Don't use any wood chips with tarantulas at all is best, but if you must, make sure it is a hardwood. All evergreen trees contain a natural insecticide.
Peat moss is what most use and you'll find it in any garden store or dept., and it is likely cheaper than the wood chips you are talking about. I us it mixed with vermiculite, but some Ts once grown, are fine without it's moisture retentive qualities
My father has had tarantulas in the past (Hes had about 4), and he said that peat moss would be a mess to clean up. He said he used to use fish tank gravel.
No wood chips in general, unless it's a mulch-type jungle mix (the titular version of which is rather good for large enclosures, not for small ones). Especially stay away from Pine and Cedar.
Hi Corbet,
Peat moss IS a mess to clean up, but it's the substrate of choice nowadays. Fish tank gravel used to be very popular, as your father mentioned, but it's not something that's used anymore.
I use the shredded coconut bark for my T's, this and organic growing medium come in bricks that you soak in water to expand it and break it up. This stuff is good because it gets lighter in color as it dries out and you can see if the enclosure needs more moisture. When it's dry, it is just like dry dirt when it comes to cleaning it up. Use something like this and stay away from the wood chips and the gravel.
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