Discolored Patch on Abdomen/Bug Infestation

timok68

Arachnopeon
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Jun 17, 2013
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Hey guys,

I’ve searched the threads but could not find one specific to my situation. I have a 5 yr old Grammosta pulchripes. Healthy up until this point but it (have not sexed yet) just molted and I noticed a patch on the abdomen with no hair that was pinkish in color and exposed. I don’t think it was a piece from the old molt.

Examining further I found this patch and around it was crawling with tiny bugs (white/brown although hard to tell). I’ve raised the spider since a spiderling so I’m pretty concerned. The substrate is bone dry and the humidity is actually too low in my room (30%, its winter), so I don’t think their mites.

I did recently have a large infestation of grain weevils in my house but I doubt that has anything to do with it. The problem is it just molted so I can’t mess with it for a little while. Does anybody have any advice or experience with this type of problem? I don’t want my Chaco to die.

Thanks
 

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boina

Lady of the mites
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That does not look like a normal bald patch from kicking hairs - it could be a cyst. I can't see any bugs in the pics, of course. What I'm pretty sure I can see it that this is a mature male. In that case that bald patch is there to stay since the tarantula won't molt again and all you can do is just wait and see. Post a pic of the pedipalps to make sure it really is a MM.
 

PidderPeets

Arachnoprince
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I don't see any bugs in the second picture, but I think I might see mites in the first pic (on the dark lower part of the bald spot). Mites are a lot more tolerant to dry conditions than springtails, for example. In the summer months, I've even seen them on my bookshelf as they go between enclosures. I couldn't tell you why they're there though.

What I do see that's a concern is the live cricket that's in with the spider. If it's freshly molted, it can't eat or defend itself, and that cricket poses a threat to it. The cricket could try eating the tarantula and injure it.

I'm not sure what the bald spot is, but if it's a cyst or anything along those lines there's nothing that could be done about it except perhaps avoid overfeeding (something that should be avoided anyway) so that the cyst doesn't burst. To me at least, the abdomen looks pretty big for a freshly molted T, so I'm wondering if it was being overfed. How often were you feeding it before the molt, and how much?

I'm going to second the request for a picture of the enclosure, just to see if there's anything relevant to the spot or if there's any room for improvement.
 

timok68

Arachnopeon
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Jun 17, 2013
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Thanks for the replies y’all. I just noticed that cricket that was in there and its been removed. My Chaco has not been overfed before the molt as I’m rather conservative about my feeding. I didn’t think it would be a male for some reason. Its the most docile tarantula ever. The substrate is a mix of horticultural vermiculite and coco coir. I can upload a pic of the pedipalps once he is in a better position, but one of the pedipalps looks a little red and irritated and may have had a tough time coming out of the molt.

The bugs are still there. I’ve uploaded some more pics and if you zoom in you can see some of the bugs (mites?) I did just find a dead cricket carcass under the water bowl that could have been a reason for these bugs.

I’m thinking my next course of action would be to wait until Tuesday (a week after the molt) and then remove my Chaco, thoroughly clean the enclosure and then try to remove the bugs with a q-tip and vaseline. Any further advice would be greatly appreciated. I love this hairy little guy and my heart would be broken if he died at only 5 years old.
 

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timok68

Arachnopeon
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It isn’t? Damn Ive never seen him try to burrow and has never even dug down much. The substrate is a mix of horticultural vermiculite and coco coir.
 

Vanessa

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It isn’t? Damn Ive never seen him try to burrow and has never even dug down much. The substrate is a mix of horticultural vermiculite and coco coir.
The vermiculite that you have used specifies that it is 100% asbestos free, right? There are entire mines that are asbestos free, but I wouldn't assume unless it specifies.
 

Tenebrarius

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It isn’t? Damn Ive never seen him try to burrow and has never even dug down much. The substrate is a mix of horticultural vermiculite and coco coir.
I've read it sucks for burrowing. so that might explain that
 

timok68

Arachnopeon
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Jun 17, 2013
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Thanks for your reply VanessaS. The vermiculite is aspestos free especially since I use it to grow edible mushrooms in addition to coco coir. It’s weird because my Chaco Golden Knee was the first tarantula I bought in June of 2013. He/she was very healthy up until this point (besides infrequent molts) and now I'm seeing bugs crawling on the abdomen so I’m pretty concerned.
 

