mix coco fiber with plant soil?

[homachka]

can you mix coco fiber and plant soil to ensure that it will be easier for the tarantula to dig, or are there other possibilities?

 

[The Grym Reaper]

You can mix it with topsoil or peat. I used to do coco fibre/sedge peat before I switched to topsoil.

 

[moricollins]

can you mix coco fiber and plant soil to ensure that it will be easier for the tarantula to dig, or are there other possibilities?

Make sure the soil doesn't have any pesticides or fertilizers in it.
You're ideally finding "dirt" : topsoil or similar

 

[Smotzer]

I mix coco fiber and peat, peat is just so much cheaper. And it hold moisture really well if you are using it for moisture dependent species.

 

[testdasi]

can you mix coco fiber and plant soil to ensure that it will be easier for the tarantula to dig, or are there other possibilities?

Make sure the soil / peat is pesticide and pest free. The former is generally easy. The latter you have to be quite careful e.g. if soil is left out in the open for too long, you may have uninvited guests.

Btw, I use coco fibre and my fossorials had no problem burrowing so I have never mixed any soil to it. Species that need humidity, I just mix sphagnum moss.

 

[Thekla]

can you mix coco fiber and plant soil to ensure that it will be easier for the tarantula to dig, or are there other possibilities?

As a fellow German, I know it's almost impossible to get simple topsoil here. I usually mix coco fibre with peat or special spider earth (there are quite a few brands that are actually really good and not too expensive ( e.g. JBL Terra Basis), especially if you don't have hundreds of Ts). You could also get outside, somewhere you know they won't use pesticides and get some good old earth excavated by moles. Just don't use too much of it because it tends to be heavy on clay and will hold moisture almost too well, so, you'll get mould.

 

[Dorifto]

Topsoil +1000

It's cheaper and better imho. Keeps the right amount of humidity, and more homogeneously.

She loves topsoil



They can burrow better, since it's more compact and keeps the burrow structure better.

You can find top soil in any garden center or flower shop.

It only needs to be unfertilized and pesticide free.

 

[Tigger]

Adding to the topsoil thing, some brands are sterilized with heat so you don't need to worry about things like gnats that can be in potting soil.

 

[Thekla]

You can find top soil in any garden center or flower shop.

It only needs to be unfertilized and pesticide free.

And that's the thing... you can't! Not in Germany. I searched far and wide for soil that isn't fertilised in any way. You could buy topsoil but only in really huge amounts.

 

[Dorifto]

And that's the thing... you can't! Not in Germany. I searched far and wide for soil that isn't fertilised in any way. You could buy topsoil but only in really huge amounts.

That´s weird...

I bought mine 50L for 7€... I have top soil for many years, or tarantulas hahahaha.

There is any special law in Germany that doesn´t allow people to buy topsoil?

 

[viper69]

can you mix coco fiber and plant soil to ensure that it will be easier for the tarantula to dig, or are there other possibilities?

yes

 

[Thekla]

That´s weird...

I bought mine 50L for 7€... I have top soil for many years, or tarantulas hahahaha.

There is any special law in Germany that doesn´t allow people to buy topsoil?

No, of course not, but simple topsoil is really only sold as a construction material by specialised companies in huge amounts, you can't just buy a normal bag in a garden centre or flower shop. The soil you get there is always fertilised in any way.
And honestly, even if I could get a 50l bag in the garden centre, it's not worth the hassle of having such a huge bag at home (let alone getting that bag home without a car ). I, for one, don't have the space for that. I'm happy to buy a 5l bag of spider earth (like the one I mentioned before) for about 4€ which - combined with coco fibre - will last me for quite a while.

 

[cold blood]

Any acceptable subs can be mixed, or used on their own....i never understood why people go through the hassle of mixing subs....some like to do extra work i suppose.

 

[testdasi]

Any acceptable subs can be mixed, or used on their own....i never understood why people go through the hassle of mixing subs....some like to do extra work i suppose.

Thank you! Finally not feeling weird for just using good old coco fibre.

 

[homachka]

That´s weird...

I bought mine 50L for 7€... I have top soil for many years, or tarantulas hahahaha.

There is any special law in Germany that doesn´t allow people to buy topsoil?

where did u bought it?

 

[Dorifto]

where did u bought it?

From a local garden center. I don´t know why Germany only sells fertilized topsoil... I´m pretty sure that there is going to be some brand that sells unfertilized one, maybe an organic brand?

 

[cold blood]

, maybe an organic bran

Anything with organic in the description should be avoided....all soil is inherently organic, when you see it on a label, its in reference to the additives...and it usually references compost or manure.

You want to look for stuff marketed for leveling ground and filling holes.

 

[Dorifto]

Here, organic means the opposite, no extra fertilizers, aditives, pesticides etc...

I use plain topsoil, and yes obviously top soil is organic, but here organic or bio labels means, by law, that no extra aditives are added.

 

[KenD]

And that's the thing... you can't! Not in Germany. I searched far and wide for soil that isn't fertilised in any way. You could buy topsoil but only in really huge amounts.

Same here in Sweden. Can't seem to find regular top soil in any garden shop or hardware store. Numerous different types of fertilized potting soil, unfertilized peat moss in a few places, but no regular unfertilized top soil.