Substrate preference poll

[LeilaNami]

Eco Earth all the way! Forest Bed is another brand of the coconut fiber.

 

[nhojz]

...

to be honest, dont know what kind of substrate is that, i only use 1 type of substrate, dont know what its called but its made of coco fiber...

 

[demode]

For the next change (in a year or so) I'll fill up with potting soil as it keeps humidity up real good.

Currently I have forest bark mixed with vermiculite and a more moist type of forest bark. around 50% 25% 25%.

 

[maarrrrr]

I use 100% potting soil

 

[rex_arachne]

i use 40% vermiculite and 60% cocodust/fiber, sometimes 100% cocofiber.

 

[wac764]

what's wrong with fir bark?

I'm keeping a G.rosea on fir bark chips and she seems to be just fine with it. She has a healthy appetite and never seems uncomfortable or distressed. Should I take her off of it? For my slings I recently started using sphagnum moss. They seem to like it okay, especially my A.hentzi. I never get to see it because it stays buried all of the time. I had considered using the peat/potting soil mixture but I can only find 50 lb bags of peat locally and I don't need anywhere near that much. And all of the potting soil that I've seen has some kind of fertilizer added. I did by chance discover 4 bags of unadulterated potting soil in my car-port. I bought it a couple years ago when I was thinking about growing some wild flowers around my deck. I never did plant the flowers and had forgotten about the soil. I'm thinking about mixing the potting soil with the sphagnum moss and see how that goes.

 

[Freak Show]

My vote goes for "other" - the coconut fiber.

 

[NixHexDude]

I like a mix of peat/soil/coconut stuff. It gets a nice consistency and holds moisture quite well. Peat seems too dusty on its own. Soil is too chunky, and coconut fiber is just kind of...well...fibery. Together though they make a really nice substrate. The inverts seem to like it.

 

[Arachnophilist]

the coconut fiber I get comes in a compressed brick (9"x5"x21/2") that turns into 9 litres of "soil" and its only $12.00CDN for a pack of three and I fully say its the way to go. all the kids love it. even the centipede and the Cranwell's Horned Frog. so I say definately coconut fiber.

 

[Scalded Ape]

I like a 50/50 mix of that coconut fiber stuff and vermiculite. It never bunches or clumps like potting soil or straight coconut fiber does and still works for burrowing if you tamp it down a bit for them. It's great for holding water and highly resistant to mold and mites. If the spider doesn't web a whole lot and you get rid of cricket parts you can go 2 years easy between changes.

I've tried sand and gravel (spiders didn't like it), potting soil (got clumped up), peat (gets messy and puts scale on the glass), vermiculite (spiders didn't like it), coconut fiber (got clumped up) and quite a few combinations of all of the above. The mix I've stuck with works the best for me because it's so easy to keep clean and the spiders don't seem to mind it at all.

 

[ParabuthusKing]

Substrate

Whats inexpensive?

I can get a 2.2 cubic ft bale of peat moss for $7.00

yea... and not to mention it comes from drained bogs that have been around for centuries..in effect destroying the senitive ecosystem,, now I am not one to judge as I have used it before, but I feel much better paying more for coconut bark fiber as I know it is more ecologically friendly, and does not have the same respiratory dangers that peat does for mammals (me) as for this poll, I would say I go with coconut fiber all the way )):evil: :evil:

 

[Sarah.S]

I use a 100% non peat compost with no added nutriants etc rather than a potting soil or peat mix. does no damage to the enviroment as there is no peat in the mix and is cheep at £1.50 or so for a 15 liter bag. I also find my T's can burrow well in it and I can monitor and keep it as wet or dry as needed depending on the needs of the T. As this stuff is made with mamals comming into contact with it there danger there and I have never found it as dusty as coconut fiber which I have used in the past.

 

[green_bottle_04]

Lizard Litter!!!!!

 

[Leiurus87]

100% peat for my T's. For native critters i use 50% peat, 50% sand. Anyone who lives in Florida knows of our sandy, useless soils and their muddy greyness. ;-)

 

[Mina]

I voted for vermiculite and organic soil. My T's seem to really like it.

 

[kitty_b]

i use pure peat moss. either dried out for the less-humid species, or fresh out of the bag (or moistened) for more humid species.

used to use potting soil, but peat is a LOT lighter, so it's easier to move tanks when i need to...

 

[bassgod]

I use coco fiber

 

[vtecgsr]

Why does everyone use ecoearth coco fiber? Ive not heard of any other brand of coco fiber used, but ive seen it at the stores... Is it free of chemicals or something? Do you have to add hot water to this stuff, cuz on the back i didnt see any directions at the store...

 

[metzgerzoo]

My preferred substrate is potting soil.I use Hortibec 100% organic chemical free potting soil with a generous amount of "well aged,composted" cedar mulch thrown in for texture.Works great.Here's a link to the site of hortibec soils.They make an excellent potting soil..totally organic and chemical free.

>>click here<<

***When voting vote for preferred terrestrial/burrower substrate.Aboreal substrate isn't as critical as they don't spend much time if any on it.Any substrate works fine for aboreal.Thanks...***

What's that....CEDAR mulch? Makes me wonder how long this person's tarantulas have lived and how well they're doing.
Remind me to NOT buy that stuff.

Me personally, I like just plain ole' 100% peat moss. Versatile, inexpensive, holds moisture well when needed, doesn't turn into stone when it's dry and holds burrows wonderfully.

 

[CFNSmok.PL]

100% "Forest bed". I tried vermiculite for some of my arboreals but did not like it. I found peat moss to be little on dusty side and after using it had a problem with a small black flies.

Smok.