Vanessa

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Thanks for your reply VanessaS. The vermiculite is aspestos free especially since I use it to grow edible mushrooms in addition to coco coir. It’s weird because my Chaco Golden Knee was the first tarantula I bought in June of 2013. He/she was very healthy up until this point (besides infrequent molts) and now I'm seeing bugs crawling on the abdomen so I’m pretty concerned.
The first thing I wanted to say was that it might be part of the old exoskeleton that is stuck to the abdomen, but your other photos don't look like that is the case. There have been cyst like situations that look similar as well. I am not sure if the bugs are the cause, you would have to determine what the bugs are first. I have some mites in my enclosures, likely from crickets, and also some native springtails because I use a coco/soil mixture. Neither have caused any problems.
If it is some kind of cyst, then I would feed her very sparingly and keep a close eye on it to see if it changes at all. Also, the risk that a fall holds for this species is high and a fault in the abdomen puts the risks even higher. I would fill that enclosure half way with substrate to lower that risk.
 

timok68

Arachnopeon
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Jun 17, 2013
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The first thing I wanted to say was that it might be part of the old exoskeleton that is stuck to the abdomen, but your other photos don't look like that is the case. There have been cyst like situations that look similar as well. I am not sure if the bugs are the cause, you would have to determine what the bugs are first. I have some mites in my enclosures, likely from crickets, and also some native springtails because I use a coco/soil mixture. Neither have caused any problems.
If it is some kind of cyst, then I would feed her very sparingly and keep a close eye on it to see if it changes at all. Also, the risk that a fall holds for this species is high and a fault in the abdomen puts the risks even higher. I would fill that enclosure half way with substrate to lower that risk.
I greatly appreciate your advice. I’m gonna wait until 1 week has past from the molt and then I’ll sanitize the enclosure and fill it up half way. I’ll put he/she back in and check daily on how it’s doing (I hate saying “it’s).

I’m guessing a combination of factors could have contributed to this issue. Low humidity, recent grain weevil infestation in the room, undiscovered cricket carcasses with moisture, and a 5 yr old possible male. Just thought I had my shit together but it depressed me to see bugs crawling on my T’s freshly molted abdomen.
 
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boina

Lady of the mites
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I’m thinking my next course of action would be to wait until Tuesday (a week after the molt) and then remove my Chaco, thoroughly clean the enclosure and then try to remove the bugs with a q-tip and vaseline.
That would be your worst case of action. Mites are harmless. Let me repeat that: mites are harmless. Vaseline on a tarantula is not - it might clog the book lungs or the mouth when your tarantula grooms itself. I wouldn't go near any tarantula with the stuff. The mites are probably on your tarantula because it was still moist from the molt - mites love that. If you top of your enclosure with completely dry substrate the mite population will dwindly down pretty soon. To get them down to zero is impossible anyway. Mites are scavengers - if they find cricket carcasses and moisture their populations will explode.

but one of the pedipalps looks a little red and irritated
Er... that's a bit nonsensical. I mean, red - yes, irritated - no. This 'red and irritated' reaction is specific for vertebrates. You need a vertebrate immune system to get it. Insects and spiders have an immune system but it works differently and nothing will ever turn red when irritated. You know what's red? Male emboli...
 

timok68

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Jun 17, 2013
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Hey boina, thanks for your reply.

I will wait until 1 week has past and then thoroughly clean the enclosure and top it with straight dry coco coir. I need to learn more about sexing and male emboli as I'm pretty uneducated about it.
 

Tenebrarius

Arachnoangel
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Sep 8, 2018
Messages
912
Hey boina, thanks for your reply.

I will wait until 1 week has past and then thoroughly clean the enclosure and top it with straight dry coco coir. I need to learn more about sexing and male emboli as I'm pretty uneducated about it.
here pal: http://milehighbugclub.com/Methods for Sexing Tarantulas.htm

also the emboli is a part of the palpal bulb, so it is fine to refer to it as just palpal bulb
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palpal_bulb
:mad: (I AM NOT MAD ABOUT ANYTHING)
 
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