In February I am going to buy my first ever pokie.. I understand that they need climbing space so I'm buying the zoo med medium naturalistic tank from lllreptile (also where I'm getting the pokie) and thank is 12 x 12 x 18 with a cork bark hide and I was wondering if mixing eco earth with vermiculite would be ok or is vermiculite alone good enough when misted for humidity. Also any advice would be appreciated.
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suggestions for 1st P Regalis (indian ornamental)
- Thread starter Tricocyst
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- 5,547
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- Outside San Antonio, TX
Never tried vermiculite alone, but its great mixed with any peat substrate, potting soil is nice too. I dont mist my poecis I just give them a large deep water dish, and occasionally simulate a light rain. I think the ventilation is adequate on the zoo med enclosures, and they look great, but that fine mesh screen at the top bothers me. Too many spiders get stuck on the fine mesh. Mine sits empty on a shelf until I make a drilled acrylic replacement top for it. Hope this helps.
ok so it seems eco earth mixed with vermiculite is a pretty good combination.. I'll also buy some sphagnum moss but I don't plan on adding it to the enclosure until the next day once I see the humidity rating.
- Messages
- 800
- Location
- Connecticut
Wonderful species...one of my favorites! What size is the one you're getting?
I'm with @MassExodus on this one in that I'd be careful with those mesh tops. My Exo Nano is currently sitting in my garage collecting dust and waiting for a plexiglass top. Peat, topsoil, potting soil, or coco fiber all work great when mixed with vermiculite. If you're getting a sling, you might keep it a bit on the moister side. However, for adults, I'm with @MassExodus in that a water dish and the occasional "rain shower" will work great. I have several species of Poecilotheria, and I don't fuss over humidity with any of them.
Congrats!
I'm with @MassExodus on this one in that I'd be careful with those mesh tops. My Exo Nano is currently sitting in my garage collecting dust and waiting for a plexiglass top. Peat, topsoil, potting soil, or coco fiber all work great when mixed with vermiculite. If you're getting a sling, you might keep it a bit on the moister side. However, for adults, I'm with @MassExodus in that a water dish and the occasional "rain shower" will work great. I have several species of Poecilotheria, and I don't fuss over humidity with any of them.
Congrats!
according to lllreptile they are currently between 3/4th to 1'' so they are fairly tiny but by the time next month gets here they might be a bit bigger not sure. But then again knowing lllreptile they might even have a new batch of slings ready to go. And I have always been amazed by the overall appearance of the p regalis... I've just now got the courage to buy one lol... the reviews of peoples bites scared me off a bit but then I noticed the p regalis tries it's best to flee and if it cant then it resorts to bites.
- Messages
- 800
- Location
- Connecticut
For a 1" sling, you may want to start with something like 32 oz deli cup size.That will allow for it to settle in faster and find food more easily. These guys grow quite fast, so you'll have a 3"+ spider on your hands before you know it. At that point, it would make more sense to put it in the larger enclosure that you're eyeing. Even better, you'd probably be able to place the deli cup in it, pop the top, and let it come out on it own (avoiding a stressful transfer). Like you said, a bite from one is a bit of a nightmare, so you want to keep your fingers away from it. They do tend to bolt and hide rather than stand and fight.
yeah I was a bit concerned about the size of the enclosure posing a slight complication for a sling to eat so a deli container does make more sense and I will certainly follow it. the forums have proven to be a wealth of tips and tricks!
