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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Scoolman" data-source="post: 20162" data-attributes="member: 41">One thong is i was told by the shop i bought smithi from that you hardly ever need to change the substrate but found that i should do it around every 3 months,Not needed, and quite stressful for the tarantula. Just spot clean the bolus when left, and waste from the tarantula.Also to never handle them but also told that if you handle them once every one or two weeks they will learn that my hand is not a threat and will be ok. Ive handled smithi a hand full of times and has been fine every time. Ive also been told that they can feel your pulse in your hand and think its food and biteHandling is controversial. They do need nor do they want to be held, but if done correctly and carefully you can do so with minimal risk to the tarantula. Always be close to the floor. A fall of as little as one foot could the abdomen to rupture resulting in death. It is best sit on the floor when trying to handle. Also, remember when reaching into the enclosure that you are invading their home. This can cause them to become defensive.Ive found that the humidity levels will be right if i have a water dish and mist the substrate with water once a weekYou need nothing more than a water dish. Misting is futile and can be stressful fr the tarantula. When you want increased humidity you can simply wet a small area of the substrate, then let it dry out before wetting again. The water evaporating from the substrate will raise the humidity. B smithi is a desert species and needs no special humidity requirements. Yours is large enough to be out of that delicate spiderling phase, so no worry there.With feeding i was told one cricket per week and ive heard that you should feed young ones a couple or few times a weekAt that size I feed one to two times per week, depending on prey size. Tarantulas have incredibly slow metabolisms and do not require much food to sustain heir system.The substrate in that last  pic looks a bit shallow. You should have a good 3" at least for that size B smithi. While they do not burrow much, they should be given the opportunity if they choose.Welcome to the addiction.</blockquote>

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