Substrate?

[Tarantula Lover]

i have substrate, it is called lizard litter, it is for tropical, desert, ect species, would this be ok for a 1/2" cury hair slings? it is non bacterial and parasetic free, it is edible, and other stuff, it looks nice, i am using it for my avic, it is doing just fine. Thanks,

James

 

[Code Monkey]

The only thing you really need to be careful with is whether it contains any pine/fir products in it. If the Lizard Litter you are using is the stuff called "Jungle Mix Lizard Litter" then it has been used safely with Ts in the past. While I wouldn't necessarily think it the best stuff for slings, it's probably not the worst either

 

[JacenBeers]

Some of the lizard stuff that my friend uses as substrate is prone to molding. Just make sure that isnt the case with yours.

 

[Tarantula Lover]

k

what would you recomend, i have some potting soil, is that ok?

James

 

[JacenBeers]

Potting soil is perfect. I have been using it for years with all of my spiders. Actually there is a kind of soil that comes in bricks and they expand when you add water and I have been using those lately. They retain moisture very well.

 

[Lasiodora]

That's coconut husk. I use it too.

_______________________
"QUESTION:
WHEN WILL THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH?
ANSWER: WHEN THE EARTH FALLS TO PIECES!!"
Tupac Shakur

 

[Henry Kane]

Substrate is a much debated issue. The best thing you can do really is experiment with a few different types people here have suggesteds and decide what your T's like best. In my experience, sphagnum peat and vermiculite mix is the most hassle free of all I've tried. The ratio of the mix varies depending on the sp. of T.

Atrax

 

[Jobe]

Potting soil is used quite frequently, but from my experience, use it only for the spiders that dont require a high humidity, and keep the soil dry.

Maybe its just the soil here in Malaysia, but when my soil got damp last weekish...damn...whole buncha stuff started to move around in the soil...like little 3mm hairthin white worms(C_M said it might just be nematodes) but im not sure what else hatched when that dirt touched moisture...

This was just my experience, btw...not sure if this is a very common thing...but it did freak me out a bit.

 

[Botar]

Like Atrax said, the issue of the "perfect" substrate is a common debate. I wouldn't worry so much about what to use as much as what NOT to use. Seems to me that potting soil, peat moss, and/or vermiculite seem to be the most common with a lot of people opting for a mixure of any two or all three. I have used all three and various mixtures. IME, the only one that didn't work was straight vermiculite for a T. blondi... it didn't like walking on it.

Botar

 

[jwb121377]

I'm with Atrax on this one. My slings are on pure vermiculite,as where my adults that are on dry substrate are on pure peat. I also use a mix ratio based on mosture needs of the adults and juv's.

 

[atavuss]

Originally posted by Tarantula Lover
i have substrate, it is called lizard litter, it is for tropical, desert, ect species, would this be ok for a 1/2" cury hair slings? it is non bacterial and parasetic free, it is edible, and other stuff, it looks nice, i am using it for my avic, it is doing just fine. Thanks,

James

I have been using forest bed (a ground up coconut husk product) for several years exclusivly for all my inverts with excellent results......once in a while there will be a funky collection of mushrooms in the enclosures that are kept humid.
Ed

 

[Joy]

Originally posted by JacenBeers
Potting soil is perfect. I have been using it for years with all of my spiders. Actually there is a kind of soil that comes in bricks and they expand when you add water and I have been using those lately. They retain moisture very well.

Just make sure it's posting soil without any added fertilizers or other chemical additives.

Joy

 

[Jobe]

Hey, just curious, would a fine sawdust and vermiculite mix be usable?...
Theres this furniture shop near my house with S***loads of the stuff all over the place...
It would be great if i could put it to use
i figure its a pretty clean thing to use compared to the potting soil...

 

[Lasiodora]

Saw dust would mold when kept in a humid enviornment. If you can find it where you are, coconut husk soil is pretty good. I saw in a thread that the potting soil you have been using has been loaded with some type of larvae. Was this potting soil marked as being sterile? If not, that is the type you need to get (It needs to be sterile pre- packaged & sealed. It also needs to be fertilizer free potting soil). plant nursuries should carry this type because they don't want to introduce pest insects to their plants via the soil.
Mike


_______________________
"QUESTION:
WHEN WILL THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH?
ANSWER: WHEN THE EARTH FALLS TO PIECES!!"
Tupac Shakur

 

[Code Monkey]

Originally posted by Jobe
Hey, just curious, would a fine sawdust and vermiculite mix be usable?...
Theres this furniture shop near my house with S***loads of the stuff all over the place...
It would be great if i could put it to use
i figure its a pretty clean thing to use compared to the potting soil...

IF it were hardwood sawdust, sure give it a try - probably not ideal if kept too moist, but for dry or slight moist species you might be able to make it work. If it were pine or other softwood sawdust, stay the heck away from it.
It's never been proven with arachnids, but pines and their relatives contain volatile compounds that inhibit moulting in insects. The conventional wisdom is it's really not worth finding out conclusively with our tarantulas if it affects arachnids or not.

 

[Jobe]

Um...wow...OK...i think im voting out the sawdust idea

yeah, it was packaged potting soil, but unmarked... Im going to town tommorow to see if i can find a better shop that has sterile packaged soil ...thanks y'all

 

[galeogirl]

I just use peat moss with a layer of rehydrated sphagnum moss over it for ts with higher humidity requirements. The cages stay fairly light and easy to move that way and I've never had a problem with peat moss molding.

 

[Henry Kane]

Yeah, me either. The high acidity of the peat helps to curb mold growth.

Atrax

 

[Gail]

Originally posted by Atrax
Substrate is a much debated issue. The best thing you can do really is experiment with a few different types people here have suggesteds and decide what your T's like best. In my experience, sphagnum peat and vermiculite mix is the most hassle free of all I've tried. The ratio of the mix varies depending on the sp. of T.

Atrax

I second Atrax on this - I've tried many and keep going back to good old peat or peat/vermiculite.

Gail