I need urgent advice, I don’t know what my next step should be

[Stavage]

Just wanna start by saying all help is really appreciated!!

So I still have my first tarantula (curly haired) and she’s a cutie, I’ve had her for over 8 months now and I’ve had no problems with her. I brought her with me to uni but I realised the crickets I had to feed her just kept dying rather rapidily in room which meant I was constantly needed to buy more and where I’m at university, there’s no reptile pet shops for milesss!!

The best thing I believed was to bring her back to my mums during Christmas and give my mum very strict instructions on how to take care of her (e.g fill the water dish ehenever it’s running low and what not) I knew it should be alright as I tend to come back home every weekend. I missed coming home in February for about 3 weeks due to exams and other necessary things in university. I’ve come back home and my mum has drenched half the cage. You know when shallow dishes appear empty but thy aren’t? Everyday my mum proceeded to put water in the dish believing it was empty even thou I did say do not do it everyday. The constant over flow meant half the cage was soaked. When I arrived I told her this is possible one the worst things she could of done honestly, there’s now mold and fungus beginning to grow (not terrible and I know all cages have a lil but i personally have never ever had a problem with mold when she’s been in my care) so I bought some springtails to place in the cage as I believed that was the only problem... oh boy was I wrong.

After opening the lid this morning I now see several lil black bugs running around. First of all, I’ve never even heard of black bugs that could infest a tarantula cage!! So if anyone knows what they are please do tell, they are quite big now massive obviously but definetly spotable I like a spring tail, I read once somewhere about ants but I have no idea how ants could of ended up in her cage. Is there any other possible mite it could be or? I have never ever experienced all problems hit me all at once.

To add to all this rosalina (her name hahah) during this time she has closed off her coconut which she’s never done too, she’s been refusing food which has led me to believe she’s going to molt from what my mum has been explaining to me. However after looking at her, her abdomen is alright and has actually shrunk in size since she hasn’t been eating, not shrivelled, still a healthy size. Could it be she’s closed off due to the bugs, water damage and mold problem??

Now I don’t know what my next steps should be, should I move her ASAP out the cage as these bugs are harmful and springtails won’t get rid of them? Or do I just wait it out and see what happens now I’ve added the springtails in her cage.

I also would like to try feed her but I’m not sure she would even see me try see her home is closed off, she’s usually a very good eater.

Basically I’m very upset causes she’s been perfect all this time.. I leave her with my mum AND it’s messed up, everything my mum touches turns out messed up

Anyway, thank you for taking your time to read this! I really do need the advice

 

[PanzoN88]

Honestly i've never had an issue like that, but if i were you i would rehouse her immediately (but if she is molting that could be a problem), after that i csn't say, pics would help though. Others will be able to help some more in that aspect. Crickets can be hard to keep alive. Dubias, superworms, or mealworms make better feeders for tarantulas in my opinion, also crickets stink.

 

[Thekla]

First of all, please don't be mad with your mum. I'm sure she just meant well.

Secondly, I'd get your T out of that enclosure ASAP. I have no idea what kind of bugs these are, but I'd feel really uncomfortable having them in there with my T. Just set up a new enclosure and get her out of there. Just to be on the safe side.

You could also post some pics of the enclosure and the bugs, if possible. Maybe others have better ideas.


@PanzoN88 I was too slow.

 

[Stavage]

Honestly i've never had an issue like that, but if i were you i would rehouse her immediately (but if she is molting that could be a problem), after that i csn't say, pics would help though. Others will be able to help some more in that aspect. Crickets can be hard to keep alive. Dubias, superworms, or mealworms make better feeders for tarantulas in my opinion, also crickets stink.

Yes that’s what I thought! I’ve never read such things about black bugs?? But I’ll try get a pics! That’s why I haven’t moved her yet cause I’ve been thinking she may or may not molt and I do not want to harm her if that’s the case. I wanted to start feeling her superworms but I read somewhere that they only be used as a supplement?

