Concerned about my g. pulchra 1.3" DLS

[poodude289]

I switched out my g. pulchra substrate and replaced an old hide because I was getting flying bugs in there, and on top of the already moist new substrate, I moistened a corner and had to mix moss in the dirt in the corner because there wasn't enough substance for it to hold water properly, and I am obviously going to have to try and find a new substrate. Thankfully, this one has never been much of a burrower even with the other proper substrate I had, (this is reptisoil I have now.)

It's been doing nothing but hiding in a corner for the last few days and I am concerned it's dying from too much moisture. Can I get some input on whether this is just your usual typical rehousing scares, or could it be upset from moisture? Thanks.

 

[m0lsx]

Pulchras are certainly not lovers of damp substrate or humidity, coming from semi arid areas. But this means they can deal with moist substrate, even if they are not big fans of it.

Personally, I would have lived with the fruit flies. And dry substrate is a good way of getting rid of them. But yes moving enclosures, or messing around with an enclosure can cause stress & thus unhappy T's.

 

[Tarantula Trooper]

Reptisoil can be very damp when first opened! As M0LSX pointed out G. Pulchra don't need excess humidity. Stop with overflowing the water bowl. Don't need to. Secondly, if you have any Reptisoil left over dry it out completely and add a nice super dry spot to the enclosure. You can dry it out by putting it in the oven in tin foil if need be on 150 to 175 degrees F. for a few hours. I typically get the cheap foil type pans from the dollar store for this. I have a female adult G. Pulchra, a juvenile and a Quirogoi sling. The adult and Juvie are both on dry sub and only a small corner of the Quirogoi slings is moist with a water bowl. If all your sub is completely moist another rehouse may be due. Spiders that don't need humidity and are stuck in damp enclosures can and will die. They may make it a while but it eventually tolls on them!! Go drier for you G. Pulchra and it should help them and your peace of mind!