Tarantulas are easy to keep and care for. To keep your tarantula comfortably, you need to provide them with the best tarantula substrate.
There are several substrates you can use on tarantulas. Most tarantula keepers prefer to mix things up instead of using just a single substrate.
We have prepared this article to help guide you in choosing the right substrate for your tarantula.
Summary table of best tarantula substrate
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I use a 60/40 mixture of the zoo med eco earth coco coir and peat moss for most of my enclosures. Feel free to tell us what you use on your tarantulas in the comments section.
What is the best tarantula substrate?
There are several good tarantula substrates available in the market. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. This is our top pick.
You can use them solely or in combination, whatever suits your T.
1. Zoo Med Eco Earth Loose Coconut Fiber
The Zoo Med Eco Earth loose coconut fiber is one of my favorite substrates. It is one of the many coco coir substrates available in the market.
This substrate is made from the husks of coconut which are compounded and packaged either as blocks or loose coco coir.
The Zoo Med Eco Earth Loose Coconut Fiber is ideal for all types of pets including amphibians, reptiles, small mammals and insects including tarantulas. This product is designed for pets that require specific humidity levels in their environments.
Additionally, the Zoo Med coco coir is made from Eco-friendly renewable resources making it safe for your tarantula. It also naturally absorbs and breaks down odor leaving behind an earthy smell.
Lastly, this coco coir is soft and absorbs moisture easily. It is therefore suitable for burrowing pets making it favorable for terrestrial tarantulas.
Eco earth coconut fiber substrate is also easy to maintain and replace. You can spot clean as needed, it is recommended to replace this substrate at-least once every 6 months.
To use it for your tarantula, you can use it solely or mix with other substrates such as sand, topsoil or vermiculite to form a substrate with your desired consistency.
Key features
- Made from Eco-friendly renewable resources hence safe for tarantulas
- Naturally absorbs and breaks down odor and waste products
- Soft and water absorbent
- Expandable
- Recyclable and compostable
Pros
- Excellent for pets requiring high humidity
- Excellent for burrowing species
- Readily absorbs water
- Seems resistant to mold
- Absorbs and breaks down odor
- Easy to maintain and replace
Cons
- Can be messy
- Bricks take long to absorb water during re-hydration
- Re-hydrated substrate requires drying before being used which can take a while.
- Becomes fluffy when dry and difficult for burrowing species to make their homes
- Dries out quickly.
2. Zoo Med Forest Floor Bedding
Zoo Med forest floor bedding is a natural cypress mulch substrate.
It is designed to give the terrarium a natural forest look while maintaining moisture, providing humidity to the enclosure. It is therefore excellent for snakes, amphibian or tropical species including tarantulas.
Additionally, the Zoo Med Forest floor bedding is made from natural cypress which is good at holding humidity making it suitable for use with tarantulas.
You can mix it with other substrates such as vermiculite or top soil to get your desired consistency.
Key features
- Made of natural cypress mulch
- Retains humidity in the enclosure
- Designed for use in amphibians, snakes and tropical species including tarantulas
- Available in 4 sizes.
Pros
- Made of natural cypress mulch hence safe for tarantulas
- It absorbs and retains moisture easily keeping the terrarium humid
- Affordable
- Does not mold
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Tarantula waste may blend in with the substrate
- May tend to dry easily
3. Exo Terra Forest Plume Moss
Exo Terra Forest Plume Moss is made from compressed natural forest moss grown in tropical Asia. This substrate is designed to increase humidity in the terrarium.
It is made from natural moss. Additionally it does not contain chemicals or dyes. This substrate is therefore safe for use with tarantulas, frogs, salamanders and other burrowing animals.
Additionally, the Exo Terra Forest Plume Moss is extremely absorbent which makes it favorable for use with tarantulas.
Use it with other substrates like vermiculite or top soil to achieve your desired consistency.
Key features
- Made from natural forest moss
- Contains no chemicals or dyes
- Extremely absorbent
- Good for burrowing and digging animals
Pros
- Affordable
- Extremely absorbent
Cons
- Tends to develop molds
4. Hoffman’s Peat Moss
Peat moss is readily available and easy to use. It is a good tarantula substrate substitute either on its own or as a mixture with any other tarantula substrate for several reasons.
First, the Hoffman’s peat moss is 99.8% organic and is therefore safe for use with tarantulas.
Secondly, this product has a high water retention capacity thus tarantulas can easily make burrows on the bedding. Furthermore the burrows do not collapse easily which makes it favorable for burrowing tarantulas.
Additionally, Hoffman’s peat moss contains no additives such as fertilizers or added chemicals hence is safe.
Lastly you can use this substrate on its own or mix it with other tarantula substrates. I mix this substrate with coco coir for my Chilean rose enclosures.
Key features
- 99.8% organic hence safe for tarantulas
- Contains no additives
- Has a high water retention capacity
Pros
- Easily and cheaply available in the market
- Good for burrowing tarantulas
- Has good water retention capacity
- Burrows made in this substrate do not collapse easily
Cons
- Tends to form molds
Best substrate to use as additives
1. Vermiculite
Most tarantula owners back in the day used to keep tarantulas on 100% vermiculite.
