Moist sub. for Haplopelma sp. and other humid loving species?

[antinous]

I was wondering, how exactly do you wet the sub. for some of the Haplopelma, Chilobrachys, etc. species?
I'm using peat moss, so should I spritz it with water and mix it up until it all feels moist then put it in the enclosure? And then every now and then 'inject' water into the sub? I've also heard that many air holes are needed to prevent mold/mites, however, that would make it hard to keep up the humidity. Any help?

Edit: ugh, lagging internet and another tab opened made me post this in the wrong section, if this could be moved appropriately thanks!

 

[Poec54]

Spraying or misting isn't the best way, tends to only moisten the surface and dry quickly. I sprinkle water around the cage. I don't like the 'overflow the waterbowl' advice as it keeps one area moist and that can promote mites and mildew. if you randomly sprinkle water, no one spot is perpetually moist.

Besides humidity, spiders need airflow, and cross ventilation is best. They can't live in stuffy, soggy cages. Peat tends to repel water when it's dry, not a particularly good substrate. I use bagged top soil (the cheap kind from Home Depot, without fertilizer added). More natural and holds its shape for burrowing/tunneling.

 

[14pokies]

Spraying or misting isn't the best way, tends to only moisten the surface and dry quickly. I sprinkle water around the cage. I don't like the 'overflow the waterbowl' advice as it keeps one area moist and that can promote mites and mildew. if you randomly sprinkle water, no one spot is perpetually moist.

Besides humidity, spiders need airflow, and cross ventilation is best. They can't live in stuffy, soggy cages. Peat tends to repel water when it's dry, not a particularly good substrate. I use bagged top soil (the cheap kind from Home Depot, without fertilizer added). More natural and holds its shape for burrowing/tunneling.

do you use topsoil alone? I usually use 1/3 of organic potting soil perlite free,1/3 sphagnum moss shredded to about half inch pieces and 1/3 coco fiber...it would be a lot easier/cheaper for me if I could use potting soil alone..I heard it gets clumpy and is hard to get the moisture level right..I want to get some h.gigas and my gf loves h.lividum but I don't feel like going threw the trouble of mixing soils.

 

[awiec]

do you use topsoil alone? I usually use 1/3 of organic potting soil perlite free,1/3 sphagnum moss shredded to about half inch pieces and 1/3 coco fiber...it would be a lot easier/cheaper for me if I could use potting soil alone..I heard it gets clumpy and is hard to get the moisture level right..I want to get some h.gigas and my gf loves h.lividum but I don't feel like going threw the trouble of mixing soils.

Potting soil works just fine, I use a peat moss/soil mix myself but that is just due to the fact that I have 50 plants so I have bags of all sorts of subs on hand.


As for my moisture conscious species I just take a syringe of water and sprinkle it here and there. I try to alternate every week where I sprinkle and this allows the non-watered sub to have a "dry week" instead of being constantly soaked all the time.

 

[LadyofSpiders]

I normally pour water in the corners until the bottom is damp and I leave the top layer dry so you don't get mites. This also makes it so that humidity is retained and you don't need to re moisten very often. I do this in my Theraphosa, Megaphobema, Ephebopus and Hysterocrates cages as well. I agree that peat moss doesn't work well. I had to rehouse when I used it because once it drys a little, there's no way to remoisten it.

 

[Poec54]

do you use topsoil alone? I usually use 1/3 of organic potting soil perlite free,1/3 sphagnum moss shredded to about half inch pieces and 1/3 coco fiber...it would be a lot easier/cheaper for me if I could use potting soil alone..I heard it gets clumpy and is hard to get the moisture level right..I want to get some h.gigas and my gf loves h.lividum but I don't feel like going threw the trouble of mixing soils.

Pure top soil. Works fine. With all my spiders, it would be some work to make mixes. I don't have problems with it clumping (mind you, it does vary throughout the country). If it's clumped in the bag (from being stacked), break it up, it doesn't clump once it's in cages. It's easy to get moisture levels right, easier than other substrates.

 

[antinous]

Spraying or misting isn't the best way, tends to only moisten the surface and dry quickly. I sprinkle water around the cage. I don't like the 'overflow the waterbowl' advice as it keeps one area moist and that can promote mites and mildew. if you randomly sprinkle water, no one spot is perpetually moist.

Besides humidity, spiders need airflow, and cross ventilation is best. They can't live in stuffy, soggy cages. Peat tends to repel water when it's dry, not a particularly good substrate. I use bagged top soil (the cheap kind from Home Depot, without fertilizer added). More natural and holds its shape for burrowing/tunneling.

If you don't mind me asking, what brand of top soil do you use? I have a Home Depot near me so hopefully they'll have the same brand and same type.
When you first place it in the enclosure do you moisten it to the point were it is wet, but no water comes out?

 

[Poec54]

what brand of top soil do you use? I have a Home Depot near me so hopefully they'll have the same brand and same type.
When you first place it in the enclosure do you moisten it to the point were it is wet, but no water comes out?

The brand around here is Timberline, but it probably varies around the country. There's also a Scotts brand that's a little more expensive. They don't have anything added, no fertilizers. Here's it's usually moist in the bag, which is fine for some species, like Asian terrestrials. But that's too moist for Avics and baboons from east and southern Africa, so I pour it in a cardboard box and let it dry a few days.

I've never had to moisten it initially, if anything it may be moist in the bag for any spider. Once it's in a cage for a while, I'll sprinkle some water on it as it dries.

If the place has something stored above the top soil, like fertilizer, that could leak on it, I don't buy it from there. Likewise, if it's sitting next to some pesticides.

 

[antinous]

The brand around here is Timberline, but it probably varies around the country. There's also a Scotts brand that's a little more expensive. They don't have anything added, no fertilizers. Here's it's usually moist in the bag, which is fine for some species, like Asian terrestrials. But that's too moist for Avics and baboons from east and southern Africa, so I pour it in a cardboard box and let it dry a few days.

I've never had to moisten it initially, if anything it may be moist in the bag for any spider. Once it's in a cage for a while, I'll sprinkle some water on it as it dries.

If the place has something stored above the top soil, like fertilizer, that could leak on it, I don't buy it from there. Likewise, if it's sitting next to some pesticides.

Gotcha. So you just place it straight into the enclosure then put a little more water on it?

I'll make sure it's not near any of such things before buying it. Thanks for the tips.

 

[Poec54]

Gotcha. So you just place it straight into the enclosure then put a little more water on it?

I'll make sure it's not near any of such things before buying it. Thanks for the tips.

I only add water to it after a few weeks in a cage, as it dries. It's always moist enough out-of-the-bag otherwise. If you live in a dry area, it may be drier in the bag.