Worth a substrate change?

[gabrieldezzi]

So I have a ~1.25 - 1.5” DLS OBT sling and I got this little enclosure for him about a month ago. He seemed okay but he hasn’t eaten since then but hes also very fat and dark and I assumed it was a premolt thing. Checking on him today, I noticed his enclosure is almost dripping wet, and it has been for a while now and just refuses to dry out. I’m using a Tarantula Cribs enclosure so I’m confused as to why ventilation is an issue. The OBT settled and made a web hammock in the far left side of the enclosure, but never goes out of it and is never touching the substrate. What should I do?

 

[DomGom TheFather]

It's just a hunk of sub. Big enclosure.
Doesn't look too concerning.
Just withhold water. Keep it available in the form of a dish and things should right themselves.
Add a hide.

 

[gabrieldezzi]

It's just a hunk of sub. Big enclosure.
Doesn't look too concerning.
Just withhold water. Keep it available in the form of a dish and things should right themselves.
Add a hide.

I’ll add a hide when I get the chance to go to the store whichll probably be tomorrow. I have a small water bottle cap as a water dish but for some reason that managed to supply the entire enclosure with moisture? It’s a little weird but should I perhaps use a different dish?

 

[DomGom TheFather]

Any dish. Keep er dry in the meantime

 

[Wenzer]

I have a small water bottle cap as a water dish but for some reason that managed to supply the entire enclosure with moisture? It’s a little weird but should I perhaps use a different dish?

Try taking the cap out and wiping it off inside and around the edges, most the time this happens to me when a spider webs the cap and it starts wicking water out of the cap and into the sub.

I've also noticed some bottle caps just seem to be anti-water dish or something, lol... I saved a bunch of Milo's tea plastic caps from gallon jugs, and it's like no matter how often I clean them off, they drain the water every time so maybe try a different cup too, if yours continues to leak.

 

[Arachnophobphile]

So I have a ~1.25 - 1.5” DLS OBT sling and I got this little enclosure for him about a month ago. He seemed okay but he hasn’t eaten since then but hes also very fat and dark and I assumed it was a premolt thing. Checking on him today, I noticed his enclosure is almost dripping wet, and it has been for a while now and just refuses to dry out. I’m using a Tarantula Cribs enclosure so I’m confused as to why ventilation is an issue. The OBT settled and made a web hammock in the far left side of the enclosure, but never goes out of it and is never touching the substrate. What should I do?

View attachment 461410

The less ventilation and the more moisture in the sub the higher the chance of the enclosure becoming stagnant. Stagnant air is what harms T's.

If you are using cocofiber there are things you will have to master with it. It is highly prone to developing fungus in the sub layers and right under the water dish if kept too moist.

That enclosure it would be best to add more substrate.

Also let the top layer start drying before overflowing the water dish.

Every once in a while move the water dish to a different location in the enclosure.

Even doing this it still takes time in learning how to keep cocofiber free of a fungus takeover. Also it helps letting it dry some to avoid stagnant air.

 

[gabrieldezzi]

The less ventilation and the more moisture in the sub the higher the chance of the enclosure becoming stagnant. Stagnant air is what harms T's.

If you are using cocofiber there are things you will have to master with it. It is highly prone to developing fungus in the sub layers and right under the water dish if kept too moist.

That enclosure it would be best to add more substrate.

Also let the top layer start drying before overflowing the water dish.

Every once in a while move the water dish to a different location in the enclosure.

Even doing this it still takes time in learning how to keep cocofiber free of a fungus takeover. Also it helps letting it dry some to avoid stagnant air.

Taking this advice, tomorrow should I add more dry substrate to the enclosure, and add a hide to stimulate some of that? During this time of course letting the original substrate dry out.

Only thing I’m worried about is my OBT defintely leans to being kept semi-arboreally, and I don’t want him to web the lid if I make the substrate layer even higher

 

[Arachnophobphile]

A little more substrate will help. OBT's will burrow. Some keepers keep them semi arboreal nothing wrong with that.

If you are going to keep it semi arboreal offer more places to hide like more corkbark. The more hiding spots the less defensiveness, hopefully as it gets bigger.

 

[gabrieldezzi]

A little more substrate will help. OBT's will burrow. Some keepers keep them semi arboreal nothing wrong with that.

If you are going to keep it semi arboreal offer more places to hide like more corkbark. The more hiding spots the less defensiveness, hopefully as it gets bigger.

I plan to get a little log tomorrow and lay it horizontally on the floor of the enclosure, after I add more substrate to the top.I’m thinking the best way to go about this would be to remove the OBT first as if a rehousing. What do you think?

 

[Arachnophobphile]

If it's not burrowed and you can cup it then that's best.

