Substrate? And how to soften it

[Ultum4Spiderz]

my spiders have had too hard of substrate form Home Depot , And tragically caused tumors in multiple spiders .
One which is currently still alive the other three which died unexpectedly.
I haven’t even touched my empty 20 gal long it needs a total overhaul .
What do you use to sift out hard particles in soil ? And or use is top soil bad ? I’ve had many bad bags from Home Depot in the last few years .
I’m preparing to rehouse every T if needed .

 

[G. pulchra]

I think @coldblood only uses dirt like that, it shouldn't be causing tumors. Are you sure that is the cause?

I prefer cocoa fiber myself, if you get it by the brick it is very cheap.

 

[moricollins]

I've never heard of issues using regular garden or topsoil.

Black earth also works, but it absorbs a lot of water.

Do you have pictures of the tumors?

 

[nicodimus22]

 

[Andrew Clayton]

my spiders have had too hard of substrate form Home Depot , And tragically caused tumors in multiple spiders .
One which is currently still alive the other three which died unexpectedly.
I haven’t even touched my empty 20 gal long it needs a total overhaul .
What do you use to sift out hard particles in soil ? And or use is top soil bad ? I’ve had many bad bags from Home Depot in the last few years .
I’m preparing to rehouse every T if needed .

Before putting it in use you’re hands to mix it up lifting out any rocks and stones. If you want a softer mix then add coco fibre as this is very loose and will lighten up you’re substrate

 

[aarachnid]

One of my suggested threads is you asking this last year

 

[draconisj4]

I use an old kitchen colander that has graduated holes to sift the larvae out of the substrate of my beetle enclosures when they get out of hand, something like that would probably work to sift the sticks and rocks out of soil.

 

[Pyroxian]

One of my suggested threads is you asking this last year

In which solid advice was given but judging from other recent posts (mystery death, this one, recent posted pictures of l.p., etc) none of that advice seems to have been taken to heart.

I have grave concerns for the specimens in his care, generally.

@Ultum4Spiderz the combined knowledge on this board is STAGGERING. The very best thing you could do for your T's, imho, would be to acknowledge that you've had some mistakes in your husbandry, start a new thread with pictures and descriptions of your ENTIRE collection, and humbly ask for assistance in improving things for your spiders. I'm sure you're a fine person, but your approach to spider care seems questionable at best. Take advantage of these fine folks and their passion for these animals, I promise you, if you approach it with humility and actually take the suggestions given, you will get great responses from these experts.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

In which solid advice was given but judging from other recent posts (mystery death, this one, recent posted pictures of l.p., etc) none of that advice seems to have been taken to heart.

I have grave concerns for the specimens in his care, generally.

@Ultum4Spiderz the combined knowledge on this board is STAGGERING. The very best thing you could do for your T's, imho, would be to acknowledge that you've had some mistakes in your husbandry, start a new thread with pictures and descriptions of your ENTIRE collection, and humbly ask for assistance in improving things for your spiders. I'm sure you're a fine person, but your approach to spider care seems questionable at best. Take advantage of these fine folks and their passion for these animals, I promise you, if you approach it with humility and actually take the suggestions given, you will get great responses from these experts.

Should I just throw out old substrate or is there’s a way to soften it up ? I’m worried about the urticaring hairstyle in it and having an allergic reaction . Even with gloves on , I was clueless that you had to sift out top soil, I thought everyone just meant to use it out of the bag directly???
I seem to had taken a turn for the worse when my Ts were moved to the basement.
I don’t recall any Ts having any issues with substrate til I had more obese specimen so perhaps I need to find a way to buy a large amount of coco fiber cheap . Walmart nearby me does not have it .

 

[Pyroxian]

Should I just throw out old substrate or is there’s a way to soften it up ? I’m worried about the urticaring hairstyle in it and having an allergic reaction . Even with gloves on , I was clueless that you had to sift out top soil, I thought everyone just meant to use it out of the bag directly???
I seem to had taken a turn for the worse when my Ts were moved to the basement.
I don’t recall any Ts having any issues with substrate til I had more obese specimen so perhaps I need to find a way to buy a large amount of coco fiber cheap . Walmart nearby me does not have it .

You were given exact and specific instructions in 2018, the last time you posted this problem. I recommend you read that thread in its entirety and actually follow those recommendations this time. At some point if you keep asking the same questions and ignoring the responses, people are going to stop answering them...

 

[EtienneN]

Yeah dude, we’re trying to be nice but seriously it seems difficult when you take 0 peoples advice. There are so many potential factors at play, the enclosures, the room the enclosures are in, the people you live with, the least you could do was just buy one bag of coco fibre at Petsmart or whatever and mix it 50/50 with your topsoil.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Yeah dude, we’re trying to be nice but seriously it seems difficult when you take 0 peoples advice. There are so many potential factors at play, the enclosures, the room the enclosures are in, the people you live with, the least you could do was just buy one bag of coco fibre at Petsmart or whatever and mix it 50/50 with your topsoil.

