vermiculite

[joshuai]

does it matter what kind of vermiculite you use, all i can find around here is pretty fine any sugestions?

 

[Travis K]

does it matter what kind of vermiculite you use, all i can find around here is pretty fine any sugestions?

Yeah,

It sucks. I have used it before and did not like it at all. I prefer peat moss myself. Why do you want to use vermiculite?

 

[joshuai]

mites mostly, spagnum peat is the same as just peat right, and i just figured that i could probly clean up vermiculite to get rid of the mite food easier than peat or i use that coco fiber, i dont know if ill ever get rid of the mites.

 

[tmanjim]

I have been using all coco fiber but it does dry out really fast. Haven't had any mite trouble though.

 

[kupo969]

mites mostly, spagnum peat is the same as just peat right, and i just figured that i could probly clean up vermiculite to get rid of the mite food easier than peat or i use that coco fiber, i dont know if ill ever get rid of the mites.

Do a quick search for mite problems, there's plenty of ways to get rid of them. As for vermiculite, it's great for humid thriving T's. This stuff is TOO good in keeping humidity up, so make sure you have plenty of ventilation. You can also mix is and it will do the job just as fine. As for what kind, search in gardening stores/websites.

 

[Rochelle]

Look into keeping isopods in your tanks; if you're having a mite issue. They eat these; as well as molds, funguses, boluses and poo.
If you are considering using straight vermiculite for a burrowing species - you may want to lightly mix it with the organic peat moss or coco fiber. Vermiculite is nearly impossible to build a burrow in, as it doesn't hold it's shape.
Hope this is helpful.

 

[wsimms]

The fine stuff actually allows for burrowing if you keep it moist. My H. gigas is doing well with it. I mix in activated charcoal in for the non-obligate burrowers.

 

[joshuai]

thanks everyone verry helpfull

 

[jefferson]

i use coco fiber as well and my Grammastola rosea lover her enclousure and their are 2 burrows and she hangs out in both and on top of them, if you need the humidity leave it fairly wet when you soak it and if you want it dry then squeze it after the soak but i think its the best and i dont have a mite problem

 

[reverendsterlin]

*cough*cough* peat moss, excuse me lol

 

[Singbluemymind]

i like to mix it in with coco fiber 50/50 for my humidity loving sp.

 

[barabootom]

I always hated using vermiculite. I have a good friend who used to use it a lot for a large numbers of T's. Now he pretty much only uses peat. I use a peat/potting soil (50/50) mix right now and I'm happy with it. You can still get mites with vermiculite.

 

[F3lix]

Make sure it's horticultural vermiculite. Although for high humidity T's, I find a 70/30 of peat moss and vermiculite, respectively, to be optimal.

 

[joshuai]

is there a diference in peatmoss and spagnum peat moss

 

[c'est ma]

I don't use vermiculite any more as I like the look of coco fiber better, but I used to keep rosies on it with no problems. One of them even burrowed in it. IME, when spiders dig they line the walls of their burrows with silk, which binds the substrate together...

I did like the contrast of the vermiculite with the dark spider in top-down shots...this pic is nearly 5 years old, when I'd just gotten my first digi cam point-and-shoot, and was just using the automatic setting for everything...hadn't even found "macro" yet...