Preventing mildew & musty odors?

[BlueGuy]

I have had my first T for about 3 weeks now, a "Pinktoe". Recenctly he/she has built an amazing web structure all throughout the arboreal enclosure and last night put even more work in making trampoline style webbing from the glass to the wood creating a nice platform for climbing and resting on. Really impressive structure. However, after taking him/her out this morning for handling I noticed a musty mildew smell coming from both the T and the enclosure. I am using coco coir as a base layer, with mopani wood for climbing and spagnum moss decor. Some of the moss was bundled in web as the little T did some interior decorating. I assume this is where the mildew is starting to propagate. The moss is no longer living, and has been boiled prior to use along with everything else. Do arboreal T keepers use this stuff in naturalistic terrariums? How do you keep it from becoming a host for mildew? Should I just not use it? Is there a treatment? I have used food grade peroxide as a mildew preventative in substrate before, it evaporates into oxygen and is usually safe for animals. However I know T's are very delicate and very susceptible to tiny particles and trace elements. So if it did not evaporate 100% by the time he/she was put back, would it cause a problem? I have read about using iso alcohol to clean T's with systemic mold infections, and that is also a known fungicide that evaporates pretty clean. Should I just tear the place apart, throw the moss away, boil everything, set it back up without moss and let him/her build a new web structure? I feel like a jerk ripping apart his/her 10 day masterpiece, and don't want to make it think it's not allowed to make webs or I'm going to come rip them apart etc. Suggestions?

 

[viper69]

If you don't change your T husbandry, your Avic will be dead. Search the forums for how people Avics, including myself. In short the majority keep our Avics dry with a lot of ventilation, you have too moist a container and/or too little ventilation. I'm surprised your T is still alive to be honest.

As someone who owns Avics, I really don't advise holding them. In case you haven't noticed, they are have a tendency to leap into the thin blue air to get away from giant human hands hahhah, or just to move a long. They will leap and take a 6 ft drop not expecting to hit the floor because they are used to living in an environment with branches and thus expect to find one. You are risking your Ts life when handling. It's your T do as you see fit.

I have read about using iso alcohol to clean T's with systemic mold infections...I feel like a jerk ripping apart his/her 10 day masterpiece...

Where did you read this, would you post the links?
They make more silk than you can believe, it's hardly a masterpiece, they rebuild.

 

[BlueGuy]

It hasn't been setup for over a week, I have the enclosure in a "micro climate" to keep the humidity up during the dry winter, so yes the airflow is restricted. However I exchange the air daily, and just noticed the smell yesterday. I was told by the seller that avics need 85% humidity and 85% temps. This is why I created the micro climate. The house is around 35% on a good day this time of year. I handle him/her over my bed and he/she stopped becoming jumpy after a couple days of careful interaction. The T was weary about touching me the first week, but now walks right onto my hand without hesitation. It doesn't act fearful anymore, thus the jumping has stopped. I think this poor thing was used to living in a deli cup, and is really just happy to be able to walk around at all. Thanks for the tips, and I will get a small fan with maybe a fogger or something to make sure airflow is adequate without compromising humidity. What do you think about the moss? Just a host for anaerobic bacteria and pathogenic spores?

 

[viper69]

The seller is wrong. I have raised Avics for years to adult hood and many others on here have bred them, do in fact keep them dry like a desert species practically. In fact, I keep my Avics just like my desert species except I make sure their water supply is constant.

What your seller didn't impress upon you is their need for ventilation. The fact you SMELLED mildew in the container is bad. It means stuff is growing in there LONG before you noticed it. The fact that your T smells the same is plain disgusting.

People think high humidity equals moist/wet environments, what they actually forget is in the wild there's a high volume of air movement. You have not replicated this at all. It's a difficult thing to replicate a high humidity environment successfully. Even dart frog owners get mold.

I was in a rain forest during their rainy season, it didn't smell of mildew.

Handle it as much as you want, it's yours. If it takes a leap etc and dies because it was handled, it's your fault.

 

[BobBarley]

It hasn't been setup for over a week, I have the enclosure in a "micro climate" to keep the humidity up during the dry winter, so yes the airflow is restricted. However I exchange the air daily, and just noticed the smell yesterday. I was told by the seller that avics need 85% humidity and 85% temps. This is why I created the micro climate. The house is around 35% on a good day this time of year. I handle him/her over my bed and he/she stopped becoming jumpy after a couple days of careful interaction. The T was weary about touching me the first week, but now walks right onto my hand without hesitation. It doesn't act fearful anymore, thus the jumping has stopped. I think this poor thing was used to living in a deli cup, and is really just happy to be able to walk around at all. Thanks for the tips, and I will get a small fan with maybe a fogger or something to make sure airflow is adequate without compromising humidity. What do you think about the moss? Just a host for anaerobic bacteria and pathogenic spores?

... Ok so it does NOT need 85% humidity. You heard it from a pet store or a care sheet?? Yeah do some research on these boards and you'll see all the recent deaths people have had with Avics when they kept them this way. Also it is not most likely "not acting fearful anymore". If it is walking more "calmly" it is because it is lethargic from the stuffy an stagnant air. Do your research on these boards. Neither does it need 85 degrees F. Please research these boards, thank you.

Edit: This should be a good read: http://arachnoboards.com/threads/bad-molt-crippled-pink-toe.280424/. If you look, I'm sure you will find many, many others.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I was in a rain forest during their rainy season, it didn't smell of mildew.

Handle it as much as you want, it's yours. If it takes a leap etc and dies because it was handled, it's your fault.

Pure Gospel.

