Substrate? And how to soften it

[undeaddeaths]

NEVER bake substrate...sterilization is BAD!

Why do you say so? I've noticed bags of peat and soil from my Home Depot are prone to having little centipedes, ants, and mold/fungi inside. Therefore I'd rather not have those in my enclosures.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I am just about ready to give up. You are picking and choosing the things you read, only paying attention to what you want to hear. This will not end well for the spiders.

Serious question: Do you have a learning disability or some other legitimate reason that you are not able to comprehend what you are being told? If so, maybe we can find some other way to convey the information that is easier for you.

I was better off asking for no help then dealing with these rants . Only spiders that had issues were generally obese . I just need to be sure Not to overfeed. Especially lasiodora and heavy spiders.

Maybe make some videos , I asked for alternatives to cork-bark got no help .

NEVER bake substrate...sterilization is BAD!

ill Just sift out anything hard and make the substrate deep enough that there is no more then 5” to top of containers . Is moss from pet stores good for Ts? I got a few bricks of it a ago but used them all .
Problem solved , maybe use smaller housing if needed .
I may need to buy some springtails or something to use . Or try and culture them next time I find a tank with them .

 

[cold blood]

Why do you say so?

Sterilization opens the sub to the first things to colonize as they have it all to themselves...in an enclosure, that's a mold outbreak, as mold spores are everywhere.

I've noticed bags of peat and soil from my Home Depot are prone to having little centipedes, ants, and mold/fungi inside.

Don't buy ripped open bags...buy unopened ones...lol. I've never once in all my years found anything living in an unopened bag from HD.

ill Just sift out anything hard

I really just pick out the obvious things as I am putting it in, usually those are rocks. Its pretty natural for there to be things in dirt, so I don't really worry too much about most things.

 

[EtienneN]

Why would you want to use something other than cork bark when it and driftwood are literally the only two woods that are naturally mould resistant and non-toxic to inverts. Yes, some things need redone, but don’t make things harder on yourself and your spiders man.

 

[Pyroxian]

Why would you want to use something other than cork bark when it and driftwood are literally the only two woods that are naturally mould resistant and non-toxic to inverts. Yes, some things need redone, but don’t make things harder on yourself and your spiders man.

Fairly certain he's looking for alternatives because he DOESN'T have cork bark available and is trying to operate on a very tight budget (can't spend retail prices on cork bark). I know he's acknowledged that he wishes he'd bought more when he could.

Also, OP, though I already said so via pm, I want to publicly apologize for the tone and phrasing of my prior messages. I let my concerns for the spiders and frustration with the situation get the better of me. I sincerely hope you can figure out a way to better these T's enclosures without too much additional financial burden.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Sterilization opens the sub to the first things to colonize as they have it all to themselves...in an enclosure, that's a mold outbreak, as mold spores are everywhere.

Don't buy ripped open bags...buy unopened ones...lol. I've never once in all my years found anything living in an unopened bag from HD.


I really just pick out the obvious things as I am putting it in, usually those are rocks. Its pretty natural for there to be things in dirt, so I don't really worry too much about most things.

Thanks I’ll use rubber gloves for sifting or removing anything that looks bad in already used soil.
I noticed the lasiodora tank the 20 gal and even for a 8” spider , 6-7” was probably way too much space to the ceiling . I’ll be sure to make sure a fall cannot be possible, though I had seen tumors that spider clearly was way too overweight. I’ve cut back drastically on my feeding so far nothing is near that fat.
Going to double my substrate depth in any questionable tanks , and try very hard to find a job so I can buy bulk corkbark online .
My local cheap movie theater is closed down so , I’ll be looking much harder.

I just feel so hopeless population keeps going up finding a desk job gets harder and harder by the year .

 

[Pyroxian]

Hey, @cold blood , or any of the other experts, in thinking about OP's tight budget and poor luck with topsoil purchased locally, any thoughts or opinions on certified organic coconut coir sold for horticulture? I'm fortunate enough to be able to overpay and buy loose bagged eco-earth for my kid's T's (love the convenience), so have not given much though to low cost options until this thread/PM conversation with OP... But since I was looking i saw that home depot lists 11kg bricks of certified organic 100% coconut fiber for like $15. A quick search didn't turn up much beyond a few old debates with no real answer, but I have to think 100% coco coir is 100% coco coir, regardless of labeling so perhaps that might be a viable lower-cost option?

 

[cold blood]

There are many low cost options...peat is pretty cheap, as are the coco fiber bricks...im sure different localities have other low cost options aside from top soil.

 

[Outpost31Survivor]

Did you fall on hard times before or after you purchased the spiders?

If before, I suggest spending less on spiders and spending more on their enclosures, substrates, etc, (yes don't overstep your budget in order to enlarge your collection). Seek to provide proper care and housing to only spiders you know you can afford to in order that every spider in your possession remains healthy and happy if only it means keeping a single spider or two.

Also, how much do you love these spiders, have you considered putting some or most of them up for adoption? Knowing there are people out there that can afford to provide their needs? That they will gladly "rescue" them?

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

Hey, @cold blood , or any of the other experts, in thinking about OP's tight budget and poor luck with topsoil purchased locally, any thoughts or opinions on certified organic coconut coir sold for horticulture? I'm fortunate enough to be able to overpay and buy loose bagged eco-earth for my kid's T's (love the convenience), so have not given much though to low cost options until this thread/PM conversation with OP... But since I was looking i saw that home depot lists 11kg bricks of certified organic 100% coconut fiber for like $15. A quick search didn't turn up much beyond a few old debates with no real answer, but I have to think 100% coco coir is 100% coco coir, regardless of labeling so perhaps that might be a viable lower-cost option?

You are right. The coco coir sold in pet stores is the same coco coir that is sold in horticultural shops and plant departments in hardware stores. The only coco coir I use is from my neighborhood hydroponics shop in the large 5 kg compressed bricks. There is no difference with the coco coir that says "certified organic" and the ones that don't either. Buying coco coir from the hydroponics/ horticulture shop isn't any cheaper from the pet store though. The point is to pay a higher price to buy in bulk. One 5 kg compressed bale will last a long long time if one has a modest tarantula collection.

 

[Pyroxian]

You are right. The coco coir sold in pet stores is the same coco coir that is sold in horticultural shops and plant departments in hardware stores. The only coco coir I use is from my neighborhood hydroponics shop in the large 5 kg compressed bricks. There is no difference with the coco coir that says "certified organic" and the ones that don't either. Buying coco coir from the hydroponics/ horticulture shop isn't any cheaper from the pet store though. The point is to pay a higher price to buy in bulk. One 5 kg compressed bale will last a long long time if one has a modest tarantula collection.

The 5kg/11lb bricks certainly are much more cost effective than the small pet store branded bricks. Roughly $10 for 3 pack (21-24 liters expanded) zilla or other pet store brand, while the horticulture 5kg bricks come out to roughly $15 for 56 liters expanded (assuming both brands use similar methods for determining expanded volume). Kind of why I brought it up for OP's tight budget situation. Better value without concern of fertilizer or other potential additives in top soil (and without the rocks and sticks OP has encountered in soil).


Edited to add
Both organic certified and non organic certified coir bricks from home depot are the same price and I would like to think that certification at least reduces the potential for harmful additives, so personally I'd pick the organic.