- Joined
- Dec 9, 2003
- Messages
- 215
Around a month ago, I completely cleaned out Shelob's (my T. blondi) tank and gave her new substrate after she tipped her water dish, spilling it's contents. The water absorbed into the substrate and was enough to start mold near the entrance of her log. (temp= 75F, humidity 75%)
I was experimenting on how dry I could keep her tank (I did not want mold to crop up again); I kept a larger, heavier water dish filled and I misted once in a while. At one point I noticed her fangs hanging down and a couple legs curled under, so I bumped the humidity back up from 70% to 75%. I misted the tank, and some of the water got on her.
A couple days later I noticed her abdomen was sweaty looking and there was a lump of white beaded/fluffy mold on the abdomen near her spinnerets. I thought it was really odd because the tank was not too humid - the substrate was dry and the sides of the tank weren't beaded up in moisture. Apparently the water I sprayed on her was enough to start the mold! Reports of T. blondis being susceptible to mold weren't kidding.
I used a long-handled, soft bristled paintbrush to dab on a good amount of baby powder. (Baby powder worked wonders on a P. murinus that was coated in mites when I purchased her.) The baby powder looks like the mold, so I did my best to coat the infected area. Shelob didn't notice at first, but the third dabble got her attention and she turned around to "inspect" the intrusion, but I was already done. There did not appear to be any fungus on her book lungs.
I removed the plexi lid and left only the screen lid on, letting the tank dry out even more for the rest of the night. I replaced the plexi lid the next morning, and left town for a day. I came back to find she brushed off all the powder, taking the dried fungus with it. She looks good now, but I'm giving her another treatment just to be safe.
I was experimenting on how dry I could keep her tank (I did not want mold to crop up again); I kept a larger, heavier water dish filled and I misted once in a while. At one point I noticed her fangs hanging down and a couple legs curled under, so I bumped the humidity back up from 70% to 75%. I misted the tank, and some of the water got on her.
A couple days later I noticed her abdomen was sweaty looking and there was a lump of white beaded/fluffy mold on the abdomen near her spinnerets. I thought it was really odd because the tank was not too humid - the substrate was dry and the sides of the tank weren't beaded up in moisture. Apparently the water I sprayed on her was enough to start the mold! Reports of T. blondis being susceptible to mold weren't kidding.
I used a long-handled, soft bristled paintbrush to dab on a good amount of baby powder. (Baby powder worked wonders on a P. murinus that was coated in mites when I purchased her.) The baby powder looks like the mold, so I did my best to coat the infected area. Shelob didn't notice at first, but the third dabble got her attention and she turned around to "inspect" the intrusion, but I was already done. There did not appear to be any fungus on her book lungs.
I removed the plexi lid and left only the screen lid on, letting the tank dry out even more for the rest of the night. I replaced the plexi lid the next morning, and left town for a day. I came back to find she brushed off all the powder, taking the dried fungus with it. She looks good now, but I'm giving her another treatment just to be safe.
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