Pamphobeteus antinous Soil

[Gillian Pajor]

Hey everyone,

So I've looked around the website and it seems the last post on this taranutla was like 2009 so I'm going to break that cause I need help.

I am slowly paying off this taranutla (pay 20$-40$ a week so I know its mine but I have time to set up its cage properly) because I hear that most people (from what I have read on this site) use Peat soil for the dirt on the ground for this wonderful tarnatula to live on. Can ANYONE tell me where to find this? I went to a locate green house, Lowes, Home Depot and even Walmart but they all have chemicals to help plants grown and I am worried that it will do damage to her. Can anyone help me, if not with the Peat soil but at least inform me of something I can use?? I have a bunch of compacted coconut husk/fiber that I could seperate and use but I don't know if it will be okay with this speices. Any information will help!

gillian

 

[KezyGLA]

Hey

You dont need to use peat at all. Eco earth or coco fibre will do this species just fine. Just moisten it now and then.

 

[Gillian Pajor]

Hey

You dont need to use peat at all. Eco earth or coco fibre will do this species just fine. Just moisten it now and then.

thank you, and should it be 3 inches or so packed down or loose?

 

[Venom1080]

thank you, and should it be 3 inches or so packed down or loose?

Depends on the cage being used. Gap between sub and lid shouldn't be more than 2x the spiders legspan.

 

[Gillian Pajor]

Depends on the cage being used. Gap between sub and lid shouldn't be more than 2x the spiders legspan.

The leg span is 4 inches and we are planning on using a 10 gallon tank. I just don't know if it can be loose or if it needs to be packed down

 

[Venom1080]

The leg span is 4 inches and we are planning on using a 10 gallon tank. I just don't know if it can be loose or if it needs to be packed down

It should be packed down.

 

[Gillian Pajor]

It should be packed down.

Thank you!

 

[miss moxie]

I personally mix sphagnum moss into my coconut fiber for my Pamphobeteus. A bag is cheap and goes a long way. It's not necessary, you'll be fine without it, but I find it takes and holds moisture really well.

 

[Gillian Pajor]

I personally mix sphagnum moss into my coconut fiber for my Pamphobeteus. A bag is cheap and goes a long way. It's not necessary, you'll be fine without it, but I find it takes and holds moisture really well.

Are those real flowers?

 

[miss moxie]

Are those real flowers?

Nope! They're fake. I use fake flowers or leaves in a lot of my enclosures. Tarantulas will incorporate them sometimes into their hides or their "renovations" and they add some variety and looks for my aesthetic appeal.

 

[RemyZee]

Nope! They're fake. I use fake flowers or leaves in a lot of my enclosures. Tarantulas will incorporate them sometimes into their hides or their "renovations" and they add some variety and looks for my aesthetic appeal.

Those are GORGEOUS enclosures!! *drool*

 

[miss moxie]

Those are GORGEOUS enclosures!! *drool*

Well thank you, I appreciate the compliment.

 

[sasker]

thank you, and should it be 3 inches or so packed down or loose?

They also like to dig when they are smaller. I think 3" should be fine.

 

[sasker]

What's there to clarify? Pamphobeteus sp tend to dig tunnels when they are not mature yet and I think a layer of at least 3 inches of substrate should be provided to allow juveniles to do so. Pack it down tightly as you would with any other tarantula and you will have a happy spider. The larger they get, the more they hang out in the open.

 

[cold blood]

I never really had a Pamph burrow and they have rarely even used hides.

Op, the sub you use is purely your personal choice....all work.

Peat is by far the lightest and fluffiest...like its hard to pack down, but its easy to burrow in for them. Its also a cheap alternative, probably the second cheapest option. The bad thing is that when dry, its very hydrophobic....it can take days for it to soak in, but once it does, it holds miosture very well, id say the best.

Eco earth, coco fiber, jungle mix, etc., are light, but not as light as peat...looks nice, holds moisture well and absorbs it quickly. Its the most expensive, but that only matters for significant collections. It tamps down very nice and tight...its the industry standard used by most.

Or you can buy cheap additive free top soil....its by far the cheapest alternative. Its dense, so it shouldnt be tamped down (it will form to a brick), the downside to that density is that its by far the heaviest...but imo that really only matters in enclosures with deep substrate. It absorbs water quickly, but doesnt hold it for the extended periods that the others do. I think it looks the best and most natural, but thats my personal preference.

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• cold blood
• Mar 1, 2017
• 3

nigricolor.

Gotta love Pamphs!!

 

[Gillian Pajor]

Okay now I have another problem. Thank God I don't have spider just yet...but there is now mold in cage. Temp is 75 and humidity is 80. Cage is in room with light on 13 hours a day can someone help me?

 

[miss moxie]

Can we see a picture? To me it sounds like your ventilation might not be adequate.

 

[cold blood]

Okay now I have another problem. Thank God I don't have spider just yet...but there is now mold in cage. Temp is 75 and humidity is 80. Cage is in room with light on 13 hours a day can someone help me?

1. Temps dont need to be dead on or even consistent....night temps to 68 are fine....as are day temps to 90. Thats a lot of room to work within.

2. Dont measure humidity. Its as simple as keeping part of the sub damp....when it dries, just add water. The effects of low ambient humidity is simply the addition of more water, more frequently. Measuring it within specific enclosure is not only pointless, but can cause issues if one is too reliant on specific numbers.

3. Ts have no light requirements....on top of that, if theyre getting sunlight from a window, move the ts away from it...you dont want it to be a greenhouse.

 

[Sana]

How much mold? If it's small spots I clean out the individual patches with a spoon so I get some of the sub from around it. If the whole enclosure is fuzzy there are likely ventilation issues or your sub had an issue before you put it in the enclosure. Learning to balance humidity and ventilation for my tropicals was a challenge for me. I don't generally have issues these days but now and again something gets missed and I have to remove a patch.

 

[Gillian Pajor]

this is the picture of the mold.