it sticks in the cage, making it better to dig/excavate.

 

[fishwithoutabik]

I don't use peat moss anymore. But what i did was get it in a bowl, add a little water and mix it in until it was just slightly moist enough to hold shape a bit when squeezed. That way I could pack it into the containers and it would hold up for tunnels and the like.

 

[J_dUbz88]

yes i would add water to it and let it absorb it all and then pack it into your t's cage, if im not mistaken you said you have a rose hair? if so id let it dry pretty much completely before you add the t. My rose hates water and will not go on moist substrate the only water he likes is the fresh stuff in his bowl.

 

[Tuwin]

I have never added anything to mine but i use Peat moss for dry species. If i need humidity i always use coco fiber and i do the same thing, moist enough to squeeze and form a ball but no water dripping."

 

[Autonerd]

Is coconut fiber not a good choice for G. rosea?

 

[reverendsterlin]

for a rosie all you need to do with peat is break it up. Don't add water, rosies don't appreciate it. You probably will want to use a damp cloth to wipe the peat dust off the sides after adding to the enclosure.
Rev

 

[Drachenjager]

Is coconut fiber not a good choice for G. rosea?

not a good choice for anything more than potting plants, and then you gotta wash the salt out of it

IMO

 

[Tuwin]

Coconut Fiber is fine for a G. rosea as long as you bake it first so it's completely dry. no moisture what so ever

 

[ShellsandScales]

{coco fiber is} not a good choice for anything more than potting plants, and then you gotta wash the salt out of it

IMO

What are you talking about?? Many people use this substrate without problem. I just personally prefer peat because it is soooooooooo much less expensive to buy peat from the harware store than coco fiber from the pet store!



Usually peat will have some moisture in it directly off the shelf. I don't prepare it in any way. I use it straight from the bag then if I need more moisture I add that via sprayer {for very humid)or overflow your water dish a little {for average humidity} or just fill the water dish but leave the peat dry{for airid}. Very very easy. Don't make a bunch of extra work(and mess)for yourself .

 

[Autonerd]

In the end, after much reading and too much obsessing, I chose EcoEarth (was in the pet shop for something else and there it was). Drying it is proving to be a royal pain, though, and I live in SoCal where it's sunny. Don't know how you folks back east and in Canada and the UK do it. If I had it to do all over again, I would have just used the peat moss. Anyway, should have enough totally dry by tonight, so hopefully tonight will be Fifi's first night in her new digs.

 

[ShellsandScales]

The substrate doesn't have to be 100% bone dry before you put an airid climate T in the container. You don't want it dripping wet but some residual moisture isn't going to harm the T. The substrate should dry out fairly quickly and will dry faster in a tank than trying to dry the whole batch all at once.

 

[Lick496]

In the end, after much reading and too much obsessing, I chose EcoEarth (was in the pet shop for something else and there it was). Drying it is proving to be a royal pain, though, and I live in SoCal where it's sunny. Don't know how you folks back east and in Canada and the UK do it. If I had it to do all over again, I would have just used the peat moss. Anyway, should have enough totally dry by tonight, so hopefully tonight will be Fifi's first night in her new digs.

Fifi? Really? Fifi?

 

[gvfarns]

In the end, after much reading and too much obsessing, I chose EcoEarth (was in the pet shop for something else and there it was). Drying it is proving to be a royal pain, though, and I live in SoCal where it's sunny. Don't know how you folks back east and in Canada and the UK do it. If I had it to do all over again, I would have just used the peat moss. Anyway, should have enough totally dry by tonight, so hopefully tonight will be Fifi's first night in her new digs.

Throw it in the oven at some temperature above 212 for a few hours (this will also sterilize it). You would have the same issue with any other substrate that you got equally wet. Although granted, you probably wouldn't have gotten other substrates that wet.

Actually when I hydrate my coco fiber, I don't use as much water as they indicate on the packaging because I don't want my oven heating my house all day long.

I'm not sure what the deal is with bagging on coco fiber. It's a well accepted and appreciated safe substrate for all types of tarantulas, dry and wet. And when I say coco fiber, I mean the bricks intended for pets, like the EcoEarth you have.

 

[Autonerd]

Fifi? Really? Fifi?

Working title, but probably. I've always wanted a horse named Fang; a tarantula named Fifi is the next best thing.

Hmmm, maybe I should start a Name My Tarantula thread.

Aaron

 

[Autonerd]

New home done, pics posted in Tarantula Announcements:

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?p=1243626