Substrate - Eco Earth, Potting Soil, Vermiculite, and Dirt

[crlovel]

So far, I've seen people who swear by Eco Earth coconut fiber bricks. I've seen people swear by potting soil, top soil, vermiculite, and backyard dirt. So which is it? What is safe?

I know the bricks of "just add water" coconut fiber are chemically safe, but what about potting soil, top soil, and vermiculite sold at nurseries and garden centers? What chemicals do you need to be on the lookout for? What components to avoid?

Recently I purchased a bag of Pro-Mix Ultimate from a local plant nursery. The top soil is OMRI certified, which the owner, who helped me, assured me that it meant was safe and clean and free of any chemicals. He knows exactly what it was purchased for, and we went over the components, and he said everything was 100% completely natural and safe for critters. Is it?

 

[Introvertebrate]

Sounds to me like you already know what to watch out for. That Pro-Mix should be fine.

 

[Sam_Peanuts]

Perlite is tiny crushed glass so if you can, it's better to avoid it since sharp thing are not what you want in an enclosure, but it's not a big deal. I've used substrate with it in the past without problem, it simply increase the chances of injuries if she falls on it(unless it's too small for that, I'm not 100% sure since I forgot what it looks like).

Fertilizer of any kind should be avoided if possible. It's good plant food, but it will also attract flies and other nasties you may not want. I also hear that people had tarantulas die when they used animal based fertilizer, but I don't know the details or how true it actually is.

That last ingredient is a mix of fungus and roots apparently so not necessarily something you want since I assume you could potentially have mushrooms grow in there.

Basically, you're looking for the bag with only one ingredient. Peat moss(like your first ingredient) or top soil/black earth(what you have is a mix, that's not top soil) is what you'll usually find in tree nurseries that's as safe as can be.

A mix will work, but you increase the chances of having many unwanted things in the enclosure with your tarantula since it's made to increase plant growth which is not something you want in this case.

 

[crlovel]

Perlite is tiny crushed glass so if you can, it's better to avoid it since sharp thing are not what you want in an enclosure, but it's not a big deal. I've used substrate with it in the past without problem, it simply increase the chances of injuries if she falls on it(unless it's too small for that, I'm not 100% sure since I forgot what it looks like).

Fertilizer of any kind should be avoided if possible. It's good plant food, but it will also attract flies and other nasties you may not want. I also hear that people had tarantulas die when they used animal based fertilizer, but I don't know the details or how true it actually is.

That last ingredient is a mix of fungus and roots apparently so not necessarily something you want since I assume you could potentially have mushrooms grow in there.

Basically, you're looking for the bag with only one ingredient. Peat moss(like your first ingredient) or top soil/black earth(what you have is a mix, that's not top soil) is what you'll usually find in tree nurseries that's as safe as can be.

A mix will work, but you increase the chances of having many unwanted things in the enclosure with your tarantula since it's made to increase plant growth which is not something you want in this case.

Are you saying this stuff is dangerous to tarantulas, or..."many unwanted things?" Define "unwanted things?

 

[Sam_Peanuts]

I wouldn't say it's dangerous(I still have a few tarantula that have a mix as substrate myself which I'll only change once they get rehoused), only that it increases some risks slightly and it will very likely require more maintenance from your part.

The unwanted things would be flies, mites or other small invertebrates that in high numbers, could cause problems for your tarantula if left as is. It could also be mold or fungus since the substrate is made with favorizing growth in mind so they'll be able to grow much easier than if you had a more inhospitable substrate.

 

[GSA8]

Perlite is not tiny crushed glass. It is volcanic glass that has a high content of trapped bubbles, hence why it is light in weight and color. It is not sharp. The only time I have ever seen advice to not use it is with herps, as they may ingest it, causing impaction. It should not pose a risk to T's.

In regards to the OP, it depends what you are trying to accomplish with your viv. If you wish to have a naturalistic viv, that soil, as long as it is chemical fertilizer and pesticide free, should be fine. Mycorrhizae should be fine and will not spawn a bunch of mushrooms. "Seed" the soil with microfauna (isopods and springtails) and they will take care of any fungus that may appear (think mold). I would be interested to see what a "soy-based fertilizer" is, especially because it is marker organic.

 

[GSA8]

I personally use a blend that I mix myself that includes coir, crushed all-natural hardwood charcoal, peat, ground sphagnum, mycorrhizal inoculant, natural clay, and sand. It works great for both plants and microfauna.

 

[Tremayne]

Anyone have experience with Jungle Mix or any of the custom mixes from NEHERP?

Thanks,

 

[raggamuffin415]

I do peat moss soil mixed with cocoa fiber. Then a nice top layer of green moss, leaf litter, and crumbled dry brown moss for a forrest floor look.

 

[Geoff Armentrout]

I had to add my recent experience to this. I purchased a bag of "premium" Harvest Superpowered Organic Ultralite Topsoil to be mixed with peat and soft coco fiber (it's not compressed and isn't completely fine ground up). I opened the "premium" topsoil dumped some in a 5 gallon bucket and was immediately hit by the smell of gasoline, the best way to describe it. It was my fault I read the ingredients and it said something along the lines of "what you would find in naturally occurring topsoil." that kind of spiel. Which should have been a red flag. I had previously looked at a bag of scotts topsoil, a bag had been cut open and it was all mulch. I will never buy a bag of topsoil again, there are to many variables and sugar coating to be sure of what I am getting. Looking into making my own topsoil.

Geoff