Cleaning

[HaveYouEverYeetedAPie]

Is there any reason to clean a Tarantulas inclosure? Is it only if there’s mould or poop? How do I see poop? Help XD

 

[chanda]

Generally, you do not need to full-out clean the enclosure, but should go in with tongs or something and pick out dead feeders and the boluses (basically, wadded up feeders that have had all the juice sucked out of 'em) to discourage mold or mites and keep your enclosures from smelling bad. It is also frequently necessary to clean the sides of the enclosure because tarantula poop is liquid - and many species (particularly arboreals!) will spatter their poop all over the walls of the tank. Water dishes are also commonly used as a toilet and waste bin, so may need to be removed and cleaned periodically to removed dead crickets or other waste.

Beyond that, if you notice excessive mold or mites, those should be addressed - not just by removing them but by figuring out what is causing them in the first place so they don't just come back. This can include removing waste more frequently, adjusting the frequency or amount of water added to the tank (particularly the substrate), increasing ventilation, or even changing the substrate or cage decor if you have put in something that is particularly prone to mold.

 

[Vanessa]

I do spot cleaning during feeding. If I find any mould around the water dish, I dig out the affected substrate with a spoon, put some new substrate in, and move the location of the water dish. I even come across the odd mushroom and I do the same - dig it out and replace the substrate with dry. If you are keeping a species who requires more moisture, add some springtails to the substrate.
Their feces do not attract parasites, but people do remove it because of how it looks. If you can't get to every spot, don't worry about it.
Unless you experience some sort of apocalyptic outbreak of mould, or mites, there is never any need to completely scrap the entire setup and do it over. Your tarantula takes a long time to make their home comfortable and they would rather you leave it that way.
Rehousing and complete redoing of their homes should be kept to a minimum.

 

[HaveYouEverYeetedAPie]

Generally, you do not need to full-out clean the enclosure, but should go in with tongs or something and pick out dead feeders and the boluses (basically, wadded up feeders that have had all the juice sucked out of 'em) to discourage mold or mites and keep your enclosures from smelling bad. It is also frequently necessary to clean the sides of the enclosure because tarantula poop is liquid - and many species (particularly arboreals!) will spatter their poop all over the walls of the tank. Water dishes are also commonly used as a toilet and waste bin, so may need to be removed and cleaned periodically to removed dead crickets or other waste.

Beyond that, if you notice excessive mold or mites, those should be addressed - not just by removing them but by figuring out what is causing them in the first place so they don't just come back. This can include removing waste more frequently, adjusting the frequency or amount of water added to the tank (particularly the substrate), increasing ventilation, or even changing the substrate or cage decor if you have put in something that is particularly prone to mold.

So all Tarantulas poop? I’ve never seen mine... do it. Or seen it on the walls.

 

[cold blood]

So all Tarantulas poop? I’ve never seen mine... do it. Or seen it on the walls.

Every living thing poops

Its the end result of eating.

 

[BoyFromLA]

Well, in my case, since majority of my tarantulas are slings, even before any enclosures need to be cleaned, rehousings are required.

 

[HaveYouEverYeetedAPie]

My Juvi lives in a big enclosure. My Sub Adult lives in a bigger enclosure!

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Every living thing poops

Its the end result of eating.

True but there's a thing to add. For instance, all the girls that works for 'Intimissimi' (an Italian shop specialized in womens sexy underwear) when pooping, they throw out diamonds.

Just like certain Holy See (Vatican) Cardinals, they poop gold bars, huge like 'Toblerone', like not even Fort Knox, but this doesn't matter for that "... real treasures doesn't belongs to this world" so that's fair enough. I think

 

[StampFan]

I do spot cleaning during feeding. If I find any mould around the water dish, I dig out the affected substrate with a spoon, put some new substrate in, and move the location of the water dish. I even come across the odd mushroom and I do the same - dig it out and replace the substrate with dry. If you are keeping a species who requires more moisture, add some springtails to the substrate.
Their feces do not attract parasites, but people do remove it because of how it looks. If you can't get to every spot, don't worry about it.
Unless you experience some sort of apocalyptic outbreak of mould, or mites, there is never any need to completely scrap the entire setup and do it over. Your tarantula takes a long time to make their home comfortable and they would rather you leave it that way.
Rehousing and complete redoing of their homes should be kept to a minimum.

Agreed. Often a mold outbreak is a one or two time occurrence that will go away with drying out a bit, and patience.

That said, I do find the most popular thing (coco) does mold up.