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Originally posted by Scott McGlone
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Out of curiosity, how many of your burrowing species burrow into the vermiculite?My Collection - Summer 2011
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How about keeping things simple,and just using Coir? Buy the coir brick,break a piece off,submerge in water,cook it to kill bacteria,use what you need,and it should be fine.Your Ts will love you for it.
Just make sure to leave available water dish with fresh water,and,depending on what species you have,add a little water at the side of the T's tank.Hope this helps.I'm a newbie too....But just trying to be helpful...Not clever
Last edited by Paul Welsh; 19-09-12, 08:48 PM.Comment
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In answer to your question - all of them. Have all my new slings potted up with the stuff and they are very happy I'm interested in this coco fibre stuff (Coir?) though if anybody has tried it. Very mindful of bugs and mould etcOriginally posted by Peter Lacey View PostComment
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doesn't it collapse in on itself?
vermiculite was a substrate much praised back in the mid 90s, when Anne and Frank Webb promoted it via their book. However these days coir is far more popular as it allows for burrows to be maintained easily. vermiculite can hide uneaten food which might attract flies or mites so if ever I use is its only for its water retention and heavily mixed with coir.My Collection - Summer 2011
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If its any help, I've had problems with these things in water bowls since I started keeping tarantulas. I've found changing the substrate makes no difference. Whilst they are unsightly they cause no harm to the spider in my expeience. They are caused by the environment being damp and sometimes they show up, sometimes they don't. As for substrate, I use plain old topsoil, with sphagnum moss on top. 6 inches (15 cm) of it in the bottom of a tank with the moss and a water bowl and a few upright pieces of cork bark stuck in the soil (for spider which like to dig burrows at the base of trees) and you're away.Comment
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Some links to pics here, this tank is on the large side for what I usually use but the principal is the same.
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You would think so but once they've matted it up with webbing it's as secure as anything else. Thanks for the tip though - may start mixing!Originally posted by Peter Lacey View PostComment
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I've just started to use Coco Fibre for my Chilean Rose and I have a problem. I recently threw away her old subs as it was old and I think was the wrong sort of sub for a spider.
Anyway, I am now using Coco Fibre on it's own, about 1 inch at one end of the tank and slightly sloping upwards to partly bury the hideout at the other end which is approx 3 inches deep.
I made sure it was completely dry by placing it in the oven for 20 mins at 100 degrees.
The problem I have is at the deeper end where moisture/condensation is collecting between the subs and the glass, but only at the bottom.
As I live in a cold house and the heating is not always on, i seem to struggle with keeping the temp at 70F or above, it's gets colder at night when the heating is off, around 62F so I have to keep my heat mat on all the time.
I understand it may take a few days for the moisture to dry out but I am concerned about the growth of mould in the meantime.Comment
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Hi Paul. If there's mould its probably due to a lack of ventilation or the fact the substrate is still a little moist, but it will dry out and a little moisture isnt going to harm your Chile Rose.
As for the temperatures, if you check the climate of Chile you'll find it rarely goes much over 70 in the height of the summer and often gets down to the 50s during the night and colder months, infact some areas will experience frosts. So, that explains why the people that live their love a warm wooly hat and a shawl. I'd say your temps are just fine for this species and any species from Chile.My Collection - Summer 2011
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Hi Peter.
Thanks for your reply.
As it was only yesterday when i changer the sub, the moisture appeared almost straight away after adding it to the tank.
There are no signs of mould just yet, this is what worries me the most.
I will however, leave it for a couple of days to give it a chance to dry out. The spider seems ok except she has gone "Pet Rock" on me at the moment by sitting on top of her hide.
The top of the sub is bone dry but only wet at the bottom of the deepest area.
Again, I can see how things go over the next couple of days!! I know my rose has to get used to her new environment.
Thanks again PeterComment
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I thought that we had already sorted out your concerns about the temperatures needed for your Chile rose.
So it looks like that I have wasted my time trying to advise you, its that or you think that I'm lying to you.
I suggest that that you now buy a book and read it and bumble along by yourself from now on as I definitely wont be wasting my time answering your questions.Comment
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Peter's absolutely right Paul.Just relax,and enjoy you're T.Even after nuking coir in the oven for God knows how long,there will be moisture left which will manifest itself visibly at the bottom of your T's home when a heat mat's under there.
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I did listen to you and I am not calling you a liar. I have only been a member for just over one week and owned my first spider for two weeks.
What's wrong if I have concerns in my first couple weeks? I totally understand what you say about temperature issues, but I was concerned about the condensation building up in an enclosure that is housing a Chilean Rose, a species as you know is supposed to live in bone dry conditions, am I right???
Please stop treating me like I am a child, and please stop showing me up on public forums!!!
From now on, I won't bother you again, I would be more than happy to collect information and ask questions from a more friendlier source.
Good byeComment
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