aSpiderificGirl
Arachnosquire
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2012
- Messages
- 60
This may be a stupid question, but I am new to the hobby. When a tarantula's terrarium gets infested with mites, where do the mites come from? I recently bought an Avic from my local pet store. It seemed comfortable in it's terrarium there, since they already had it in a proper arboreal set up, so I bought the terrarium and left the tarantula in it's home. This was about a month ago. I just went in it's enclosure to get out a cricket on the substrate that had died, and I put the cricket into a container. When I looked closer at it, it had 2 tiny white mites crawling on it. I'm not sure what to do. The T doesn't seem to be affected, and it never sits on the substrate. It has built a web in the top corner.
What do I have to do to get rid of these mites? Also, where do these mites come from? The substrate? Inside the house? Outside? Obviously, they can't just appear out of nowhere. Is it possible the enclosure already had mites when I got it? They have used this enclosure for many Ts before. They kept it very warm and wet there, but I don't. Is my T going to be okay? Can and will these mites infest my home?
Sorry about all these questions, but I'm really upset and not sure what to do. HELP!!!!
As a side note, not sure if this is significant or not, but the cricket had died with it's mouth (mandibles) stretched wide open. I have never seen a cricket die like this. Could the mites have attacked it?
What do I have to do to get rid of these mites? Also, where do these mites come from? The substrate? Inside the house? Outside? Obviously, they can't just appear out of nowhere. Is it possible the enclosure already had mites when I got it? They have used this enclosure for many Ts before. They kept it very warm and wet there, but I don't. Is my T going to be okay? Can and will these mites infest my home?
Sorry about all these questions, but I'm really upset and not sure what to do. HELP!!!!
As a side note, not sure if this is significant or not, but the cricket had died with it's mouth (mandibles) stretched wide open. I have never seen a cricket die like this. Could the mites have attacked it?