What the substrate needs to do
Use a clean soil-style substrate for Heteroscodra maculata that can hold its shape without becoming hard, dusty or permanently waterlogged.
For Heteroscodra maculata, the substrate in a Togo Starburst enclosure should support normal movement and retreat building. Heavy decor must not be able to collapse if the spider digs underneath it.
Depth
Togo Starbursts are arboreal, so substrate is mainly there to manage moisture, catch waste and support the lower part of the enclosure. Heteroscodra maculata still needs enough depth for stable planting or cork placement, but the main retreat belongs above ground.
Match substrate depth to the current size of Heteroscodra maculata. Small slings and fossorial individuals often use proportionally more depth than a large settled terrestrial adult.
Moisture
For Togo Starbursts, maintain moderate moisture with strong ventilation; keep lower substrate slightly moist and surfaces able to dry. Add water in a controlled area and judge how the enclosure changes over several days instead of trying to keep every centimetre equally wet.
Substrate moisture for Heteroscodra maculata should work together with ventilation. Persistent condensation, a stale smell or widespread mould usually means the setup is staying too wet.
Compaction and stability
Press the lower substrate layers firmly enough that a retreat or burrow for Heteroscodra maculata does not collapse immediately. The upper surface can remain looser where appropriate.
For Heteroscodra maculata, keep rocks, heavy cork and ornaments in a Togo Starburst enclosure low and secure so excavation cannot undermine them.
When substrate needs replacing
Spot-clean waste and prey remains from the Heteroscodra maculata enclosure. Normal digging, webbing or rearrangement by the spider is not a reason to replace clean substrate.
For Heteroscodra maculata, replace all substrate for a Togo Starburst only when it is fouled, contaminated, persistently mouldy or no longer structurally usable.