Mould on blondi & substrate

[Herp_girl]

I got my blondi a year and a half ago, she is fully grown. At first i had no problems, she was brilliant. I was told to keep her at80-90% humidity, which is where the problems started. I keep her on coir, I noticed some white stuff growing on the coir, thought it might be mould, took it out.
Then I noticed some furry mould ON my T, searched on the internet and am now wiping her abdomen with Betadine on a cotton bud (Q-tip) a couple of times a week.
I have changed her coir god knows how many times, microwaving it beorehand.
She shed her skin about 2-3 weeks ago but hasn't eaten since. I don't want to change the coir with more coir and have it sprout mould again 2 weeks later. She (and I) find the substrate changes very stressful and I want to do it as little as possible. Should I change the sort of substrate she's on, what should I do?

I don't want her to die. Please help.

 

[PhilBru]

For my t blondi which wont be mine for long. I pamper her a little bit and use the cocoa substrate stuff,reptile bark and normal soil. I also use a electronic waterfall,a humidity pump and a automatic mister on one side of the cage the cage is a 20 gallon. Ive never had any mold or any problems for that matter and shes as happy as can be.

 

[GForce14063]

Here is a site that sells fruitflies and culture supplies they sell a mold inhibitor methyl paraban that is used in the cultures to prevent mold.


http://www.flygrowers.com/servlet/the-Media-Ingredients/Categories

Or try a different substrate I use 100% Sphagnum moss that I microwave for 5 minutes with no problems and I have 400 + spiders using only the moss I strain it first to get all the large pieces out first then microwave.

 

[Herp_girl]

Here is a site that sells fruitflies and culture supplies they sell a mold inhibitor methyl paraban that is used in the cultures to prevent mold.


http://www.flygrowers.com/servlet/the-Media-Ingredients/Categories

Or try a different substrate I use 100% Sphagnum moss that I microwave for 5 minutes with no problems and I have 400 + spiders using only the moss I strain it first to get all the large pieces out first then microwave.

How do you use methyl paraben, are you sure it would be safe?

 

[GForce14063]

They use it in the fruitfly cultures to inhibit mold growth go to the site and visit to check out the product and then google the chemical they should have more info. It doesn't hurt the fruitflies and they are rather delicate to some degree or you can try contacting the fruitfly grower for more info.

 

[Zoltan]

The cage may not have enough ventillation. Stagnant air is not good.

 

[crpy]

The cage may not have enough ventillation. Stagnant air is not good.

nice avatar

 

[reverendsterlin]

peat has an advantage of being acidic which helps inhibit grow of many types of mold. Isopods are also useful in providing something to eat organic materials including some types of mold.
Rev

 

[Drachenjager]

or 100% vermiculite

 

[liette]

In my country(Malaysia), we use coco fiber as substrate. Our climate is pretty humid and warm(which supposedly encourages mold growth) but our spiders do fine on said substrate.

 

[Herp_girl]

I have changed the substrate again (using microwaved coir-i think i burnt some of it i made it so hot lol) + methyl paraben. I fed her today, she's grabbed the locust and killed it but it's been about 6 hours and she hasn't eaten it (normally there is no trace of it within 20 mins or so). It's been a couple of months since she last fed (she moulted in that time as well) so she should be ravenous. By isopods do you mean woodlice or springtails? I have heard of springtails being used to control mould but not woodlice.

Her tank has more than enough ventilation, it's a plastic box with holes dilled into the sides, i took off the lid (which also has holes drilled all over it...any more and it would split) and replaced it with a piece of greenhouse shading mesh, tied down.
I'm just at a bit of a loss as to what to do, I love her to bits, she's incredible. I just hate that i got such crappy advice before i bought her (doing the right thing and researching thoroughly....)

 

[OxDionysus]

Why do so many people on this site spell it as "mould"?

 

[Herp_girl]

Because I am English

 

[ShellsandScales]

I've never had mold that grows on substrate. It will grow on left over bug parts and such. If you use peat or coconut fiber there is no reason for mold. You shouldn't have to change the substrate very often at all. I would start with a different substrate (not sure what coir is) from there I would make sure there is enough ventilation and after that either get isopods or make sure there isn't leftover food after feeding. If you do that then there should be no mold.

 

[Herp_girl]

coir is another term for coconut fibre. I know everyone says they leave bug parts but i have NEVER seen any bug parts left by her. Except this morning, she didn't eat the locust i gave her yesterday (She killed it then dropped it after about 12 hours) so I took it out today.

I just don't seem to be doing anything wrong, but I can't seem to get rid of this damn mould and she just doesn't seem 'happy'. I think i will order some springtails, i've seen them advertised as being good for controlling mould, so i'll try them. I think they'll do better at blondi temps than woodlice from my compost heap.

 

[Scott C.]

Just a thought backed by nothing, but microwaving/cooking your substrate doesn't only kill mold... It kills everything... leaves a perfect medium for anything.

I've been playing with living substrates, and all the normal rules are broken(prey remains aren't cleaned, soil is "too wet", dead vegetation is tossed in, it is never changed/cleaned/sanatized) with the one exception being ventilation. That is a must... I have yet to develop any mold(that can get a foot hold that is) in a living substrate.... I have one that has been "overly wet", and never cleaned, for ~9 months (for those in the know, I set it up it up for Joe(heks), and took it in when he needed to get rid of his collection)..... You'd never know from the healthy avic in there that the cage was breaking so many standards, and that she shared it with centipedes, mites, isopods, fungus gnats, and a few other unidentified things that crawl around in there..... If she gives me a bunch of healthy babies, I will be convinced, and house all tropical adults in a like manner.

Good luck with your blondi, and the endless war against mold/fungus.

 

[Herp_girl]

will definitely buy some springtails, i just hope they don't irritate her. She is a blondi, they get irritated quite easily lol.
I really hate how some people describe blondis as being 'aggessive'. Mine isn't. She's very very 'defensive'. But there is a world of difference between the 2. Will flick hairs at anything she deems to be remotely threatening. But she's got character, I like that in all animals (2 of my cats were completely feral when I got them, wouldn't know it to see them now, but I have the scars to prove it lol)

 

[DustinGoliath]

I use 50/50 mix of vermiculite and coco fiber. All I do for humidity is flood the substrate and let it dry for about a week or so. Since I started that, I havnt had any trouble with mold. Good luck with ur Blondi. By far my fav spider.