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Toadstools

Baz

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Had a toadstool growing in my substrate. This houses a B Hamorii I have removed the toadstool. My question is do I change the substrate or do i just remove the top layer. It is tarantula soil i got from a reptile shop especially for tarantulas
 

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octanejunkie

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Hmmm, your substrate has to be really wet for funghi like toadstools to grow... B. hamorii don't like it wet, most Ts don't actually.

We generally use coco fiber, sometimes call coir, and often mix it with peat moss, vermiculite, top soil (make sure no pesticides) and clean, dry sand.

I'd chuck that substrate, personally, and keep your T according to the species requirements.
 

Baz

New Member
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9
Location
UK
Hmmm, your substrate has to be really wet for funghi like toadstools to grow... B. hamorii don't like it wet, most Ts don't actually.

We generally use coco fiber, sometimes call coir, and often mix it with peat moss, vermiculite, top soil (make sure no pesticides) and clean, dry sand.

I'd chuck that substrate, personally, and keep your T according to the species requirements.
Thanks my substrate is kept mostly dry and it's a mixture of tarantula soil and vermiculite and when I water I just allow a little over flow once a week this is where the mushroom was growing never had this problem before
 

octanejunkie

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Thanks my substrate is kept mostly dry and it's a mixture of tarantula soil and vermiculite and when I water I just allow a little over flow once a week this is where the mushroom was growing never had this problem before
Tarantula soil is not a thing. Whatever that concoction is has funghi spores in it and who knows what else.
 

Baz

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Thanks for your info this is the substrate I used first time with this stuff will cang it tomorrow
 

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octanejunkie

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We don't have that brand here as far as I know. Maybe some UK keepers will chime in.

There are a few "premium" tarantula substrates on the market, and I bought a bag once, but now I make my own as I need much more than 1 bag and I can buy all the ingredients cheaper in bulk.
 

ilovebrachys

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I've not personally used that substrate but I'm sure it's OK... We've had the same mushrooms sprout up in our D. Pantaloris enclosures ( and that's just coco fibre) and I think @Enn49 has had them too if I remember correctly?
Scoop out where the mushroom is and let it dry out.. It helps to move the water bowl and place it in different areas of the enclosure now and then to let the sub underneath dry out and that will help cut down on things like that happening again--hope that helps :)
 

Konstantin

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Preston,UK
Yep.Moisture.Haha :p
To the OP
Just be careful not to overflow the dish.Your T don't need it and dry substrate is easier to have anyway(Less chances of mould,fungus or bad bacteria).I wouldn't change the substrate just scoop it out.This brand is ok to use too (I have used their products)but there is cheaper options.
Regards Konstantin
 

Phil

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@Baz ....Coco fibre (coir) as all that's needed and what I use for all my 200+ tarantulas. Spider life and tarantula mix is just a way for companies to make money. I get 60 litre sacks of coco fibre for about £16 delivered. You would probably pay that for a couple of packets of that expensive soil.
 

m0lsx

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Poundland also sells dry blocks of coco fibre in the gardening area. You just add water to rehydrate it & then let it dry before using it with T's like a hamorii. I move my water bowl almost every week at feed time & then over flow it a little. So every week the substrate dries out completely. But they have a choice of a small amount of moist substrate if they want it.

The B hamorii's natural environment is sub humid forest with a 5 month long rainy season. So it is from a slightly moist environment, not a desert environment.

Those mushrooms/toadstools do pop up very occasionally & very quickly. Like others have said above. I just pull them out, together with a tiny amount of the substrate & then just let that area dry out again. Toadstools cannot grow in dry substrate.

Personally I do not keep any area of substrate moist in a hamorii, or similar, enclosure for more than a few days.
 

Phil

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just one more point to consider. Natural habitat is all well and good if you are the owner of a Wild Caught (WC) specimen. I would say st least 95% of all spiders available are captive bred and you and me have probably got nearer to Mexico than they ever have. Point is, no need to get too anal about replicating their "natural" environment.
 
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