This Substrate?

[Butterbean83]

This is obviously used for growing plants etc but could I use this for Tarantulas, would there be less chance of foreign substances and fauna than with soil. It's perlite aswell as coir so I'm not sure how good this would be but it sounds good.

Could someone look on the link and read it's description let me know if it's appropriate? Because that's a good deal and will last a while. I don't know if the PH is ok or have any chemicals been added that could harm the T at all?

Thankyou.

 

[cold blood]

This is obviously used for growing plants etc but could I use this for Tarantulas, would there be less chance of foreign substances and fauna than with soil. It's perlite aswell as coir so I'm not sure how good this would be but it sounds good.

Could someone look on the link and read it's description let me know if it's appropriate? Because that's a good deal and will last a while. I don't know if the PH is ok or have any chemicals been added that could harm the T at all?

Thankyou.

buy the cheapest top soil available, the stuff marketed for filling holes and leveling ground, not the stuff for growing plants. The stuff you want is so cheap there is little reason to even look for any kind of a deal...we are talking 2-3 bucks for a 40lb bag.

example:

Topsoil

• cold blood
• Dec 29, 2017
• 2

 

[Butterbean83]

I'm looking for something for dry species that's what I mean, just without using sand as I know that's not great if they were to burrow, someone said coir is great dry but wasn't sure with plant growing stuff.

Yeah I'm sure I can get stuff pretty cheap but id imagine top soil would be too moist for dry species, it seems that when I've used that it causes condensation because the substrate feels moist before it goes in, plenty of holes for ventilation in top and cross ventilation in the sides.

Can you get this topsoil and really dry or does it moisten up easy or does it with being colder and not keeping heat like sand or excavator clay... Cause the condensation with the coolness of the substrate and a heat mat or heat source?

Thankyou

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

buy the cheapest top soil available, the stuff marketed for filling holes and leveling ground, not the stuff for growing plants. The stuff you want is so cheap there is little reason to even look for any kind of a deal...we are talking 2-3 bucks for a 40lb bag.

example:

Topsoil

• cold blood
• Dec 29, 2017
• 2

I accidentally got the wrong brand , paid for topsoil got this ;

The Hunt for good top soil ?

The woods. As long as there's no agriculture nearby, ought to be safe. I've collected tons of stuff from nature (woods and desert) and have never lost a spider because of it. Guessing lots of folks would disagree, but I'm not going to stop doing it just because they're worried lol. So, I've...

arachnoboards.com

Worth using or no ?

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

Can you get this topsoil and really dry or does it moisten up easy or does it with being colder and not keeping heat like sand or excavator clay... Cause the condensation with the coolness of the substrate and a heat mat or heat source?

Thankyou

Empty what you need into a large plastic container of some kind and let it dry out some before you use it.

 

[Butterbean83]

Empty what you need into a large plastic container of some kind and let it dry out some before you use it.

I will do. That Pro Rep Spider life I used was the worst, it was too moist out the pack and that was supposed to be ready prepared substrate.

Thanks. I'll do that and maybe mix with some excavator clay too.

 

[gzophia]

I dry my substrate by putting it in big shallow trays and scooping out the top layer bit by bit as it dries.
The greater the surface area, the easier it will be to dry.

 

[cold blood]

I'm looking for something for dry species that's what I mean

You dont need anything special

Yeah I'm sure I can get stuff pretty cheap but id imagine top soil would be too moist for dry species

nope

Cause the condensation with the coolness of the substrate and a heat mat or heat source?

well if you add heat, of course its gonna create condensation if there is moisture in the sub. Its unlikely you will need additional heat, but if you do, you shouldnt be putting a heat mat under the substrate.

I will do. That Pro Rep Spider life I used was the worst, it was too moist out the pack

Not true. Even for ts that like it dry, you dont have to dry it first, a little moisture isnt an issue, in fact, with other subs (not soil) you actually want it to be holding some moisture as this is what is required to sufficiently tamp down the sub....you dont need to tamp dirt down because of its density.

Dont freak out because of a little moisture, it will dry out...a little moisture in the sub isnt gonna cause an issue....dirt dries out especially fast.

 

[Butterbean83]

You dont need anything special
nope
well if you add heat, of course its gonna create condensation if there is moisture in the sub. Its unlikely you will need additional heat, but if you do, you shouldnt be putting a heat mat under the substrate.

Not true. Even for ts that like it dry, you dont have to dry it first, a little moisture isnt an issue, in fact, with other subs (not soil) you actually want it to be holding some moisture as this is what is required to sufficiently tamp down the sub....you dont need to tamp dirt down because of its density.

Dont freak out because of a little moisture, it will dry out...a little moisture in the sub isnt gonna cause an issue....dirt dries out especially fast.

That's the thing, it wasn't drying out. Heat mat was on the side but I'm looking into a heating tube or two behind the shelves to provide supplementary heat because the room they're in is not as well insulated as the the other room, my partner won't sit in the same room as them you see lol.

What you're saying is no doubt correct and makes a lot of sense it's probably just the general coolness of the room compared to.the other room in here, there is no form of heating in there either, even as the weather warms up it feels cool in there so I think in combination with the heat source it's causing too much condensation.

A little isn't too bad. When it gets to full on Summer with the sun blazing through the windows this shouldn't be a problem as they won't need supplementary heat then.

It is warming up in the UK slightly but still gets chilly in rooms not as well insulated.

Topsoil has to be better than that spider life substrate anyway, people have had mites etc from it and pieces of plastic.

Thankyou for your input. I think I'll go for some topsoil.