Switched substrate for 1.30" DLS G. Pulchra and it's a little "moist" to the touch, can I avoid over-flowing the water dish for now?

[poodude289]

I'd like to know if I can avoid over-flowing the water dish for my g. pulchra, the substrate was way too wet before and humid as I noticed flying bugs and I switched it out. I dried out the new stuff a bit, but it is still a little moist to the touch. Can I avoid over-flow for a while? I don't want it to die.

 

[FeNNoMeNa]

Of course, the whole reason we overflow or water in 1 corner is to raise humidity, you already did that. Also don't overflow based on something you read online like every 4 and a half days or every 1 moon cycle … just when the substrate gets dry you overflow a bit.

 

[AndrewClayton]

It sounds like you are keeping it too wet in there, even for the most moisture dependant species, you should not be able to squeeze water out of a handful of substrate.

For G Pulchra I keep half the substrate bone dry, and that is usually the side the T is at.

Humidity is something that should not be chased for Ts, they get absolutely no effect from a humid enclosure, it can actually be bad for the T if you don't have enough ventilation.

For now let the substrate dry out and only overflow the water dish when you can see it visibly dry.

For future reference start with dry substrate, it's easier to add a little water than it is to take the water out.

 

[poodude289]

It sounds like you are keeping it too wet in there, even for the most moisture dependant species, you should not be able to squeeze water out of a handful of substrate.

For G Pulchra I keep half the substrate bone dry, and that is usually the side the T is at.

Humidity is something that should not be chased for Ts, they get absolutely no effect from a humid enclosure, it can actually be bad for the T if you don't have enough ventilation.

For now let the substrate dry out and only overflow the water dish when you can see it visibly dry.

For future reference start with dry substrate, it's easier to add a little water than it is to take the water out.

I can't squeeze it out.

 

[poodude289]

I haven't even moisturized anything aside from a corner, the sub just came out of the bag a bit moistish.

 

[poodude289]

I originally tried ovening it, but all I managed to do was char it and had to throw it out.

 

[poodude289]

Whenever I tried a blow dryer and saw the dark color disappear, it would eventually just come back.

 

[m0lsx]

Whenever I tried a blow dryer and saw the dark color disappear, it would eventually just come back.

That is because it simply removed the outer moisture & to remove moisture from the substrate in an oven use very low heat. Just warm the substrate up gently. This time of year, if I need to dry some substrate out, I place it in an open tub on a radiator for a day or two.

 

[Eighth Eye Blind]

I place it in an open tub on a radiator for a day or two.

LOL. That's (unintentionally) geo-specific.

90% of Americans have never seen a rediator except in a car.