Question: New tank setup: basic question

[ctooley]

Hello all!

i am a few days away from receiving my first salamanders. two tigers that i am getting from a member of this forum. i already have my terrarium set up but i have a couple basic questions that i would appreciate help with.

my setup is fairly simple to start off. i have a fir bark substrate with about a third of the substrate covered in a layer of moss. i have a small hide and a shallow water dish. i set up a thermostat at the bottom so i can see the temp of the substrate as well as a thermo/hydrometer combo up higher in the tank. i plan on adding some organic topsoil in a few weeks, it seems that its hard to come by near me.

my two questions are as follows: first, is there anything wrong with this setup/any suggestions to make it better? second, what is the best way to moisten the substrate? fir bark seems fairly dry. i have been spraying it periodically with water to moisten it but i was wondering if there is a better way.

thanks in advance for any help! I'm excited to have these guys and want to make sure I'm doing things right.

Slainte
chris

 

[Jennewt]

Fir bark doesn't hold moisture very well. I'd recommend adding a layer of coco fiber. The substrate I use most is a mix of top soil and coco fiber. In the meantime, maybe you could add more moss to get more moisture retention.

 

[ctooley]

thanks for the input. i was able to find some top soil that was a mix of sand, soil, and a little peat moss. i tested the PH and it was at an 7-8. based on my research (that this is safe) i have mixed up a substrate of about 80% of the topsoil mix and 20% fir bark. i do also have a good bit of moss in the tank. with this set up it looks nicely moist and holds a good humidity level. i think when i have to change the substrate i may switch to coco fiber as it seems very popular.

any issues with this substrate mix?