 

[Stavage]

First of all, please don't be mad with your mum. I'm sure she just meant well.

Secondly, I'd get your T out of that enclosure ASAP. I have no idea what kind of bugs these are, but I'd feel really uncomfortable having them in there with my T. Just set up a new enclosure and get her out of there. Just to be on the safe side.

You could also post some pics of the enclosure and the bugs, if possible. Maybe others have better ideas.


@PanzoN88 I was too slow.

I will move her today after I post some pics if I don’t get any other solution! It’s so strange that this has happened so fast ;(

Unfortunately I do hold a slight grudge towards my mum cause she could of asked me if she’s doing t rift but instead treated it like a hamster even thou I told her she’s more of a pet stone

I’ll see if I can post some pics of the bugs!

 

[Stavage]

This is the side that is soaked with water, it’s getting better but I moved soil on top of it when I first came home so the mold that’s beginning to grow is unable to be seen or the springtails are doing an amazing job haha


This is the best photo I can get honestly! I’ll try one more time maybe third time lucky. Also what is that lil ball of red in the corner?? I’ve not seen that before till today

 

[Thekla]

I could certainly be wrong, but those little bugs look like tiny crickets to me. Could that be possible? Did your mum feed your T adult crickets? Maybe they laid eggs in the moist dirt, and those hatched.

Just a thought.

I've absolutely no idea what that red ball could be though... sorry.

And as for the moisture... now that you added dry soil it doesn't look too bad, I think. B. albos appreciate a bit of moisture anyway, so maybe you could just leave it to dry up.

But I'm sure there'll be more experienced people chime in very soon.

 

[Ungoliant]

This is the side that is soaked with water, it’s getting better but I moved soil on top of it when I first came home so the mold that’s beginning to grow is unable to be seen or the springtails are doing an amazing job haha

How good is the ventilation? If all of the substrate except the top layer is that wet, I might just preemptively rehouse the tarantula. (Brachypelma albopilosum likes it slightly moist, not sopping wet.)

This will also get rid of your cricket problem. (Baby crickets don't pose much of a risk to a healthy tarantula, but I'm not sure what they could do to a molting tarantula. Larger crickets have been known to munch on molting tarantulas.)

Also what is that lil ball of red in the corner?? I’ve not seen that before till today

Is it alive?

 

[Ant]

100% baby crickets. Pick them out if you can and buy a sling to feed them to (). As for the substrate, it could just be the screen I'm viewing the picture on but it doesn't look SOAKING wet. If your enclosure has ample ventilation, I'd be inclined just to allow it to dry out naturally. A picture of the enclosure as a whole would help though.

 

[PidderPeets]

View attachment 266648
This is the side that is soaked with water, it’s getting better but I moved soil on top of it when I first came home so the mold that’s beginning to grow is unable to be seen or the springtails are doing an amazing job haha

View attachment 266647
This is the best photo I can get honestly! I’ll try one more time maybe third time lucky. Also what is that lil ball of red in the corner?? I’ve not seen that before till today

Definitely baby crickets. Honestly if it wasn't for them, I'd say leave the enclosure to dry out on it's own. As previously stated, B. albopilosum do appreciate some moisture. But because they could potentially be dangerous to the T, I'd swap out the substrate to remove them (keeping them after that is up to you. If you cold raise them up, it would help solve your feeder problem while at school).

I've seen little balls like that in the soil I use for my plants and a few inverts. Did you use regular potting soil? I've never used soil with my Ts (just coco fiber), but they've never harmed any other inverts I've had. I do pluck them out when I see them though. My only other guses is a ladybug if it's alive

 

[Stavage]

Omg thank you guys for all your responses, I’ll reply in my next post properly! Here are pictures of her encolouser as of yet, the moistness has gotten better but I promise it was originally soaking wet a couple days ago whilst I was waiting for the springtails, her water dish is empty as my plan was to let it dry out as best as I could and I didn’t want the water there to make it last longer! I recently put her in this cage during Christmas times as her old cage was a very newbie an just didn’t have enough soil for her!



