the reason I dont reuse substrate.

[codykrr]

I use sphagnum peat moss for substrate. Well, normall I keep the old stuff in a big rubbermaid bin in the garage until its full. Then I dump it in the yard, or garden. Well 2 days ago I decided to mix up a small batch of potting soil for a few plants I was re-potting! I had all the stuff so why not?

haha. well my hand(I only used my left hand to grab handfuls of the peat) had now been on fire for 2 days!!

This just furthers my reason of why I will never reuse substrate. Im not sure if one Tarantulas urticating hairs will affect another T. but there is also lots of webbing, which holds species specific scent. I dont think baking, boiling, or microwaving would rid it of all that.

Anyway, just thought I would share my brain fart of an experience. :wall:

Moral of the story(besides not reusing substrate) is to always wear gloves when messing around in your enclosures, or old substrate. PERIOD!

 

[Bill S]

I hadn't thought about the "leftover" urticating hairs, but that would be something to think about.

I avoid reusing substrate, but it's really just a habit I got into over years of keeping reptiles.

 

[codykrr]

Yeah, I mean dont waste the used substrate, I throw it in the garden or in this case used to make potting soil(which it works fine for.) but remember those U hairs are a mother! wear gloves!

 

[WARPIG]

I chuck the stuff as soon as its done. I've seen all my brachys rub their backsides raw just before a molt, I have no intention of handling or re-using this time bomb.

Peat is cheap and the land fill can use it just fine

PIG-

 

[malevolentrobot]

I hadn't thought about the "leftover" urticating hairs, but that would be something to think about.

i believe this is actually why i react so badly to grammostola hairs, from years of gloveless exposure cleaning rosea enclosures and feeling itchy, then forgetting about it (repeat over the course of four years).

i didn't find out the truth about u-hairs until three years too late...

 

[Kathy]

You know, I never thought about this until I read this thread. I was going to use the substrate to pot some plants. That would have been a very, very bad idea......

 

[codykrr]

^ actually it wouldnt be, so long as you wear gloves.

 

[NikiP]

Easy fix...

Don't keep anything with uhairs

 

[sn95]

I have made the same mistake...only it was spreading out old peat moss in a flower bed not putting it in pots. It also happened to be both hands.

 

[billopelma]

Whenever I get tempted to recycle some substrate I think of this molt...

Bill

 

[sn95]

Wow, that is just crazy.

 

[Spiral_Stairs]

Hah! I learned that lesson when my T. blondi died and I decided to transfer another big NW terrestrial in her enclosure. I figured since she hadn't been in it long and there wasn't any web or food bolus laying around, I would just wet the substrate and repack it with my hands. So I sprayed it down and started packing it down with my hands. I felt it immediately but it didn't dawn on me what it was until it was too late. The second time I pushed my hand into the substrate I could feel little needle like stinging all over my hand. I ended up getting it all over my arm and a little on my face. That was a rough week.

 

[NikiP]

OMG! That pictures make me very, very happy I only have Avics & G. pulchripes that have urticating hairs!

Much as I like the looks of Brachys....*shudder*

 

[Protectyaaaneck]

I always use new substrate. It's not really that expensive..

 

[codykrr]

Yeah, but I have seen quite a few times in various threads where people actually either suggest boiling, baking, or microwaving it and reusing it. I wouldnt reuse it to house another animal/T on, but i have found it fluffs the soil in my garden and makes excellent potting soil. With other additives(I.E. perilite, worm casting, wetting agents...ect)

 

[cacoseraph]

i would not just throw used substrate from a cage into the out of doors. good way to spread mites.

a boil or freeze first would remove the spread of mites as a possibility

 

[WARPIG]

Whenever I get tempted to recycle some substrate I think of this molt...

Bill

It hurts to look at this pic

PIG-

 

[codykrr]

i would not just throw used substrate from a cage into the out of doors. good way to spread mites.

a boil or freeze first would remove the spread of mites as a possibility

arent mite from outside anyway?...:?

I havent had a mite problem..so I never worried about that. well, once in a roach colony. but they were just grain mites. those are everywhere anyway.

 

[AbraCadaver]

I never reuse it.. I have so few T's anyway, so it wont cost me much to buy some more..

I never thought of it really, just never bothered scooping it from one cage to another..

 

[whitewolf]

I always pick the webbing out, throw it into the trash, and dump the sub into a spare bin. I take it out and spread it in the garden. I fill it up with water to avoid burrowed Dubia escape artist before I dump it too. I don't worry about mites because when I do see them they are grain mites which are common in houses and outside anyway. I also have springtails around the pond.

I also dump the roaches frash out into a spare bin before I dispose of it now. Their has to be an easier way of sorting the Lat nymphs from frash and egg cases I just haven't figured it out. I dumped it into a trash can of sub once and forgot about it. A month later their were a ton of Lat roaches in there. Ooops. Ended up taking it outside in a bag and soaked it with pesticides sealed up for a few days until I was sure everyone was dead and then tossed it. Now I just poor it out in a spare bin and leave it until they stop hatching. Then I collect them from there and put them in the feeder bin. I wouldn't worry about it if they couldn't survive in Texas but they can so I take extra measures now.