Are these Mites, or ...?

Phases

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jun 1, 2017
Messages
205
Thanks dude you just made my day, I've been racking my brain trying to figure out the best way to deal with this and I have a couple of ideas but, now I think I'm going to be able to have a couple of more.

And considering we're called project tarantula, experimenting and learning is what it is all about so I'm going to turn this into an opportunity to safely.. with the t's safety as number one priority at mind.. learn about this, maybe try a couple of remediation methods.

I have a couple of ideas how this could have happened but, I don't know. I've been pretty devastated, I can't tell you how much I love these tarantulas, and I don't know why that is but nonetheless.. just like any other pet we choose to basically hold captive, it's our duty to take care of them and keep them safe because they count on us to, whether they know it or not. I do not want to fail my babies.

Alright soon as I get back in from the office today I'm going to get started on whatever I figure out my plan is. Since they may not be parasitic I feel less sense of urgency to literally pull out and investigate every tarantula which let's be honest, that would be a little bit tough. If I find a method that works like you have suggested I can just do that for everyone as a good measure.
 

Nightstalker47

Arachnoking
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
2,612
Oh wow, that's really a spectacular mite infestation! Very rare to come by. I don't think these are really parasitic though, rather hitchhiking mites (phoretic mites) since they are sitting on the chelicerae and parasitic mite do look somewhat different. They may actually sit on the tarantula because the general environment has become too dry for their liking. @KezyGLA 's method of putting the tarantula on dry paper towels for a while may work, however, I'd go the opposite way: Put something the mites like, like a dead cricket into the enclosure. The mites should leave your tarantula within a few hours to feed on the cricket. Then remove the cricket. Repeat daily for about a week. As I said, they don't look like parasites, just hitchhikers, so they should leave the tarantula as soon as they find something better.

Here's the article about mites on tarantulas written by a mite-biologist again.
For future reference, how do you distinguish the parasitic mites from the hitchhikers? Are there any defining features... or does it have more to do with where they are placed on the host.
 

Phases

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jun 1, 2017
Messages
205
@boina that article made me feel insanely better. If all accurate I'd suggest every single T owner read it! It doesn't mention white mites but nonetheless it really helps keep things in perspective.
 

boina

Lady of the mites
Active Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2015
Messages
2,217
For future reference, how do you distinguish the parasitic mites from the hitchhikers? Are there any defining features... or does it have more to do with where they are placed on the host.
Parasitic mites attach themselves to the tarantula - they don't move around on it. Generally they are found around the joints and very rarely at the mouth since there is nothing to gain for them by being around the mouth parts. They eat hemolymph directly from the tarantula after all. Hitchhiker mites however, are often around the mouth parts hoping for morsels from the tarantula's meals and maybe for 'saliva' or however you want to call it to drink. They are highly mobile. In this specific case the mites were actually sitting on the chelicerae - they can't suck hemolymph from there, ergo they must be hitchhikers.
 

Phases

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jun 1, 2017
Messages
205
Really quick update, it's been over 24 hours and the P Metallica has had no improvement.

I've pulled the tank out of the freezer and will check it in 24 hours to see if the substrate is thawed to the rooms temperature and put her back. In the meantime I may attempt to get some off just to do it while I have her out, as she has it the worst.

But my treatment plan for her and the others at the moment is:

- cleanliness
- try to tease them off with pray or moist items
- remain calm unless I notice any heading to joints, Etc

I am glad I didn't overreact, and thankful for the advice here and the perspective I was given with that article. Everybody is going to be pretty heavily monitored, but my suspicion is that everything is going to be okay. With 30 tarantulas, it doesn't shock me that a couple would have mites on them. As the article States they are natural, and come out of nowhere when things are decaying, which is exactly what happens in tarantula cages.

Will post updates as they come, if they come. :)
 

Shampain88

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jan 26, 2016
Messages
64
Really quick update, it's been over 24 hours and the P Metallica has had no improvement.

I've pulled the tank out of the freezer and will check it in 24 hours to see if the substrate is thawed to the rooms temperature and put her back. In the meantime I may attempt to get some off just to do it while I have her out, as she has it the worst.

But my treatment plan for her and the others at the moment is:

- cleanliness
- try to tease them off with pray or moist items
- remain calm unless I notice any heading to joints, Etc

I am glad I didn't overreact, and thankful for the advice here and the perspective I was given with that article. Everybody is going to be pretty heavily monitored, but my suspicion is that everything is going to be okay. With 30 tarantulas, it doesn't shock me that a couple would have mites on them. As the article States they are natural, and come out of nowhere when things are decaying, which is exactly what happens in tarantula cages.