Ft her lil booty

 

[Stavage]

Right so, after speaking to mum she had lost a cricket in her cage around a month ago which would explain the lose baby crickets! My mum has been picking out them ever since she’s spotted them recently; I also really do not want to move her again as I have suspicion she’s about to molt since she’s closed her self off and doesn’t take food offerings

(ps she hasn’t eaten in around 2/3weeks however her abdomen isn’t looking like it’s going to molt from what can I see, do you guys suggest maybe opening up her closed off burrow and dangle a cricket in front to check?)

These are the two kinds of lids I have available that I can change for her, would any of these two be okay for ventiliantiln to dry out ask quick as possible? should pick out as many crickets as possible and air it out or change everything?? Now I know they’re baby crickets it’s like a huge weight! But I still want her to be safe!

 

[Stavage]

I've seen little balls like that in the soil I use for my plants and a few inverts. Did you use regular potting soil? I've never used soil with my Ts (just coco fiber), but they've never harmed any other inverts I've had. I do pluck them out when I see them though. My only other guses is a ladybug if it's alive

I use ecoearth as my substrate, I find it the easiest but I shall take it out just in case, I’ve just never seen it before haha

 

[Stavage]

100% baby crickets. Pick them out if you can and buy a sling to feed them to (). As for the substrate, it could just be the screen I'm viewing the picture on but it doesn't look SOAKING wet. If your enclosure has ample ventilation, I'd be inclined just to allow it to dry out naturally. A picture of the enclosure as a whole would help though.

I’ve posted pictures of the whole enclosure! It was soaking wet, im trying my hardest to dry it out at this point I’m trying to get my roslaina past her third molt and then I think I’ll be confident to handle some more slings

 

[Stavage]

How good is the ventilation? If all of the substrate except the top layer is that wet, I might just preemptively rehouse the tarantula. (Brachypelma albopilosum likes it slightly moist, not sopping wet.)

This will also get rid of your cricket problem. (Baby crickets don't pose much of a risk to a healthy tarantula, but I'm not sure what they could do to a molting tarantula. Larger crickets have been known to munch on molting tarantulas.)

Is it alive?

I’ve posted pictures of the enclosure now! If I pick out the baby crickets and few a left behind what would happen to them? Like there isn’t much to eat, they would drink water I guess but would that be enough for them to even get to that stage honestly??

 

[Ungoliant]

(ps she hasn’t eaten in around 2/3weeks however her abdomen isn’t looking like it’s going to molt from what can I see, do you guys suggest maybe opening up her closed off burrow and dangle a cricket in front to check?)

If she's sealed in, there is no need to try to feed her. That is her do not disturb sign.

These are the two kinds of lids I have available that I can change for her, would any of these two be okay for ventiliantiln to dry out ask quick as possible?

Those lids are fine.

should pick out as many crickets as possible and air it out or change everything?? Now I know they’re baby crickets it’s like a huge weight! But I still want her to be safe!

If it were just the moisture, it would probably be OK to let it dry out on its own. However, with so many loose crickets in there, and your suspicion that she is in pre-molt, I personally would err on the side of caution and rehouse her.

You can save the crickets for use as feeders.

I’ve posted pictures of the enclosure now! If I pick out the baby crickets and few a left behind what would happen to them? Like there isn’t much to eat, they would drink water I guess but would that be enough for them to even get to that stage honestly??

Under ordinary circumstances, a few loose crickets would be a nuisance and would not have the food to grow.

However, the risk is that your tarantula will molt, and starving crickets would start eating her while she is soft and defenseless.

 

[cold blood]

moisture levels actually look pretty spot on....doesnt look soaked at all....baby crickets arent a threat...unless you are actively feeding and cultivating those crickets, they wont live long enough to grow into a problem.