bolus removal

[katluc]

I've been doing a bit of reading up here about removing the bolus from enclosures. I only have slings, so their prey is quite small. I don't have mites or mold but I also want to avoid getting either. To be honest, every time I look for the boluses after feeding my T's, I never find them. Others have said in previous threads that the T often deposits it in a favourite place making removal easy but I still never find them. Am I inviting trouble with mites etc. ? The substrates are dry and ventilation is good.

 

[cold blood]

Am I inviting trouble with mites etc. ? The substrates are dry and ventilation is good.

No, eventually you'll find them, especially as it grows. Slings eating tiny foods, leave tiny bolus', which can be difficult to spot. Just remove them when you see them....if they are in a burrow, often t's will just decide to clean one night and remove them all at once for you....often in a corner or the water dish.

 

[katluc]

Thanks for the quick reply. I got a nice image there of spiders wheeling out piles of boluses in mini wheel barrows

 

[Smokehound714]

look for lumps of silk.. often they're hard to find because theyre covered with debris.. A little whispy white mold wont hurt. the mold you dont want to see is aspargillus (black mold), as its spores are toxic to virtually all life.

Barklice and dermestid beetles make a good clean-up crew for dry enclosures.

 

[pyro fiend]

Thanks for the quick reply. I got a nice image there of spiders wheeling out piles of boluses in mini wheel barrows

almost . seen the movie antz? thats how they dig too LOL jk ofc but yes theyl eventually be seen dont stress to much as a sling itl be changed enclosures too soon to make a difference

but yea just look hard youl find em. even my cleanest sling makes obvious bolus' once i know what im lookin for [some web them heavy others dont]

 

[DonnaG]

Where do you get barklice or dermestid beetles?

Where can I get some of those "cleanup" buggers. My sling's bolus is always under the bark cave and I can't get to it without disturbing his webbing.

Or any other thoughts on cleaning?

 

[Micrathena]

Where can I get some of those "cleanup" buggers. My sling's bolus is always under the bark cave and I can't get to it without disturbing his webbing.

Or any other thoughts on cleaning?

Isopods (barklice) of various species can bought from many different reptile/invert sites. Just search "Isopods for sale" on Google, there'll be plenty of results. I think they need a damp cage though.

 

[Poec54]

I have a 6" forceps that is invaluable for pickup up boluses, water bowls, crickets, and other things that are where my fingers don't belong.

 

[cold blood]

I have a 6" forceps that is invaluable for pickup up boluses, water bowls, crickets, and other things that are where my fingers don't belong.

+1

I have a 4", a 6" that's bent like an L (a little wider) that really helps get into and under odd places, and a 8 and 12" tweezers. And if I could locate my forceps I'd be happy, both appear to be missing. Invaluable tools for dealing with things like cleaning and feeding while keeping your proper distance.

 

[Smokehound714]

Isopods (barklice) of various species can bought from many different reptile/invert sites. Just search "Isopods for sale" on Google, there'll be plenty of results. I think they need a damp cage though.

Lol, barklice as in Psocids, true bark-lice. You were thinking of woodlice (isopods). Barklice love dry areas. They can be feeders for tiny tiny slings and scorplings that flee even from fruitfly maggots!

 

[ratluvr76]

I have a 6" forceps that is invaluable for pickup up boluses, water bowls, crickets, and other things that are where my fingers don't belong.

I have long tweezers but if I get near any webbing it sticks to them like glue! I usually wind up doing more harm than good so generally leave it. All my species are dry anyway.

 

[cold blood]

I have long tweezers but if I get near any webbing it sticks to them like glue! I usually wind up doing more harm than good so generally leave it. All my species are dry anyway.

When it gets stuck, just twist it in place, it will release from the webbing more often than not without destroying large areas of webbing.

 

[ratluvr76]

When it gets stuck, just twist it in place, it will release from the webbing more often than not without destroying large areas of webbing.

I've tried that and usually wind up with a little ball of what used to be awesome webbing lol. I think I just need more practice. Thankfully all I have so far are very hardy and forgiving of newby mistakes. :/ I always feel so bad when I mess up their little homes.

 

[pyro fiend]

When it gets stuck, just twist it in place, it will release from the webbing more often than not without destroying large areas of webbing.

i think she ment the tweezers get stuck.. but i personally agree. i do keep some hair scisors on hand as well as i sometimes have to do when my male gbb webs up a live dubia.. i need to cut it out -.- but other then that. i say just pull or cut they will happily web them back up the way they want them

 

[DonnaG]

That's a good idea to bend some tweezers into a small "L". I might see if I can do that. (Although my GBB eats tiny pinhead lats and the floor of the cave area is filled with web and I can't tell what's a bolus and what's not. Sigh) This is my first time dealing with slings. It was so much easier removing remains from my mature Rosehair. Thanks for all the tips!!

 

[ratluvr76]

That's a good idea to bend some tweezers into a small "L". I might see if I can do that. (Although my GBB eats tiny pinhead lats and the floor of the cave area is filled with web and I can't tell what's a bolus and what's not. Sigh) This is my first time dealing with slings. It was so much easier removing remains from my mature Rosehair. Thanks for all the tips!!

I'm not sure bending them yourself would work. You can buy them already bent and a lot of people use angled or curved medical grade forceps.

 

[pyro fiend]

I'm not sure bending them yourself would work. You can buy them already bent and a lot of people use angled or curved medical grade forceps.

second! i have 4 dif sets of hemostats in my home.. 2 strait ones normal 4" ones a larger like 6" as well as a 4" curved end and a L shaped one [made that way i didnt bend it] tho i will admit i have thought of bending of of my 4 sets oftongs with heat.. but i dont think it would work right

 

[Micrathena]

Lol, barklice as in Psocids, true bark-lice. You were thinking of woodlice (isopods). Barklice love dry areas. They can be feeders for tiny tiny slings and scorplings that flee even from fruitfly maggots!

oh: Common names...
Thanks for the clarification!

 

[cold blood]

Yeah, I'm not sure you would be able to properly bend tweezers. I bought mine bent.

 

[PeteParker240]

Hey all...piggybacking on this thread rather than creating a new one. I have a C. Cyaneopubescens that has webbed up it's enclosure pretty good. He/She takes her meal under a leaf that is completely webbed and 1.) I can't see the bolus when he/she is done and 2.) If I dig in there I will DESTROY the webbing completely. The GBB is only about an inch...but I don't want the boluses collecting in there. I saw Cold Blood say that burrowing species might clean their burrow and bring them all out at once...can I expect the same with my GBB?