 

[BlueGuy]

... Ok so it does NOT need 85% humidity. You heard it from a pet store or a care sheet?? Yeah do some research on these boards and you'll see all the recent deaths people have had with Avics when they kept them this way. Also it is not most likely "not acting fearful anymore". If it is walking more "calmly" it is because it is lethargic from the stuffy an stagnant air. Do your research on these boards. Neither does it need 85 degrees F. Please research these boards, thank you.

Edit: This should be a good read: http://arachnoboards.com/threads/bad-molt-crippled-pink-toe.280424/. If you look, I'm sure you will find many, many others.

The table vendor who sold it to me for $10. Watched hours of youtube videos with people claming they keep their rooms at 80+80. I am not opposed to reading correct information by any means, so don't assume I haven't been looking. I am here asking questions aren't I? It's not lethargic it's very responsive and alert. Just a lot less skittish than when I brought it home. I do not think there is any harm to the spider.

 

[BobBarley]

The table vendor who sold it to me for $10. Watched hours of youtube videos with people claming they keep their rooms at 80+80. I am not opposed to reading correct information by any means, so don't assume I haven't been looking. I am here asking questions aren't I? It's not lethargic it's very responsive and alert. Just a lot less skittish than when I brought it home. I do not think there is any harm to the spider.

If you keep it like this, it will die. Me and dozens of others would guarantee it.

 

[BlueGuy]

http://giantspiders.com/ailments/ <---iso treatment

<---- Look at the humidity buildup from spraying the enclosure of a. versicolor

 

[BlueGuy]

If you keep it like this, it will die. Me and dozens of others would guarantee it.

Thank you. This is why I am here. Quick Start info that is CORRECT. I can research misinformation all day long. I came here to ask long term keepers with experience. People who are not regurgitating misinformation passed on by other newbies. Thank you.

 

[BobBarley]

http://giantspiders.com/ailments/ <---iso treatment

<---- Look at the humidity buildup from spraying the enclosure of a. versicolor

That's great and all, but how do you know that A. versi is thriving? What if it was just given water?

 

[BobBarley]

Thank you. This is why I am here. Quick Start info that is CORRECT. I can research misinformation all day long. I came here to ask long term keepers with experience. People who are not regurgitating misinformation passed on by other newbies. Thank you.

Just fyi, viper is much more experienced then I am.

 

[BlueGuy]

That's great and all, but how do you know that A. versi is thriving? What if it was just given water?

I'm just researching how other people are keeping avics and looking at their enclosures. By the amount of water on the side of the cage I would assume a very moist environment? But now I am hearing to keep it dry?

 

[BobBarley]

I'm just researching how other people are keeping avics and looking at their enclosures. By the amount of water on the side of the cage I would assume a very moist environment? But now I am hearing to keep it dry?

Youtube videos only give you a glimpse of the t. Perhaps a few minutes of the owner describing how it has been kept thus far not how it has been kept after the video was made. If that A. versi was kept like that every day, it would've died.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

- Arboreal enclosure (i assume you have one) with arboreal Theraphosidae set up.
- Bone dry substrate. And nothing else.
- A water dish, always full. No misting at all... useless, and that noise stress the Theraphosidae.
- Cross ventilation (drill holes on both sides of the enclosure, this point is extremely important, stagnant air kills "Avics").
- Done.

- Show a bit of respect for someone who offered you help, man.

 

[BlueGuy]

I'm looking for positive constructive suggestions not ridicule and shaming thanks.

 

[BobBarley]

I'm looking for positive constructive suggestions not ridicule and shaming thanks.

He was helping you.

 

[BlueGuy]

Youtube videos only give you a glimpse of the t. Perhaps a few minutes of the owner describing how it has been kept thus far not how it has been kept after the video was made. If that A. versi was kept like that every day, it would've died.

Gotcha. What about TarantulaGuy1976? He claims to keep his entire room at 80+ 80+ and has vids on pulling sacs from a. versicolor & p. metallica? Do you think microclimates are just hype? I live in Michigan it's very dry here this time of year. I have 3 humidifiers and live plants all over the house to keep the ambient humidity at around 40%.

 

[BobBarley]

Gotcha. What about TarantulaGuy1976? He claims to keep his entire room at 80+ 80+ and has vids on pulling sacs from a. versicolor & p. metallica? Do you think microclimates are just hype? I live in Michigan it's very dry here this time of year. I have 3 humidifiers and live plants all over the house to keep the ambient humidity at around 40%.

That's because he kept his whole t room at 80% humidity. I live in California and it is also very dry here. I keep my Avic with a full water dish and an overall dry environment.

- Arboreal enclosure (i assume you have one) with arboreal Theraphosidae set up.
- Bone dry substrate. And nothing else.
- A water dish, always full. No misting at all... useless, and that noise stress the Theraphosidae.
- Cross ventilation (drill holes on both sides of the enclosure, this point is extremely important, stagnant air kills "Avics").
- Done.

- Show a bit of respect for someone who offered you help, man.

Chris sums it up ^

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Gotcha. What about TarantulaGuy1976? He claims to keep his entire room at 80+ 80+ and has vids on pulling sacs from a. versicolor & p. metallica? Do you think microclimates are just hype? I live in Michigan it's very dry here this time of year. I have 3 humidifiers and live plants all over the house to keep the ambient humidity at around 40%.

TarantulaGuy1976 is a joke IMO. Years ago was put in a sort of pedestal "status" by some people, here. Laughable. A genus Theraphosa in his back, crawling all around his body... bitten several times... with all the respect and all for him, of course.

We have more or less the same age (1979) but thank God my Theraphosidae mentor, back then in '92 (after few years of WC true spiders) wasn't like him.