Could

Yeah dude, we’re trying to be nice but seriously it seems difficult when you take 0 peoples advice. There are so many potential factors at play, the enclosures, the room the enclosures are in, the people you live with, the least you could do was just buy one bag of coco fibre at Petsmart or whatever and mix it 50/50 with your topsoil.

Can peeling paint leach chemicals into air ? Some deaths had no signs of any injury.
didn't try mixing coco with top soil , would one of those screen things you use on top of a pan work or sifting top soil?

 

[EtienneN]

Yes, the metal sifting thing will work great for sifting the soil.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Yes, the metal sifting thing will work great for sifting the soil.

I am just wondering if someone could be tampered with the spiders or some house hold chemicals could be causing some of these losses . I cannot afford a camera anyways so it’s all a speculation. Could top soil really be hard enough to injure a T? I’m assuming that’s a yes ,time to switch substrate out . Or sift it all, I’ve added moss too top of substrate in a few cages to help keep it softer .

 

[Pyroxian]

So in your previous thread about softening substrate, you mentioned (your) 20 gallon long, is this the same tank, the one that had the screwed-on hinges, the cut off bottle bottoms for water dishes, the sharp angular pieces of wood, the inappropriate distance from lid to substrate, AND THE FREAKING BOTTLE ROCKETS in it? I only ask because earlier in this thread you say you haven't done anything with this tank yet and if that's the case, you NEED, not should, not "may want to", you NEED to rebuild completely, from the substrate on up. Don't do what you talked about last year and just add coco to the current garbage pile, replace it. Go read your own thread from 2018, and actually DO THE THINGS THAT WERE SUGGESTED. Then borrow a camera or phone if you have to, but GET PICTURES. The very very VERY knowledgeable folks here can't properly help you if you don't do these 2 things:
1 give them pictures
2 follow the advice.

It really is that simple. You may still lose some spiders, you may have problems they can't help you fix, but if you give them the data they need (pictures) and do what they suggest, you will at least be doing something productive towards keeping these animals healthy. The pictures you posted in 2018 did not look like you were making even minimal effort, in fact I would agree with one of the comments on that thread which called what you've been doing "neglect" (at least).

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I’m having trouble uploading multiple pictures At once .
The pokie with the tumor is in a-smaller container as to not re injure it . One of those xxl cheesey puff pretzel jars.

I’ve actually significantly depended the substrate of most tanks. But seemed to be little too late . For some
I make sure nothing has sharp edges too and mostly use applesauce cups for water dishes .
A few tanks may still need 4” substrate trying to get substrate closer to 3/4” of 10 gal height.
Hard getting pictures glass and plastic is so reflective.

 

[EtienneN]

Wow. okay. First when you put dirt into your enclosures, do you pack it down tightly with your hand before introducing the spider? That's the best way to prepare the substrate for the spider.

Why is there what by all appearances looks like a cinderblock in an arboreal enclosure?!?!?!?! Why?!!!

WHY??????!!?

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Wow. okay. First when you put dirt into your enclosures, do you pack it down tightly with your hand before introducing the spider? That's the best way to prepare the substrate for the spider.

Why is there what by all appearances looks like a cinderblock in an arboreal enclosure?!?!?!?! Why?!!!

WHY??????!!?

That’s a peice of styrofoam spider does not climb on it though needs removal at some point .

Wow. okay. First when you put dirt into your enclosures, do you pack it down tightly with your hand before introducing the spider? That's the best way to prepare the substrate for the spider.

Why is there what by all appearances looks like a cinderblock in an arboreal enclosure?!?!?!?! Why?!!!

WHY??????!!?

That’s a peice of styrofoam spider does not climb on it though needs removal at some point .
I don’t use rocks of any kind especially no bricks ever .
I do pack down substrate but possibly could do it harder.

 

[aarachnid]

How does this stuff end up in your enclosures? I’m so confused. You’ve obviously been interested and kept tarantulas for so long, according to your post history. That foam doesn’t eventually need to get out, it needs to get out now. It never should have been in there. You live in Ohio, there’s no reason you can’t have proper set ups for your animals. Your posts are super upsetting, you’ve been given this advice over and over again. I think you should rehouse your tarantulas to a new owner and start over when you have the proper space and money to care for them. I’m not trying to sound mean, but your spiders are suffering because of the choices you made.

 

[dangerforceidle]

First when you put dirt into your enclosures, do you pack it down tightly with your hand before introducing the spider? That's the best way to prepare the substrate for the spider.

One of the caveats of top soil is that you should not tamp it down or it becomes too solid. There will be regional variability on 'top soil' composition, so your results may vary. Coco fiber or peat should be tamped down firmly, of course, but I believe OP uses top soil.