Vermiculite is a mineral substrate that has great potential to absorb moisture.
We recommend using vermiculite as an additive. Personally I mix it with coco coir as it tends to keep moisture well.
Do not overdo the vermiculite since it tends to make the substrate fluffy.
Key features
- Absorbs moisture very well
Pros
- Affordable
- Easily available in garden stores
- Tends to resist mold
Cons
- Tends to make substrate fluffy if used in large quantities
- Tarantulas do not like standing on this substrate.
2. Topsoil
Top soil is another good substrate that can used for tarantulas.
Scotts Topsoil is a blend of organic matter and peat moss. The peat moss gives it an absorbent property making it able to retain humidity hence good for use as a substrate.
You can use it alone or as an additive to other substrates such as coco coir or forest moss.
If you decide to use topsoil, make sure that it is organic and contains no additives such as fertilizers.
Top soil has a tendency to have mites, I usually put my topsoil in the refrigerator or in the oven before using it.
Key features
- Packs down well hence good for burrowing species
Pros
- Affordable
- Easily available
- Good for burrowing species
Cons
- Heavy if used as the only substrate
- Retains water hence has the tendency to form puddles if you use too much water
FAQs on tarantula substrates
What is the best substrate for burrowing tarantulas?
Burrowing tarantulas require substrates that have a high water holding capacity. Substrates that can hold moisture well such as coco coir, peat moss and vermiculite make good beddings for burrowing tarantulas.
Additionally, good beddings for burrowing tarantulas should be easy for tarantulas to make their burrows on and the burrows should not collapse easily. There are several good tarantula substrates that can be used for burrowing tarantulas. The following is our top pick.
ZooMed Eco Earth loose coconut substrate
This product is made from Ecofriendly renewable resources and is thus safe for both your tarantula and the environment. It is a good substrate for burrowing tarantulas for a number of reasons. First, this bedding is soft and absorbs moisture easily. Second, this substrate has a soft texture that makes it easy for tarantulas to burrow in it. Additionally, it is gentle on the delicate bodies of burrowing tarantulas. The other reason is that the burrows made on this bedding do not easily collapse as this substrate is able to hold its structure. Lastly, this substrate absorbs odors and does not mold easily hence is safe for tarantulas and keeps the enclosure with an earthy smell.
Dig-It by Josh frogs
We recommend this bedding for burrowing tarantulas for a number of reasons. The first reason is because this substrate is specifically designed for burrowing animals. This reptile bedding, has a soft consistency that is easy on tarantulas delicate bodies. It has a high absorbency hence absorbs and retains moisture well. Furthermore, it is easy for burrowing tarantulas to make burrows on this substrate and the burrows do not collapse easily. It is therefore suitable for burrowing tarantulas.
Insect and arachnid habitat substrate by critters comfort
This tarantula bedding is another good all natural coconut coir. We recommend this bedding for burrowing tarantulas for a number of reasons. The first reason is because this substrate has a very soft and light consistency. As such it is very gentle on the delicate bodies of burrowing tarantulas. The other reason is because this substrate easily absorbs and holds moisture. Additionally, this substrate has a natural ability to hold its structure. Burrowing tarantulas can therefore easily make burrows in this bedding and the burrows do not easily collapse.
Other good substrates for burrowing tarantulas
- Peat moss
- Vermiculite
- Top soil
Read our separate article on best substrate for burrowing tarantula for a more detailed information.
Substrates to avoid
There are several substrates that are not good for tarantulas. We cannot possibly mention all the bad substrates but we will list a few worth mentioning.
Generally avoid substrates with;
- Additives such as fertilizers.
- Jagged sticks which can potentially harm your tarantula
- Substrates that tend to form puddles with water such as aquarium gravel
- Substrates made from pine or cedar products at they are believed to be potentially toxic to tarantulas.
What substrate should you avoid?
1. Bark chips – bark chips are available in many pet stores. They do not absorb moisture well. Furthermore, bark chips have a tendency to form mold when in humid environments for long. As a result, they are not ideal for tarantulas. Additionally terrestrial tarantulas would not be able to make burrows in this substrate.
2. Sand – Sand does not hold water well and burrows made in sand have a tendency to collapse. This makes it unfavorable for use as tarantula substrate. It can however be used as an additive but in very small quantities.
3. Gravel – Gravel absorbs no moisture thus is not suitable for use as tarantula substrate. Additionally tarantulas do not love standing on gravel. You can add some gravel however to your substrate to make the terrarium look good.
4. Corn cob granules – Corn cob granules grow mold easily and as such are not good for use as tarantula substrate. Additionally, corn cob granules do not look good on the terrarium.
There are several good substrates that can be used with tarantulas. We recommend using the coco coir from Zoo Med due to its absorbent capacity. Furthermore it is made from Eco-friendly material thus is safe for both the tarantulas and the environment. Furthermore, it absorbs and breaks down odor. Additionally, you can mix it with other additive substrates such as vermiculite for moisture retention or topsoil to add bulkiness.
Read also the Basic Tarantula Care Sheet.
Hi i use eco earth loose mixed with zoo med forest floor and it looks nice