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Who will use this??

kormath

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You are buying eco earth in 10 lb bags at home depot? Sounds crazy unlikely

That sounds right, they measure those bags by cubic ft. not weight, so that'd be the 1 or 1.5 cubic ft bag. I spent 18 months in the garden center at Home Depot near here. Loved the work, hated the company. That whole store was based on popularity not knowledge or work ethic or performance. If you weren't tight with the manager over that part of the store you got all the crap work.
 

SpiderDad61

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Meant earth gro. Same stuff. Have both, and this earth gro was at Home Depot. It's awesome
image.jpg
 

kormath

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i'll have to pick some up. so 50/50 that and coco fiber. add a little vermiculite for the genic to help with moisture. I got a plan :)
 

SpiderDad61

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i'll have to pick some up. so 50/50 that and coco fiber. add a little vermiculite for the genic to help with moisture. I got a plan :)
Yea, I put a thin layer of moistened vermiculite on the bottom and cover that with my 50/50 mix. It holds moisture great and helps maintain humidity.
 

swimbait

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That makes much more sense, eco earth being an exotic animal substrate, didn't sound like something home depot would carry.
 

kormath

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They sell it online only in the bricks. it's actually a great potting soil for fruits n veggies and ornamental house plants.
 

Kymura

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Just to play devil's advocate here,
home depot does indeed sell coconut coir, organic and unfertilized. That's all eco earth is.
Simply compressed coconut coir. just search for it under that coconut coir, those lovely little seed starter pods, coir. All basically eco earth under a different name.
Just be sure to get UN fertilized and you're good to go at much lower cost.
 

kormath

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Just to play devil's advocate here,
home depot does indeed sell coconut coir, organic and unfertilized. That's all eco earth is.
Simply compressed coconut coir. just search for it under that coconut coir, those lovely little seed starter pods, coir. All basically eco earth under a different name.
Just be sure to get UN fertilized and you're good to go at much lower cost.
It depends on the store. The stores in this district don't stock any coir, but we could transfer it for a cost from another district or special order it. We'd get a small amount of the seedling pods each spring but that was a 1 order deal and that's all we got for the year. I guess if you wanted to take those and soak them to get a handful of coconut fiber you could lol you'd need a bunch for an enclosure, 3 or 4 for the deli cups lots here use for slings. This is the discs that were about the size of a quarter and maybe 3/8" thick. You push the seed down in the premade hole in the center then soak the tray for the seed to sprout. I think we sold those in a tray of 6 and 12 if i recall correctly.
 

Kymura

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Thats nothing like what we got, basically it was the net wrapped bags that the vegetables always start in, about deli cup size, I buy bricks and saw them up to usable size and just use it as I need it, walmart even has them ^.~
 

kormath

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Yeah location and environment play a big part in what the stores stock. Up here in the mountains of Idaho we didn't get much for seedlings and veggies. There are local greenhouses around that have a much better selection and took pride in being better than HomeDepot. I even shopped at those over the big box store for that. And because i knew how lazy the plant maintenance guys were that came in to water and take care of the plants. One of my favorite things working in the garden center (besides the sun dresses and bikinis that came in in the summer) was when the living herbs would start to die and become unsalable. I loved taking all the thyme and oregano and other herbs back to the compactor. That room would smell so good when we were done :)
 

DewDrop

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Exo Terra plantation soil. THAT is something I will use. I will tell you why. There are organisms the size of a pin head that can carry tapeworms. Hookworms also can reside in soil. Organisms that small can transmit tapeworms to equines. When dealing with soil organisms, which is something I try to avoid by microwaving substrate and buying products for terrariums, you might not know WHAT you could introduce into your tarantula habitat or even to your own body. I have dealt with enough mites out of peat moss that I am done trying to go cheap and am only going to stick with what is merchandised for terrarium pets. Ta heck with risking the health of your spider to save a little money and there is no sense in risking your own. I KNOW that there are antibiotics in soil that cannot be replicated in modern medicne or replicated at all and I read the time article about how dirt can be good for you. It is the durn mess and the plain I am not putting up with any creepy crawlies I don't intentionally introduce into my tarantula's habitat.
 

