San Francisco Bay Area Tarantula Society

Bonobo · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 8:29 pm Post subject: Dirt

I have a question !! Is anyone familiar with the use of sterilized earth with burrowing Ts? The kind im curious about , is the kind that is being used in planted aquaria by people wanting to establish a tank where the plants are a main focus , as its much more effective bioactively and just plain better then gravel . The soil used has no added Anything its just good dirt (even ' organic 'has chicken manure) which means its an unenhanced alloy of peat , sand, clays - regular earth soil . The thing i wonder is that mechanically it probably holds a burrow better then plain peat or coco fiber both media which i like but notice its flimsy . Soil is finer but heavier and i wonder if it would be good for a tiny burrowing sling ? What do you guys think about it?

daveemory · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:02 pm Post subject: Re: Dirt

Bonobo · Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:09 am Post subject:

Oh no i would never use gravel for any animal - i remember way back when gravel was used for practically Everything that didnt bark . Like how much of the worlds exotic fauna live in Gravel Pits? Maybe on another planet tho , huh? Aquaria seems to be the last hold out .
As for the soil , if coco fiber is what everyone prefers that is what i will use too . At places i worked in the past the terrestrials we had were smithi , rosea and seemanni it was before i got T addicted . i remember the smithi were adorable the roseys pretty and the seemanni always getting out all the time . They only had peat and a shelter hide . No digging fun. So i will be posting alot of ponderings and questions about the new T im going to get

cacoseraph · Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 7:45 am Post subject:

i think gravel might be a fall danger... but i never bought into the abrasion danger. i have found tarantulas and other mygs in soils that have crazy sharp rocks in it.. and they were doing just fine

pure fine coco fiber loses the ability to hold a burrow in like... a year or so. adding some larger strangely shaped pieces to a smaller mixture really seems to extend the burrow life, though
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Bonobo · Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 6:12 pm Post subject:

Hmm . . i think im getting it - my point of reference with Burrowing has been with herps , which for those guys truly dedicated to it ive had to fortify the hole with cork cylanders , clay pipe even wooden boxes for larger sp , because the media cant stand up . But Ts are light and their construction , and movement much more ginger i dont know if im explaining it clearly but i think i get it

Bonobo · Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:14 pm Post subject:

oh man i just thought of something besides being Unnecessary soil would be way more alkaline then the coco and peat and mold loves that condition . The spider i want likes slightly damp too im not into trying anything new i dont have enough experiance but i had to ask . Thank you all for replying and treating my sophomoric exuberance so (always) kindly .