Substrate

[kevyn]

What is the best substrate to use for a rosey hair? I have him/her on potting soil right now. Stupid question probably but my first invert.

[manville]

potting soil is good...i reccomend that...peat moss is also good..potting soil is probably one of the best..

[kevyn]

Great thanks for your help.

[Emily-Fisher]

I use potting soil. Vermiculite works too.

[reverendsterlin]

I like mostly spagnum, the acidity doesn't let mold/fungus grow

[drewlowe]

I use bed a beast. Used it for 2 years with no problems. Plus baby girl loves moving it around to fit her needs.

[SaIiLdVaEnR]

Isn't bed a beast more expensive?

[drewlowe]

i can get small bricks for almost 3 dollars or a can get a huge brick for 9. I use it for several speices so it's not too bad for me. I also don't buy them from pet stores i get them from a feed store.

If i bought the huge brick at a pet store it would cost me 25 bucks. So i'll stick with the feed store one for a fraction of the cost.

[SaIiLdVaEnR]

Oh, ok, that's good then.

[arachnomania]

I used vermiculite for over 14 years now for all of my tarantulas and never had problemes.

[SaIiLdVaEnR]

Is that what the substrate you use in the arachnids containers when selingl them at shows, Rob?

[arachnomania]

only in my last show I used it (rept expo) and I will keep using it from now on. I used to use conconut husk mulch prior to this as it is more attractive but I hate this substrate with a passion, reason being is that it dry's out way too fast. I have nothing but good things to say about vermiculite.

[Tarcan]

Well, pretty much everyone here knows my profound hatred towards vermiculite, in case anyone missed it, here it is (hoping the link works...):

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=28235

Martin

[Vanan]

Would there be a difference between the different grades of vermiculite? Like is the fine stuff better than the chunkier stuff? Not that I use it, but just though maybe that's why one has had no problems and the others had dead T's. I use peat moss btw. :)

[arachnomania]

nope.....I use both grades but prefer by far the finner one and is much easier for the T's to burrow with the finner one.

[SaIiLdVaEnR]

It's good ole dirt and peat over here, throw in some sphagnum moss and I am good.

[skinheaddave]

I use peat, sand and a little bentonite make up the majority of my substrates -- which ones and in what combonation depends on the nature of the animal. Almost everything is on pure peat, with some of the desert scorps being on sand or, more recently, a mix of sand and peat. For sand enclosures, I will sometimes mix in some bentonite for binding.

Cheers,
Dave