Will post updates as they come, if they come. :)
You could also introduce springtails to compete with non parasitic mites in your more humid enclosures, those little things are great cleaners and will out compete any mites remaining for food :)
 

Jayvicularia

Small Batch Seller
Joined
Aug 3, 2016
Messages
37
Thanks for all your info. I just found my meal worm colony with a rediculos explosion of what seemed to be mites. It all starred after adding some crushed sugary cereal to the substrate..so don't do that! They were on the same shelf as my T's so I'll be keeping a close eye now that I got rid of the mealworms.
 

Mila

Arachnoknight
Joined
May 7, 2017
Messages
169
why are people freaking out over phoretic mites? they just hitch a ride then jump off. mites are clean up crew just like spring tails or woodlice. people go crazy over mites for no reason.
 

Mila

Arachnoknight
Joined
May 7, 2017
Messages
169
if they were parasitic mites they'd be gathering in the joints of the exoskeleton were they can suck blood, not on the fangs (thickest part of exoskelton). they just want a meal
 

Phases

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jun 1, 2017
Messages
205
which is exactly what we came here to and did learn? Hence the lack of freaking out? Did you read the whole thread?

:)
 

Shampain88

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jan 26, 2016
Messages
64
why are people freaking out over phoretic mites? they just hitch a ride then jump off. mites are clean up crew just like spring tails or woodlice. people go crazy over mites for no reason.
They shouldn't be there, that's why... People freak out because they care and seek answers, isn't that what this site is about?
 

Mila

Arachnoknight
Joined
May 7, 2017
Messages
169
which is exactly what we came here to and did learn? Hence the lack of freaking out? Did you read the whole thread?

:)
theres peopke saying to put the t in an empty dry cup for hours and dump out the entire enclosure. extreme
 

darkness975

Latrodectus
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Aug 31, 2012
Messages
5,610
theres peopke saying to put the t in an empty dry cup for hours and dump out the entire enclosure. extreme
Depending on how severe a grain mite infestation is, for example , that course of action is not out of the realm of possibility.

These aren't grain mites but unless you are @boina Or someone else that's well read about mites it's not unusual that most people are in the dark about the differences between types.

I learned a ton about them on here over the years and I no I do not want any mites it would drive me up a wall if any of my Tarantulas had them. But at least I have background knowledge and helpful courses of action to take.
 

Arachnophoric

Arachnoangel
Joined
Aug 29, 2016
Messages
947
Hate to jump on this thread after it's been dead for two weeks, but I have some questions - I was trying to get a decent image of my 2" P. ornata sling to get a better idea on the sex when I noticed two white spots in the furrow. I watched for a few minutes, and to my surprise/horror a tiny white mite crawled off. One of them was still there last I checked. They don't appear to be anywhere else on the T, chelicera or joints, but I did find several more (probably almost two dozen!) on a bolus of a cricket I had fed the T ealier in the day. This leads me to believe that they're hitch hikers, but I'm still concerned that I found them in the furrow... Should I be worried?

@boina I'm going to specifically tag you, since you seem to be the local mite expert. :dead:
 

boina

Lady of the mites
Active Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2015
Messages
2,217
Hate to jump on this thread after it's been dead for two weeks, but I have some questions - I was trying to get a decent image of my 2" P. ornata sling to get a better idea on the sex when I noticed two white spots in the furrow. I watched for a few minutes, and to my surprise/horror a tiny white mite crawled off. One of them was still there last I checked. They don't appear to be anywhere else on the T, chelicera or joints, but I did find several more (probably almost two dozen!) on a bolus of a cricket I had fed the T ealier in the day. This leads me to believe that they're hitch hikers, but I'm still concerned that I found them in the furrow... Should I be worried?

@boina I'm going to specifically tag you, since you seem to be the local mite expert. :dead:
Should I be flattered ;)? Don't worry about the mites, they can be anywhere they want on the tarantula. Ts will encounter plenty of them in the wild on a daily basis, at least if they live in a somewhat humid climate, so I don't think tarantulas would have survived to this day if hitchhiker mites could get into the furrow and do harm in any way. Mites may like it at the furrow for obvious reasons (moisture), but if disturbed they will move off, as you saw.
 

Arachnophoric

Arachnoangel
Joined
Aug 29, 2016
Messages
947
Should I be flattered ;)? Don't worry about the mites, they can be anywhere they want on the tarantula. Ts will encounter plenty of them in the wild on a daily basis, at least if they live in a somewhat humid climate, so I don't think tarantulas would have survived to this day if hitchhiker mites could get into the furrow and do harm in any way. Mites may like it at the furrow for obvious reasons (moisture), but if disturbed they will move off, as you saw.
Lol I'd be pretty chuffed to be called an expert at anything other than procrastinating ;)

Awesome, thank you for assuaging my concerns, however silly they may seem. I was particularly nervous with this one, as it'd appear there's a good chance this little one's a female. Fingers crossed - my last Poeci unfortunately ended up male, and I think he's maybe got one or two more molts until maturity. :(
 
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