Where to get bioactive substrate for a vivarium without a drainage layer, in the EU.

[SultanBlyat]

So I'm going to be rehousing my T soon (L.p) and I would like to make a vivarium without a drainage layer this time around. Her current enclosure is a vivarium with a drainage layer, but she ripped a hole into the drainage layer and is now throwing the hydroballs everywhere (Thanks spider), plus she's also just due for a rehouse soon, no drainage layer would also just look better and it'll give her more room to burrow. I've been looking for a bioactive substrate thats works without a drainage layer, and from the places I've looked most people recommend the Biodudes substrate, but he's located in NA, I'm in the EU and I simply can't afford to pay the exorbitant tax that would some from buying and shipping something from NA. I'm going to a reptile exhibit tomorrow and they might have bioactive substate there, but I would like to know if there are any stores in the EU that sell something similar to what the Biodude sells, so I can compare prices tomorrow if somebody is selling bioactive substate. Again, the store unfortunately needs to be shipping from the EU. So if anybody knows any stores in the EU that sell something like this, I would greatly appreciate recommendations for stores. If anybody has a good substrate mixture I could make myself if there aren't any stores that sell something like this in the EU, I wouldn't mind a substrate recipe either. -Best regards.

 

[Wolfram1]

You have perfectly good forests around, a small gerdening shovel and a garbage bag will get you all the substrate you need

 

[SultanBlyat]

You have perfectly good forests around, a small gerdening shovel and a garbage bag will get you all the substrate you need

Isn't soil from the forest going to contain potentially harmful bacteria, parasites, insects, etc?

 

[Wolfram1]

not really, sure there are bakteria, fungi, parasites etc. but none that are specialized to attack a theraphosidae spider because in our european ecosystems at least these organisms have not adapted to target them.

as long as you do not put any other large predatory animals in there on purpose it should be safe.

when it comes to pesticides those are only used on agricultural fields and as long as you dont collect right at the edges noone is ever spraying forests.


the main difference is that this soil has a much higher ratio of silica and thus heavier than the substrates we buy for pottet plants or even substrates like the one from the biodude. Those are almost 100% organic and light as a "feather".

It may not be what you are looking for, so get some and test it out before you decide. At least if it is no trouble.
You can always mix the two as well to get the best of both worlds.

 

[SultanBlyat]

not really, sure there are bakteria, fungi, parasites etc. but none that are specialized to attack a theraphosidae spider because in our european ecosystems at least these organisms have not adapted to target them.

as long as you do not put any other large predatory animals in there on purpose it should be safe.

when it comes to pesticides those are only used on agricultural fields and as long as you dont collect right at the edges noone is ever spraying forests.


the main difference is that this soil has a much higher ratio of silica and thus heavier than the substrates we buy for pottet plants or even substrates like the one from the biodude. Those are almost 100% organic and light as a "feather".

It may not be what you are looking for, so get some and test it out before you decide. At least if it is no trouble.
You can always mix the two as well to get the best of both worlds.

Thank you! This is all very interesting, the only problem is that I'll have to find a forest that is far away from any agricultural fields, since my country is a agricultural one. It's really nice to know that I can use soil from European forests.

 

[viper69]

Why bother? Bioactive setups are gimmicky for tarantulas. They don’t do anything for them IMO. I’ve been raising Ts without bioactive bull crap - no issues.

 

[Wolfram1]

I agree with @viper69 to me there are only two types of setups, planted or non planted, bioactive is a stupid term and just using a spoonful of dirt from a forest will make it more "bioactive" than any of those so called setups ever will.

In any case the soil from outside is safe, and i have used it on its own or mixed on different ratios with potting soil with good results. Just keep in mind that its not homogenious and depending on where you collect it it will have different properties.

Since your main concern was avoiding ceramic balls/ a drainage layer, i would suggest using fairly silica rich, chunky soil at the bottom since it is the organic parts you do not want to rot at the bottom and the anaerob environment (packed) that causes bad bacteria to thrive.
You really want some air pockets at the bottom.

 

[SultanBlyat]

Why bother? Bioactive setups are gimmicky for tarantulas. They don’t do anything for them IMO. I’ve been raising Ts without bioactive bull crap - no issues.

Because I think they're fun to make, They look great (Especially with a lot of plants), my T enjoys climbing on plants and she seems to prefer the extra humidity. Plus it's also nice to know there are cleaners taking care of T poo, and food leftovers I might have missed.