If you don't and you're sticking your fingers in there then you risk being bit.

It may be a sling but it's an OW and it's venom will pack the same punch as an adult.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I plan to get a little log tomorrow and lay it horizontally on the floor of the enclosure, after I add more substrate to the top.I’m thinking the best way to go about this would be to remove the OBT first as if a rehousing. What do you think?

You may be able to do maintenance without bothering it , as it looks to be in pet hole mode right now.

 

[gabrieldezzi]

If it's not burrowed and you can cup it then that's best.

If you don't and you're sticking your fingers in there then you risk being bit.

It may be a sling but it's an OW and it's venom will pack the same punch as an adult.

Yeah, I’m not the healthiest individual so I don’t really wanna risk that. Like the other comment said, he’s kind of just in pet hole mode right now in his side web, I could still cup him. But because he’s in pet hole mode do you think he’d even use the hide?

 

[Arachnophobphile]

It never hurts to offer it. You could just cup the burrow entrance that would be effective. That way it keeps your sling and you safe.

You should of witnessed me last night trying to work a big orange head roach out of my P. irminia's enclosure.

The little fart head roach found a spot at the top of the corkbark behind it where tongs couldn't reach him from the front or top. My irminia didn't want it, even strung web all over the burrow entrance to prevent the roach from entering. It wasn't in pre-molt it came out later.

Took a hanger coming in through the front door to poke it. Roach came out and at the top in tong reach. Shut the front door and opened the top and grabbed the roach then tossed it to my A. geniculata that destroyed it, serves the roach right.

Now, what I did I would never recommend to someone newer and especially a P. irminia. I know my irminia and she rather hide deep in her corkbark tube hide than come out to bite.

In the past I used a trick that works for defensive arboreals. I soaked a rag then drained it. Then I took that rag and covered the top of the corkbark round hide. That prevented her from rushing out if she was inclined to. I have 10 inch tongs and I was still struggling to reach the bottom of the enclosure to remove some bolus. Only reachable by the top not front door.

Everything worked out.

 

[gabrieldezzi]

It never hurts to offer it. You could just cup the burrow entrance that would be effective. That way it keeps your sling and you safe.

You should of witnessed me last night trying to work a big orange head roach out of my P. irminia's enclosure.

The little fart head roach found a spot at the top of the corkbark behind it where tongs couldn't reach him from the front or top. My irminia didn't want it, even strung web all over the burrow entrance to prevent the roach from entering. It wasn't in pre-molt it came out later.

Took a hanger coming in through the front door to poke it. Roach came out and at the top in tong reach. Shut the front door and opened the top and grabbed the roach then tossed it to my A. geniculata that destroyed it, serves the roach right.

Now, what I did I would never recommend to someone newer and especially a P. irminia. I know my irminia and she rather hide deep in her corkbark tube hide than come out to bite.

In the past I used a trick that works for defensive arboreals. I soaked a rag then drained it. Then I took that rag and covered the top of the corkbark round hide. That prevented her from rushing out if she was inclined to. I have 10 inch tongs and I was still struggling to reach the bottom of the enclosure to remove some bolus. Only reachable by the top not front door.

Everything worked out.

I would agree, but the web hammock has atleast 3 entrances I’ve seen him use so it’s a little difficult. Not to mention to add more substrate to the enclosure, wouldnt I have to destroy the webbing? Which I’m sure he wouldn’t like.

I feel itd be easier to remove the T entirely and almost “soft reset” the enclosure, which is risky to do for any T especially a Baboon. I think it’d be better if I just cupped the T over the burrow ATP and removed it, and just reintroduce him after.

 

[Arachnophobphile]

Well it's a sling you could just leave everything and wait until it's big enough for a rehouse. The next enclosure you can setup. Sounds like your sling is settled in so no need to disturb it.

You can add corkbark or whatever you planned on using but only use tongs don't stick your fingers or hand in there.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I would agree, but the web hammock has atleast 3 entrances I’ve seen him use so it’s a little difficult. Not to mention to add more substrate to the enclosure, wouldnt I have to destroy the webbing? Which I’m sure he wouldn’t like.

I feel itd be easier to remove the T entirely and almost “soft reset” the enclosure, which is risky to do for any T especially a Baboon. I think it’d be better if I just cupped the T over the burrow ATP and removed it, and just reintroduce him after.

It should dry out eventually I would not worry about it. I worried about one cage. Ended up rehoused a t for no reason it dried out in a day or two once I stirred the sub. How wet is it?

 

[gabrieldezzi]

It should dry out eventually I would not worry about it. I worried about one cage. Ended up rehoused a t for no reason it dried out in a day or two once I stirred the sub. How wet is it?

