Dehydration and Substrate

[TwinkleToes19]

To preface I am a newbie. Today I learned hydrometers suck, it read high and my poor juvie T. Albo was sitting in her water dish. I did some research and learned how unreliable humidity readers are, I went ahead and dripped water in the edges of her enclosure. Couple hours later she was out of her dish. Now that I know I just need to eyeball the substrate, how do I know when to moisten the substrate? I don't want to overdo it of course. Also I set up her enclosure a day ago, and I'm wondering if it dried out due to the heater I have set to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. It is also not near her enclosure.

 

[Lentulus]

When you fill the water dish, just overfill slightly. You’ve only had the critter in there for a day. Try to relax a little, let the spider settle. If the spider is dehydrated, their butts shrivel and it’s pretty obvious visually. Stressing about specific temps and humidity is overkill for this species. Is the heater necessary? Is your home freezing to the point you need to walk around all bundled up? If you feel fine walking around in casual clothing, the temps are fine for your T as well. For example, my home has been in the upper 60’s this winter and all my T‘s are doing well. It’s more often hot and dry where I live. I never stress humidity. Worse thing that happens, I just need to fill the water dishes more often.

There are species that are more sensitive to environmental conditions. The ones we keep are pretty easy going and don’t fall into that.

 

[TwinkleToes19]

When you fill the water dish, just overfill slightly. You’ve only had the critter in there for a day. Try to relax a little, let the spider settle. If the spider is dehydrated, their butts shrivel and it’s pretty obvious visually. Stressing about specific temps and humidity is overkill for this species. Is the heater necessary? Is your home freezing to the point you need to walk around all bundled up? If you feel fine walking around in casual clothing, the temps are fine for your T as well. For example, my home has been in the upper 60’s this winter and all my T‘s are doing well. It’s more often hot and dry where I live. I never stress humidity. Worse thing that happens, I just need to fill the water dishes more often.

There are species that are more sensitive to environmental conditions. The ones we keep are pretty easy going and don’t fall into that.

I think I'll stop just use the heater for cold nights then, but I'm still confused on how to know when the soil needs hydration. I see once or twice a week is suggested for most, but I'd rather have some kind of visual clue so I can know for sure.

 

[Sugar Wolf]

I have two T. Albo I keep them on dry substrate and water dish always full and I overfill the water dish once a week I've had these guys for a couple years now and no problems... I don't worry about temps or humidity for them either the temps that they usually are in though are between 70°F - 75°F.

 

[TwinkleToes19]

I have two T. Albo I keep them on dry substrate and water dish always full and I overfill the water dish once a week I've had these guys for a couple years now and no problems... I don't worry about temps or humidity for them either the temps that they usually are in though are between 70°F - 75°F.

Thank you, also I figured out why humidity went away so fast, the ceiling fan had been on for awhile mixed with me using a heater causes the substrate to dry out quickly. I have now made changed and I'm just going to observe the substrate. I heard that if I'm unsure I can check the wet and dry layers of the substrate, or the condensation at the bottom where the wet area would be.

 

[mrsoul1974]

I have a female of this species, and I keep it pretty dry. Maybe once a week I wet a corner of the enclosure. I have a water dish, but she always buries it, so i stopped using it. Just qwetting a corner once in awhile. She is doing fine in the arid conditions I keep her. Also, I use a space heatert, too, and it does dry everything out, but If I don't the room will drop below 60 degreeed F, so I set the thermost to 65-70 degrees F and all my T's are happy.

2 rules of tumb: If you are cofortable with the temperature, then your T probably, and either overflow your water dish or wet a corner of the enclosure once weekly. Most species are good with that, unless you have a T that really requires spefic humidity requirements. Curly hair T's really don't require much humidity.