- Joined
- Aug 2, 2010
- Messages
- 255
So I just bought some play sand I was thinking of using for a brachypelma smithi. I haven't tried it yet and I was curious to see what you guys think. It isn't the ultra fine stuff that cakes so what are the problems?
Your probably right but it is actualy 1/3 of the price of petsmarts substrate. Plus my dad had a pzb on sand for years when he was a kid.Sand is rough and abrasive. It may present molting, burrow building, and breathing problems. It is also quite heavy and expensive. While I cannot prove that these problems actually occur, it is better to not take the risk and just go with Coco fiber or Peat moss.
Just my 0.2,
Dan
I paid around $10 for my 3cu ft bale of peat moss. It'll last you a LONG time unless you have oodles of spiders.Your probably right but it is actualy 1/3 of the price of petsmarts substrate. Plus my dad had a pzb on sand for years when he was a kid.
That doesn't mean the T liked it.Your probably right but it is actualy 1/3 of the price of petsmarts substrate. Plus my dad had a pzb on sand for years when he was a kid.
That doesn't mean the T liked it.
I got a 2 cu. ft. bale of peat for $10 at TSC. Don't buy sub from petstores, they mark it up too much.
i had a beardie once that almost died of compaction. vet swears up and down that it was the play sand. switched it over to calcisand and it never had an issue again. not so much horror but still it was a close call with a beloved petCould people please start posting horror or success stories with sand. Im interested to hear the results
Well how do you know it wasn't happy. It lived on it for a long time without any problems. Also brachypelma smithi, the tarantula I'm getting, come from deserts and like it bone dry. Humidity won't be a problem. Also don't they live on sand in the wild? I would never keep a high humidity tarantula on sand.Also, just because "your dad did it for years" does not mean his Tarantula was "happy"
everything ive read puts this on costs.... which are never truely bone dry, usualy theres enough moisture in the air.... theres nothing like a breeze coming off a large body of water.Well how do you know it wasn't happy. It lived on it for a long time without any problems. Also brachypelma smithi, the tarantula I'm getting, come from deserts and like it bone dry. Humidity won't be a problem. Also don't they live on sand in the wild? I would never keep a high humidity tarantula on sand.
I am sorry, but you asked..I answered. Also, you should consider researching the spiders you get before you get them!Well how do you know it wasn't happy. It lived on it for a long time without any problems. Also brachypelma smithi, the tarantula I'm getting, come from deserts and like it bone dry. Humidity won't be a problem. Also don't they live on sand in the wild? I would never keep a high humidity tarantula on sand.
Sorry I guess your right about that I did ask. And by bone dry I ment they only need a water bowl for added humidity. Also I haven't bought the tarantula yet. This is part of my research.I am sorry, but you asked..I answered. Also, you shoold consider researching the spiders you get before you get them!
As B. smithi do not come from where it is "bone dry"....haha
They come from the hills of the southwestern mexican coastline where humidity can reach around 65% to 70%.....
and dont live on sand.
---------- Post added at 02:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:47 AM ----------
to add. There might be SOME sand but defiantly not from a "bone dry desert"
Ok I will add some stuff to it. When I origionly bought the sand I was going to add some peat moss but home depot was out for the season and all they had was peat moss with a huge amount of nitrates and fertilizers. Ill check lowes and if they don't have it I'll buy some online. I haven't even ordered the tarantula so I have plenty of time to change things.Thankfully some decent replies started to come out here.
I can't see any point to stickng to one type of substrate alone, as said, one substrate doesn't have all desirable properties. Plus different species have different preferences.
It is extreemely useful to find out how the species live in the wild and try to replicate that. B.smithi certainly do not live in deserts nor other very arid regions. They are found along the pacific coast of NE Mexico and in areas of rather dense scrub vegetation. This shades the areas they live in, and this species tends to be found near water courses (small rivers or arroyos) meaning that humidy is even higher than surrounding areas. I would say humidity around 60% is appropriate.
The natural soil in much of their range contains decent amounts of sand, but also balanced with dry clay that binds it to be compact and not loose dust. You will probably be best to mix a little sand with peat moss and some coir. This mix allows you to keep part of the enclosure moist, and other areas dry. Then the spider can move between areas as it prefers, eg to the moister area while moulting.
Naturally these spiders rarely dig burrows but live in large scrapes made by other animals or under large rocks. Naturally the deepest part of the scapes
are cooler and moister than the surroundings.
Just to repeat, they don't live in deserts and won't thrive on pure dry sand..
Ps. I am writing this from Mexico right now....