 

[SultanBlyat]

I agree with @viper69 to me there are only two types of setups, planted or non planted, bioactive is a stupid term and just using a spoonful of dirt from a forest will make it more "bioactive" than any of those so called setups ever will.

In any case the soil from outside is safe, and i have used it on its own or mixed on different ratios with potting soil with good results. Just keep in mind that its not homogenious and depending on where you collect it it will have different properties.

Since your main concern was avoiding ceramic balls/ a drainage layer, i would suggest using fairly silica rich, chunky soil at the bottom since it is the organic parts you do not want to rot at the bottom and the anaerob environment (packed) that causes bad bacteria to thrive.
You really want some air pockets at the bottom.

Chunky Silica rich soil is what I'll be looking for then, but I'll probably mix some soil like you've recommended. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Wolfram1]

Molehills are your friends

 

[SultanBlyat]

Molehills are your friends

We'll we've got plenty of those here

 

[Dorifto]

Because I think they're fun to make, They look great (Especially with a lot of plants), my T enjoys climbing on plants and she seems to prefer the extra humidity. Plus it's also nice to know there are cleaners taking care of T poo, and food leftovers I might have missed.

That's something to avoid. You don't want Ts climbing stuff and potentially fall from them, specially heavy bodied Ts like parahybanas.

Substrate wise, you can source your one in the nearby natural forest, I'd try avoid coniferous ones. Or you can simply get a nice bag of topsoil and plant your desired plants. But please choose the plants based on your Ts requeriments.

 

[SultanBlyat]

That's something to avoid. You don't want Ts climbing stuff and potentially fall from them, specially heavy bodied Ts like parahybanas.

Substrate wise, you can source your one in the nearby natural forest, I'd try avoid coniferous ones. Or you can simply get a nice bag of topsoil and plant your desired plants. But please choose the plants based on your Ts requeriments.

The plants she has right now aren't that big, it's unlikely she'll get injured from falling down from one, and it's something I'll still be taking into consideration when buying plants for my next vivarium.

 

[Wolfram1]

I just rehomed one of my AF L. parahybana a few days ago and gave her an Ophiopogon planiscapus "Black Dragon" as well as an Epipremnum aureum "N'Joy" cutting which she already started to destroy with gusto.
O. planiscapus is trying to flower, NOPE, lets break that off!

But yea don't give them too much hight, mine has about 1x dls, which is plenty for large spiders.

 

[Dorifto]

The plants she has right now aren't that big, it's unlikely she'll get injured from falling down from one, and it's something I'll still be taking into consideration when buying plants for my next vivarium.

Thanks.

Plants that suit perfectly your T.

Chamaedorea elegans
Nephrolepis duffy
Nephrolepis exaltata
Ficus colombia/pumila
Fittonias
Bromeliads
Tillandsias


Photos... XD


Keep in mind that the LP habitat have seasonal rainfalls, so the plant's should be medium to low water demanding plants, to allow you to offer different gradients. Also to withstand drier and moister periods of time.

 

[Wolfram1]

Photos...

There you go. Its pretty bare bones but that is just the way i like it. Her hide is underneath/behind the wood that i transferred over since she usually spends most of her time posing on it .

I dont mind the ceramis myself, but there are none in the corner were her hide is just in case she does some digging after all.

No water dish currently since that is in the dish washer right now.

 

[Myrlina]

I dont mind the ceramis myself, but there are none in the corner were her hide is just in case she does some digging after all.

Do you use a membrane between the clay balls and the substrate?

 

[Wolfram1]

Personally i do not. Since i never have standing water down there it doesn't matter if a few flakes of substrate fall down. They are also not really necessary but i had them on hand.

 

[Dorifto]

View attachment 417547

There you go. Its pretty bare bones but that is just the way i like it. Her hide is underneath/behind the wood that i transferred over since she usually spends most of her time posing on it .

I dont mind the ceramis myself, but there are none in the corner were her hide is just in case she does some digging after all.

No water dish currently since that is in the dish washer right now.

Lol I meant the plant hahahahahahaha I misspelled it .


Ceramic balls are for paludariums and/or heavily misted setups. They don't offer nothing but headaches to our ts. Also no T has such moisture requeriments in order to use them like we do. Better to use different mistures of substrates, they will drain and hold the moisture like it should be, in the substrate.

 

[Wolfram1]

agreed but they don't hurt them ether and it allows the water to spread better before it gets sucked up into the soil again so i can just pour water into one corner and the surface stays mostly dry