What do you use for substrate?

[Tomoran]

When I acquired my fist tarantulas in the late 90s, everyone recommended that they be kept on vermiculite (and some of the vendors kept them on colorful aquarium gravel or stones!). Obviously, things have changed and we now know much better. When I really got into the hobby recently, coco fiber was all the rage. This is still one of my favorite subs, but it can get quite pricey when you start filling large enclosures.

In the past year, I've done a lot of lot of experimenting with different subs as I look to find the desired properties I need for different set ups while trying to keep costs down. After listening to other experienced keepers, I realized that coco fiber might not be the be-all end-all, and that other substrates might work as well or even better.

I've tried everything from coco fiber to top soil and peat (all organic), to mixtures of all three along with some vermiculite for moisture retention and filtering. I tend to have a different mix depending on the type of set up (arid vs. moist) or size of the enclosure.

So, what are you find folks using these days? Anyone else do some experimenting? If you use mixtures, what are they?

 

[Enn49]

When we first started keeping Ts we bought ProRep Spider Life substrate which was fine for the juvis that we began with but I found the pieces too big for slings so I keep them on coco fibre.

 

[Tomoran]

When we first started keeping Ts we bought ProRep Spider Life substrate which was fine for the juvis that we began with but I found the pieces too big for slings so I keep them on coco fibre.

I just recently hear of ProRep, but I've never seen it around here. I was actually going to try it as it sounded like it might be good for species requiring moisture. It has chunks, though?

 

[Enn49]

It's ok for the larger arboreals and Ts that don't burrow. Our P. vittata and OBT are both on it still.

This is my then 1'' L. parahybana on it so you can see how big some of the pieces are.

 

[Denny Dee]

I like to mix a 25% vermiculite and coco fiber mix together for my tropicals. The deserts would have sand or a sand mix.

 

[Morgan94]

I use a mixture of coco and Sphagnum moss.

 

[Tomoran]

It's ok for the larger arboreals and Ts that don't burrow. Our P. vittata and OBT are both on it still.

This is my then 1'' L. parahybana on it so you can see how big some of the pieces are.

Ahh, yes...I see. The soil I use sometimes has large chunks in it, so I have to pick them all out.

 

[Tomoran]

I use a mixture of coco and Sphagnum moss.

This is one combination that I haven't tried yet. I will use sphagnum around the water dish and hides to keep up some moisture, but I've never added it to the substrate. Do you grind it up and mix it (I heard of someone using a blender to get it to the desired consistency) or do you mix it up whole?

 

[sym]

I've been using prorep spider life for both my juvies and slings. My little G.Pulchra sling moves all the big bits of bark around. Very impressed with what they can shift in a night!.

Sym

 

[Enn49]

I've been using prorep spider life for both my juvies and slings. My little G.Pulchra sling moves all the big bits of bark around. Very impressed with what they can shift in a night!.

Sym

I got told off on another forum for using Spider Life for slings.

Did you see my video of my B. smithi digging?

 

[sym]

I did very impressive!. I may change the sub in my sling enclosure to peat moss. But he/she has blocked off her entrance to the burrow so won't disturb her/him just yet.

Sym

 

[Tomoran]

I've been using prorep spider life for both my juvies and slings. My little G.Pulchra sling moves all the big bits of bark around. Very impressed with what they can shift in a night!.

Sym

Is this the substrate that is supposed to maintain moisture well, or am I thinking of something else? How much does it sell for?

 

[sym]

The pet shop where I buy mine sells 5 litres for £4.05p.

 

[Morgan94]

This is one combination that I haven't tried yet. I will use sphagnum around the water dish and hides to keep up some moisture, but I've never added it to the substrate. Do you grind it up and mix it (I heard of someone using a blender to get it to the desired consistency) or do you mix it up whole?

I usually put it in the blender but some times I just cut it up with scissors when its dry it crumbles fairly easily.. then I usually put some larger pieces that are slightly moistened to keep up the humidity. I've found that all the species I own love the moss my P. Vitatta built "curtains" out of the moss and coco and put some loose moss on top of that haha.. even my B. Albopilosum enjoys it

 

[Tomoran]

I usually put it in the blender but some times I just cut it up with scissors when its dry it crumbles fairly easily.. then I usually put some larger pieces that are slightly moistened to keep up the humidity.

Thanks so much...I'm definitely going to have to give this a try!

 

[Morgan94]

Thanks so much...I'm definitely going to have to give this a try!

Your welcome glad I could help.. I've also never had any problems with mold or anything like that.. and its also fairly inexpensive

 

[Tomoran]

Your welcome glad I could help.. I've also never had any problems with mold or anything like that.. and its also fairly inexpensive

I have bags of the long grain sphagnum moss around her, so I'll rev up the blender and give this a shot tonight!

 

[Morgan94]

I have bags of the long grain sphagnum moss around her, so I'll rev up the blender and give this a shot tonight!

Do you have a food processor?? That will work better

 

[Tomoran]

Do you have a food processor?? That will work better

Actually, I think we do. We have a small one that we used to make baby food (and that I now use to make roach chow). I'll use that. Thanks!

 

[Poec54]

Bagged top soil for all my spiders, the cheap stuff, $1.50 for a big bag at Home Depot.