Hydrophobic substrate woes

[Wenzer]

I've been trying to make reptisoil work for me but I think I'm just going to swap it out, or maybe mix it with at least 50% coco fiber, lol. I haven't used reptisoil prior to getting my T. Verdezi but I've kept a good handful of succulents/cacti and I can say that I've never had a soil/substrate become hydrophobic as quickly as this stuff does! It's so strange to me.

Within a few days to less than a week it becomes completely hydrophobic from the top layer to almost 2/3 deep! I try poking small holes just to get the water to soak into the bottom but I worry about accidentally flooding his burrow with a pool of water my little guy has made a rather large space along one half of the cage floor. It's really neat actually. But if I try to pour water down the opposite corner, it sometimes spills out in full liquid capacity into the bottom.

Haha, sorry, just had to rant a little bit! I think I'm only so frustrated because my Verdezi appears to be in premolt so I'm trying to keep it a little extra damp, but gosh I don't want to flood his 'apartment' and I am worried about swapping the substrate right now since he's closed himself into his den, so I just need to make due until that's over I suppose!

 

[ladyratri]

But if I try to pour water down the opposite corner, it sometimes spills out in full liquid capacity into the bottom.

When I have a similar issue, sometimes it helps to add just a little water and give it a few minutes to soak in, then add more, wait, repeat... Annoying to have to stage it like that, but once the first bit soaks in, it starts becoming less hydrophobic again and you can add water faster.

 

[Wenzer]

When I have a similar issue, sometimes it helps to add just a little water and give it a few minutes to soak in, then add more, wait, repeat... Annoying to have to stage it like that, but once the first bit soaks in, it starts becoming less hydrophobic again and you can add water faster.

That makes sense, I will try doing that way instead thank you!

 

[viper69]

That makes sense, I will try doing that way instead thank you!

It works- I’ve done it many times with coco fiber