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kormath

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Exo Terra plantation soil. THAT is something I will use. I will tell you why. There are organisms the size of a pin head that can carry tapeworms. Hookworms also can reside in soil. Organisms that small can transmit tapeworms to equines. When dealing with soil organisms, which is something I try to avoid by microwaving substrate and buying products for terrariums, you might not know WHAT you could introduce into your tarantula habitat or even to your own body. I have dealt with enough mites out of peat moss that I am done trying to go cheap and am only going to stick with what is merchandised for terrarium pets. Ta heck with risking the health of your spider to save a little money and there is no sense in risking your own. I KNOW that there are antibiotics in soil that cannot be replicated in modern medicne or replicated at all and I read the time article about how dirt can be good for you. It is the durn mess and the plain I am not putting up with any creepy crawlies I don't intentionally introduce into my tarantula's habitat.
So you're saying don't eat beef? ;) Sorry i can't survive without my steak and taters.

tapeworms have to be ingested to infect the host. It's why we don't eat raw beef, pork, or chicken. cooking it to 150+ F is enough to kill the tapeworms. you can't get them from handling dirt, unless you're handling infected dirt (it has to have animal or human feces that were infected with the worm) and then like lick your finger or something, but that's just freaking gross and i can't see anyone here doing that.

Hookworms could be a concern, but so far in the almost 40 years I've been playing in dirt I've never caught them yet. As hookworms can't survive in freezing temps they won't be in the peat moss, and why i haven't caught them yet, we have sub zero winters up here.

The majority of peat moss sold in the US comes from Canada in the Northwest Territories. They have brutal winters that would kill off any hookworms in the peat. The other peat moss suppliers import the peat moss from Russia, Ireland, and Northern Europe. Again the below freezing winters there would kill off any worm infestations in the peat.

Hookworm and tapeworm infections are most common in 3rd world countries with poor sanitation. The few infections in the US come from eating raw meat that has been infected, or walking barefoot through dirt with feces infested with hookworms. You can dance barefoot if you really wanted to in tapeworm infested feces and not catch them.

I've never encountered mites in peat moss, but then again i've only used it (till now) for gardening so i wasn't paying much attention.
 

DewDrop

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Oh there are little soil mites that can transmit tapeworms to horses. If you go riding and you let the horse nibble on the grass in some areas you get griped at because it could make the horses sick with flatworms. Typically the mites in Canada peat are not worrisome but they can be the ones that can be infectious. An earthworm can transmit hookworms. No , dirt has a natural antibiotics in it, that cannot always be reproduced by science. Basically in some areas the dirt can blow on you and you will sprout up in a hookworm infection through cutaneous exposure . We don't think of these things as particularly risky but, dog tapeworms can be transmitted to humans, whereas cat are though of as not contagious, however the simple fact is, a tapeworm is a tapeworm whichever hind end a proglottid is coming out of and is contagious. It is just better to prevent them and it is a good reason why pesticides are used to grow commercial produce, fruits and livestock gets de-wormed. The risk of infection by parasites is not limited to third world conditions, the simple fact is while our federal food regulation does protect us, parasites are still out there.

Which a simple yet highly complex blood test can show the possibility of that is real common, the comp metabolic panel, cbc blood tests can show if someone is out of the norm if parasites are suspected. It is thought that while the United States is relatively clean and safegaurded from parasites that it is still possible for infection. As far as dancing around in whatever, I do believe I will pass on that. Also, it is quite common for a tapeworm to actually be found in people, regardless of where they live. It is the different types of tapeworms that are of concern and treatment resistance present in the certain kinds that are quite deadly. However the flash freezing of raw fish by the fishing industry has helped to almost eliminate the possibility of contamination. Just wash your hands after you play in dirt, don't eat wild dirt, be mindful of your feeders and don't feed wild caught insects or anything else wild caught as we all know and of course just cook your meat. I know that sushi or sashimi is a lower risk but still bacteria can be found in fish that can give you a common cold from one of the hundreds of common cold viruses. If at your age you haven't caught a cutaneous hookworm don't worry about it, just be mindful of fleas on your other pets. Earthworms can carry hookworms so when you buy them, remember that they are raised in a manner to prevent that but once they are wild, they are a possible source. Beetles from meal worms, any beetle, can carry a tapeworm in otherwords they are capable it doesn't mean they do. When they are captive raised it is less of a risk.

Let's face it risk of illness is out there, you just get used to it and don't worry about it either because you keep things clean. Thankfully we do live in a society with the advancements we do so if anything is wiggling about inside you, it'll get caught in a routine check up and treated, while the other areas of also valuable concern are addressed also if needed. The particularly vicious parasites are also monitored and reported so they do get controlled. These are the days where mindful precaution helped knock the vicious ebola viruses back to managed and all but eradicated. SO don't worry. I merely mentioned for those who already knew such things in case someone wanted to chat. If you don't know and the topic scares you, that was not my intention at all. It is just that with the various jobs I have had in the past knowledge is a valuable thing and being aware of any risk to prevent it is important, but don't go worrying about it. I don't worry about it I just know risks exist and use basic prevention while not over doing it. Relax.