It's not SOAKED or anything, not like my Avic enclosures' was before I did a substrate change. It is still damp though, very dark and even smells tropical/humid, which if I recall is far too humid for an OBT to really thrive.

 

[DonLouchese]

It has nothing to do with substrate. Your enclosure is okay. There is 2 things you need to know.

Bottle caps, they can start leaking , I still haven't resolved the mistery but some caps start leaking over time, it might be that when the tarantula goes drinking that it penetrates the cap with fangs or they bite it and it starts leaking it could be another reason as well. I am swapping caps on every 3 months or if I notice they leak.

2nd thing is that the drying of your substrate depends on your outside humidity ratio. I use same substrate for all of my tarantulas. My primary aparatment has 60%+ humidity no matter the day in the year. The substrate dries out in about 2-3 months fully if I don't water. The "cups" or Exoterra bowls take 4weeks + to dry out.

On the other hand on my 2nd place the humidity is 30% maybe 40% if I am lucky. The substrate and water dries out within a week. Same substrate same water dish and so on.
Yes it is true that measuring humidity in terrariums is totally unnecesary water dish and dry substrate for most species is ok. But if your enclosure is wet and doesn't dry up. The problem is within your home humidity. It can't dry out if enclosure is on 70-80% and ur home is at 60-65% it just doesn't work that way.

Best regards,

Don

 

[Arachnophobphile]

It has nothing to do with substrate. Your enclosure is okay. There is 2 things you need to know.

Bottle caps, they can start leaking , I still haven't resolved the mistery but some caps start leaking over time, it might be that when the tarantula goes drinking that it penetrates the cap with fangs or they bite it and it starts leaking it could be another reason as well. I am swapping caps on every 3 months or if I notice they leak.

2nd thing is that the drying of your substrate depends on your outside humidity ratio. I use same substrate for all of my tarantulas. My primary aparatment has 60%+ humidity no matter the day in the year. The substrate dries out in about 2-3 months fully if I don't water. The "cups" or Exoterra bowls take 4weeks + to dry out.

On the other hand on my 2nd place the humidity is 30% maybe 40% if I am lucky. The substrate and water dries out within a week. Same substrate same water dish and so on.
Yes it is true that measuring humidity in terrariums is totally unnecesary water dish and dry substrate for most species is ok. But if your enclosure is wet and doesn't dry up. The problem is within your home humidity. It can't dry out if enclosure is on 70-80% and ur home is at 60-65% it just doesn't work that way.

Best regards,

Don

Not sure what you're using for water dishes but I never had that problem.

Summertime here is very high humidity and it's very dry in winter.

Summertime here it doesn't take 2 to 3 months for sub to dry out. It is based on how much ventilation the enclosure has, how big of a waterdish used and how often it is overflowed.

If your enclosure retains moisture for that long then you are going to be dealing with fungus and mold quite often. It also tells me the enclosures you are using need more ventilation.

 

[gabrieldezzi]

It has nothing to do with substrate. Your enclosure is okay. There is 2 things you need to know.

Bottle caps, they can start leaking , I still haven't resolved the mistery but some caps start leaking over time, it might be that when the tarantula goes drinking that it penetrates the cap with fangs or they bite it and it starts leaking it could be another reason as well. I am swapping caps on every 3 months or if I notice they leak.

2nd thing is that the drying of your substrate depends on your outside humidity ratio. I use same substrate for all of my tarantulas. My primary aparatment has 60%+ humidity no matter the day in the year. The substrate dries out in about 2-3 months fully if I don't water. The "cups" or Exoterra bowls take 4weeks + to dry out.

On the other hand on my 2nd place the humidity is 30% maybe 40% if I am lucky. The substrate and water dries out within a week. Same substrate same water dish and so on.
Yes it is true that measuring humidity in terrariums is totally unnecesary water dish and dry substrate for most species is ok. But if your enclosure is wet and doesn't dry up. The problem is within your home humidity. It can't dry out if enclosure is on 70-80% and ur home is at 60-65% it just doesn't work that way.

Best regards,

Don

Yeah, I honestly think it was the water dish that was leaking. I used a water dish in the corner of my Marshalli enclosure as well, and the water is almost completely gone from the cap, yet the ENTIRE substrate below it is moist and hydrated; so I think you're on to something. As for humidity, I don't think its an issue with the outside humidity, because none of my other enclosures have this issue; even my Pamphobetus sling which is in the same enclosure unit does fine; then again they do need more humid conditions.

My house stays relatively dry, about 40%, but I think the substrate didnt dry because I kept filling up the bottle cap, which just obviously kept leaking into the substrate. I'll get a new bottle cap when I go out today as for the aforementioned hide.