New hobbyist. Learning what i can!

[Goldiesgiants]

So I got my first T today. I tried asking a question on arachnoboards but was only met with "google it" and "yes" and a few people told me that this forum is much better. Although one person did actually give me an answer to the question.

So they told me that my substrate was a little bit too damp I own an A. Geniculata and I did squeeze the water out before putting the substrate into the enclosure. Can damp substrate be a problem for my T?
I have done alot of research on my T and I know all of the basic husbandry needs for it. But as I'm very new to the hobby I'm still a little bit nervous that I'm doing things wrong.
Anyway thank you very much guys.

 

[m0lsx]

So they told me that my substrate was a little bit too damp I own an A. Geniculata and I did squeeze the water out before putting the substrate into the enclosure. Can damp substrate be a problem for my T?

First welcome to the forum & the hobby.

Second. Yes, in the long term substrate that is too damp, can be detrimental to your T. But if you think about it, the surface under the feet of any T in the wild is going to vary. As even the driest places on earth, has some rain fall, which then leaves dampness for some time.

Acanthoscurria geniculata, comes from Brazil & Brazil's climate varies from persistent rainfall in some areas to regular droughts in others. So I would not imagine damp substrate is a massive issue to your T.

Your substrate will dry out & normally we do keep Acanthoscurria geniculata on drier substrate. And if your substrate is too wet, there are ways to help the natural drying out process. For example, if you have any spare substrate, you could place some on a baking tray & gently warm it in the oven to take some of the unwanted moisture out it. Then after it has cooled. Swap some in the enclosure for your drier substrate.

Personally, having a largish collection of T's. I keep some substrate spare & that naturally dries out & as occasionally mistakes happen. I have swapped a small percentage of too moist substrate, for dry & it does make a big difference.

As I said, substrate naturally dries. So simply not allowing your water bowl to overflow, will allow the substrate to dry out in the longer term. Often as little as a few weeks.

One thing to remember is. We normally overflow water bowls. Even for dry substrate loving species. So if your T seems happy where it is, then allowing it to naturally dry out over a few weeks, is not going to harm your T.

I move most of my T's water bowls ever couple of weeks & allow the substrate in that area to completely dry out. That helps to prevent mold & most mushrooms.

 

[Goldiesgiants]

First welcome to the forum & the hobby.

Second. Yes, in the long term substrate that is too damp, can be detrimental to your T. But if you think about it, the surface under the feet of any T in the wild is going to vary. As even the driest places on earth, has some rain fall, which then leaves dampness for some time.

Acanthoscurria geniculata, comes from Brazil & Brazil's climate varies from persistent rainfall in some areas to regular droughts in others. So I would not imagine damp substrate is a massive issue to your T.

Your substrate will dry out & normally we do keep Acanthoscurria geniculata on drier substrate. And if your substrate is too wet, there are ways to help the natural drying out process. For example, if you have any spare substrate, you could place some on a baking tray & gently warm it in the oven to take some of the unwanted moisture out it. Then after it has cooled. Swap some in the enclosure for your drier substrate.

Personally, having a largish collection of T's. I keep some substrate spare & that naturally dries out & as occasionally mistakes happen. I have swapped a small percentage of too moist substrate, for dry & it does make a big difference.

As I said, substrate naturally dries. So simply not allowing your water bowl to overflow, will allow the substrate to dry out in the longer term. Often as little as a few weeks.

One thing to remember is. We normally overflow water bowls. Even for dry substrate loving species. So if your T seems happy where it is, then allowing it to naturally dry out over a few weeks, is not going to harm your T.

I move most of my T's water bowls ever couple of weeks & allow the substrate in that area to completely dry out. That helps to prevent mold & most mushrooms.

Aw thank you so much! I'll do exactly that! When I looked online it said to make the substrate ready for the enclosure soak in water and squeeze until no water comes out and then its ready. So that's what I did but then I learned that the substrate shouldn't be damp. So I'm going to let it dry out a bit naturally. And I'll add the dry substrate that I have on the top a bit.

 

[m0lsx]

Aw thank you so much! I'll do exactly that! When I looked online it said to make the substrate ready for the enclosure soak in water and squeeze until no water comes out and then its ready.

That is exactly what most of us do, if we do not have any drier substrate ready. I have done it the way you have, many times myself & will in the future, if I need to. Some here will dry their substrate in an oven after doing what you did. But it will dry naturally & T's do take time to settle into any new enclosure regardless of if the substrate is a little moist or dry.

You may find your T likes to be off the surface & on bark, or up the side, as the substrate dries. But some T's do that anyhow.

What you did is not wrong.

 

[GarField000]

I don't make it that wet, but when I put it in an enclosure I keep it there with the doors open for atleast a week so the top parts can dry out. Even than the first week of a new spider the don't want to sit on the substrate .