Also the worm itself as a proglottid or a segment of a tapeworm is contagious, yes, but so are other insects that have an infection and eggs of fleas as we all know. It isn't a reason to fret or quit eating meat, it is only a reminder that you do not need to over look a feeder because a feeder could of ingested a mite or caught infection from the topsoil or even peat products being used, so things like exoterra and products designed for habitats for pets are going to have a less chance of risk. That is all I am saying. We members are not the only ones on these forums. We seem to know pretty well what we can and cannot do. Just a friendly reminder for those completely ignorant on the matter. In cold things such as parasites can go dormant or die, in heat they can die or even go dormant. Just depends on the particular type of what it is being discussed. While there are thought to be cestode resistance and hookworm resistance in some livestock they are still checked and treated if needed and vaccinated for things in general before they make it to your plate, which personally I appreciate.
 
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Kymura

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or,
you can buy some sterile topsoil that's been steam treated to kill any unwanted seeds, worms, worm eggs or pests.

Or simply purchase some that's not been treated with fertilizers and sterilize it yourself.
Not rocket science here folks.

http://tipnut.com/sterilize-soil/

Oven Method: (small batches)

  • Fill an ovenproof container about 3 inches deep with soil, mix in a generous amount of water (not enough to make it runny or soupy but thoroughly wet) then cover with aluminum foil.
  • Bake in a preheated oven (200°F) until the temperature of the center reaches 180°F (use a meat thermometer to measure). Once the temperature reaches 180°F, bake for 30 minutes.

Microwave Method: (small batch)

  • To use the microwave, put about 2 pounds of moist soil in a thick, plastic bag. Leave the top open and place it in the center of the microwave.
  • Heat it for two to five minutes on full power, checking the temperature in the middle of the dirt with a thermometer. When the target is reached (180°F to 200°F), close the bag carefully and put in a cooler to hold the heat in.
 

DewDrop

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I have mentioned the same, Kymura, in previous posts. Just not as detailed. Personally I don't expect anyone to do anything they do not want to do. It is that simple. You can provide the information all you want but it doesn't mean anyone is going to take it. I have even been griped at for big blocks of text instead of writing in choppy paragraphs, on this site. It is easy to understand that debaters learn by debating, some learn with a little argument, others a little prodding and prying, just about whatever you know that keeps the learning process going, as long as people learn how to keep things safe and tidy enough to prevent illness that is the main thing.
 

Kymura

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I have mentioned the same, Kymura, in previous posts. Just not as detailed. Personally I don't expect anyone to do anything they do not want to do. It is that simple. You can provide the information all you want but it doesn't mean anyone is going to take it. I have even been griped at for big blocks of text instead of writing in choppy paragraphs, on this site. It is easy to understand that debaters learn by debating, some learn with a little argument, others a little prodding and prying, just about whatever you know that keeps the learning process going, as long as people learn how to keep things safe and tidy enough to prevent illness that is the main thing.

Well DewDrop I think that's partially because sometimes less is more, a lot of folks just want a quick answer and tend to be intimidated by a larger post, so they either skim over it thereby missing just that information they were seeking, or just skip it entirely, again missing some information that probably would have been helpful. Several times I redid my posts after seeing the size of them (NOT saying you should, and I do read them) Several times I simply didn't post after realizing just how long the reply had gotten. I have trained myself into giving quick replies for the most part now. Most really don't want to debate or look deeper then the question they originally asked.And honestly, that's Okay. Each goes about things as is most comfortable for them.
I'm actually convinced some have never read a single book on T care and depend on forums such as this one to get them through. And that's what places like this are here for. So again, that's Okay.
When I decided to keep a few of my own, I read, researched, read some more, this was in addition to having many years of experience in the pet field including arachnids. Then I asked all the foolish questions here, even though I was sure I already had the answers, and I learned a little bit along the way, I'm still learning, always will be, NO one knows it all. I'm still enjoying it, up to ten T's and counting, struggling to save enough for my pultra, and planning on being here a good long while.​
Love this site, it feels like home as compared to a few of the others out there :p
I do however lurk at those sites as well ^*^
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