Humidity concerns

[LV-426]

I have: 2 medium tarantula cages from Tcagescom
not completly dry eco earth
temp 80
humidity 95 using a digital cigar hygrometer
2 Ts: 3'' N. chromatus & 3'' P. cancerides arriving tomorrow
giving the substrate one more chance to dry out

im worried about humidity, any feedback would be great

 

[Mattyb]

Humidity is overrated. Dry substrate and a water dish will work fine.

 

[HAGAR]

Humidity is overrated. Dry substrate and a water dish will work fine.

Hey

All the sheets i have seen on the P. cancerides all say all tou need is a water dish, and my n. cromatus is on dry sub with the occasional misting and a water dish.

Hagar

 

[Hobo]

I keep both species on dry sub with just a waterdish and no useless misting. I just retard some of the ventilation. I've had a couple of molts from each and no issues.

As for your current problem, just let it dry as much as you can with the top off before they arrive and let it dry naturally by itself after that. You won't need to mist at all even after the sub has dried, as long as you keep a full waterdish.

Good luck!

 

[LV-426]

thanks to all your feedback. the substrate is is like 90%dry but its not bone dry

 

[Bill S]

thanks to all your feedback. the substrate is is like 90%dry but its not bone dry

In nature, even in the desert, there is moisture beneath the surface of the soil. I live in the desert southeast of Tucson, Arizona, and subsurface moisture is currently around 60% humidity. So I usually keep the substrate in my cages slightly humid. Not wet - but not usually bone dry either.

I have not kept N. chromatus, but I've got several varieties of Phormictopus, including cancerides. My P. cancerides digs, but the holes have not been the neat underground burrows that some other species of tarantula build. A few days ago I moved him to a larger container with deeper substrate and I'll be watching to see if he does more digging. (I got him as a sling and he's now close to adult size.)

 

[LV-426]

In nature, even in the desert, there is moisture beneath the surface of the soil. I live in the desert southeast of Tucson, Arizona, and subsurface moisture is currently around 60% humidity. So I usually keep the substrate in my cages slightly humid. Not wet - but not usually bone dry either.

I have not kept N. chromatus, but I've got several varieties of Phormictopus, including cancerides. My P. cancerides digs, but the holes have not been the neat underground burrows that some other species of tarantula build. A few days ago I moved him to a larger container with deeper substrate and I'll be watching to see if he does more digging. (I got him as a sling and he's now close to adult size.)

Kool, i think everything will be fine.

 

[Moltar]

That's a large part of why they dig burrows, to escape the heat and reach the cool, moist soil below. With a constant water supply mere inches from their burrow it isn't so necessary to have the moistness in the soil but it certainly doesn't hurt. Just don't make it too moist.

Also, my P. cancerides doesn't really burrow either, even as a juvenile. She does like to get down into this big scrape/hide but that isn't exactly a burrow.

 

[Bill S]

With a constant water supply mere inches from their burrow it isn't so necessary to have the moistness in the soil but it certainly doesn't hurt. Just don't make it too moist.

Agreed, but with a couple considerations. Depending on the climate where you live, additional humidity can be beneficial. "Bone dry" substrate in Florida, coastal California, etc., will still have some humidity in it simply because the air around you does. Dessication is much less of an issue for slings and tarantulas in such an environment. But if you live in the Arizona desert in June, dessication can happen even with a water bowl nearby. Animals whose instincts tell them to hide deep in the ground to prevent dessication may not override that instinct to hang out at a water bowl on the surface in "daylight". In slings this can be especially important, and may be a contributing factor in "delicate" species being lost through bad molts.

People who do not live in the desert often fail to grasp how quickly moisture is lost to the atmosphere. As an example - around here if you make a sandwich during the early summer, you need to make it FAST, otherwise the bread starts to harden by the time the sandwich is finished. Picture how that kind of drying power might impact a sling of a tropical or island species.

 

[LV-426]

Agreed, but with a couple considerations. Depending on the climate where you live, additional humidity can be beneficial. "Bone dry" substrate in Florida, coastal California, etc., will still have some humidity in it simply because the air around you does. Dessication is much less of an issue for slings and tarantulas in such an environment. But if you live in the Arizona desert in June, dessication can happen even with a water bowl nearby. Animals whose instincts tell them to hide deep in the ground to prevent dessication may not override that instinct to hang out at a water bowl on the surface in "daylight". In slings this can be especially important, and may be a contributing factor in "delicate" species being lost through bad molts.

People who do not live in the desert often fail to grasp how quickly moisture is lost to the atmosphere. As an example - around here if you make a sandwich during the early summer, you need to make it FAST, otherwise the bread starts to harden by the time the sandwich is finished. Picture how that kind of drying power might impact a sling of a tropical or island species.

You do have a valid point