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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sabeth" data-source="post: 21862" data-attributes="member: 545">Pinktoes make good first Ts but I wouldn't use live plants. In addition to the maintenance they require, they can also cause problems such as the mold you mentioned and can harbor pests such as mites. It's much easier and safer to use artificial plants. Use dry coco fiber as substrate (if you want to---the Avicularia don't actually need it) and provide a water dish with a rock in it (no sponges!). A 20-gal. tank is plenty big...actually in the case of most tarantulas it might even be too big. Some dimensions to go by for cage size: The width of the cage should be twice the T's leg span, and the length (or in the case of the Pinktoe, the height) should be about twice the width. For arboreal tarantulas, the cage needs to be taller than it is wide. A few words about humidity...misting is not actually necessary unless the T is a baby or is a swamp-dweller (Pinktoes aren't). You can increase humidity for your Pinktoe by using a larger water dish and/or restricting ventilation. The moisture level should never be so high that condensation begins to form. The T will also get moisture from its food.</blockquote>