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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Stan Schultz" data-source="post: 186520" data-attributes="member: 28438">There is no such thing as a "perfect" substrate for tarantulas, although there are several that work well and are used by the majority of enthusiasts.The most commonly used substrates are :Mulched coconut hulls - Also sometimes called "coir." A number of different brand names are available whose differences are only of secondary importance. Available from most pet shops.Black or brown peat - Not to be confused with raw sphagnum, top soil, or garden soil. This is basically rotted mosses and other plants from a special type of swamp (a bog). Available from garden departments, lawn and garden shops, and horticultural and landscaping suppliers. Do not use it if it's being stored near pesticides or fertilizers. Do not use it if it lists pesticide or fertilizer additives.Potting soil - Usually a mixture of peat (see above) and optional additives. Available from garden departments, lawn and garden shops, and horticultural and landscaping suppliers. Do not use it if it's being stored near pesticides or fertilizers. Do not use it if it lists pesticide or fertilizer additives. Do not use it if it lists anything like lumber by-products, sawdust, or anything else that might suggest waste wood from a lumber mill.Also Rans:Raw sphagnum, top soil, or garden soil are occasionally used by enthusiasts, but are generally frowned upon in the hobby. Raw sphagnum (a specific type of moss that grows in a bog) is generally too fluffy for day to day use. Also, when moistened it takes forever to dry out. It's also quite acid when left damp, and there is some question in the hobby about that's effect on tarantulas. Not recommended, at least for the newbie.Top soil is occasionally used in the hobby, but there is always the nagging question of where it was harvested and what is the pesticide load in the sample you're trying to keep a tarantula on. Not recommended, at least for the newbie.Garden soil is basically like the stuff in your back yard. But again, with the rampant over-use of pesticides in neighborhoods and farmland, and the consequent over-spill onto neighboring plots of land, it's generally suspected of being unsafe for keeping tarantulas. Not recommended, at least for the newbie.To Be Avoided At All Costs:Anything that contains cedar, red cedar, or juniper, or smells of cedar, red cedar, or juniper. That stuff is outright toxic.Anything that has pesticide or fertilizer additives, regardless of how safe it's advertised to be.Crushed gravel or glass. Sharp edges and points that can abrade or pierce the tarantula's exoskeleton.Hope this helps.Enjoy your newfound little buddy!</blockquote>

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