# How often do you clean the enclosure?



## Zaire (May 17, 2016)

Hello again everyone!

I was wondering how often everyone cleans their enclosures. I was changing the water and spot cleaning daily, but some things that I have read led me to believe I shouldn't do that, and I am trying really hard not to treat my tarantula like my other pets (over twenty years of habit is a bit difficult to break). I have been changing the water twice weekly now and just cleaning up the boluses and wiping off the sides of the enclosure (my tarantula is an Avic. sp ?) once per week. When I clean the sides, it tears up her webbing, and I do not want to stress her. 

Also, I  have simply been using warm water to clean. Is there something else I can use that will not irritate her? I clean my vertebrate cages with diluted vinegar followed by diluted peroxide, followed with warm water, but since I leave Quill in the tank when I clean it, I didn't think I should do that.


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## Chris LXXIX (May 17, 2016)

Basically my maintenance is: the water dish check (daily) because IMO those needs to be full, always. Once a week i took out those for a good cleaning (i use anti-roll, glass ones, not disposable items). I remove prey remains (if there's any, and if i can of course spot those -- it's not exactly easy, ah ah, to remove something you can't even see, like inside a _P.muticus _long burrow, for instance) after one/two days (depends) of T's "dinner time".

Side note: as far as the substrate is concerned, save for cage upgrades (i use always new substrate, btw, save for a bit of "dirt with web" of the previous enclosure, that help the T's to settle more faster into the new home, IMO, since they recognize that) i don't change the substrate "per se". Have T's that are 6/7 years inside the same (always tidy the best i can) substrate.

No mold nor mites issues.


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## Poec54 (May 17, 2016)

No fumes (vinegar) or chemicals.  Everything the spider steps on winds up in it's mouth when it grooms itself after eating and drinking.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Trenor (May 17, 2016)

It's hard to say as there isn't a fast/firm rule. Its different for different Ts and for the different points in their cycle. If a T is eating heavy and leaving a lot of bits all over then it needs cleaning more often then one in premolt where there is not a lot of do. I guess I said all that to say I clean as often as is needed without too much disruption to the T.


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## Flexzone (May 17, 2016)

Moisture dependent T's(Theraphosa sp., Hysterocrates sp., Haplopelma sp.) with moist environments would need more frequent enclosure maintenance(priority) then say my dry-land T's like B. smithi, A. chalcodes, Chromatopelma. etc


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## Ryuti (May 17, 2016)

I feed my Ts before I go to bed and usually remove the bolus in the morning, I take a peek in everyone's enclosure to see how they are, what their water bowl level is at, if they've molted (if they're in premolt) about every other day. 

I haven't had to clean any major messes aside from some bolus' and a bit of mold


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## mistertim (May 17, 2016)

I'll usually spot check enclosures for any obvious stuff (bolus sitting out in the open, any signs of mold, etc) when I'm refilling water dishes so there isn't a hard or set rule. For my Avic I generally try to clean the inside walls when I can, but it depends on how moody she is. Only time I've changed sub is during re-housing.


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## Envoirment (May 17, 2016)

It depends on individual. I haven't had to clean my _G.rosea_ for a few weeks or so since it's fasting and hasn't given me any mess to clean. My _G.acataeon _on the other hand loves to deficate in the water bowl and in hard to reach places, so I usually give its water bowl a clean if I see any poop in it, as well as spot clean its enclosure. Despite having 14 tarantulas, there's a lot less cleaning involved than when I previoulsy had a hamster.


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## Formerphobe (May 17, 2016)

I spot clean boluses and poop as needed. I rarely if ever do a toal change out. I don't remove any webbing except to create a single window for me to see into the enclosure- usually the front opening door for arboreals. When I do clean a peep hole, I use water only.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Venom1080 (May 17, 2016)

i only clean out cages every couple years, if ever. spot clean daily, fill water dish whenever its empty, i do regular daily maintenance on most of my Ts. it doesnt stress them out or bother them much. cleaning poop is unneeded, T poop causes no harm at all. i never clean poop. it doesnt do anything bad and doesnt smell at all. the only reason to clean poop is to be able to view the spider more clearly through the cage.

Reactions: Like 1


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## lalberts9310 (May 17, 2016)

I clean and do maintenance as often as I'm able to. If the T is co-operative that is. If the waterdish is dirty, I clean it and add fresh clean water. I pick out boluses whenever I spot them, as soon as possible. And I'll wipe poo from the sides of the enclosure once a week or so. I just use lukewarm water for cleaning.

However, I rarely clean out substrate, the only time my Ts gets new substrate is during a rehouse.. or if i ever encounter mold or mite infestations (which is rare for me).

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Poec54 (May 17, 2016)

No need to go all Mrs Doubtfire on them, and mess up what they've carefully decorated.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Funny 1


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## gypsy cola (May 17, 2016)

spot clean

full in depth cleaning only happens during upgrades or because I think it looks ugly

Reactions: Agree 1


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## darkness975 (May 17, 2016)

gypsy cola said:


> spot clean
> 
> full in depth cleaning only happens during upgrades or because I think it looks ugly


I second this. Spot Cleaning is really the only thing I do excepting the occasional rehouse or something.


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## Red Eunice (May 17, 2016)

Personally, cage maintenance and watering is a daily task. I remove boluses and poo whenever present, always top off water dishes. If the water dish is fouled with poo or sub, its replaced. I don't change sub, unless its a rehouse, then next occupant gets new sub. Enclosure sides are cleaned with a sponge brush, the type painters use, dipped in warm tap water only. I do my best to avoid destroying their webbing.


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## Bugmom (May 18, 2016)

I take out the "trash" when I feed, but as far as cleaning the sides of poop? I generally don't. By the time it gets that bad, it's probably time for a rehouse anyway, and then the old enclosure is cleaned and set up for it's next occupant. Arboreals that are in their permanent homes might get a cleaning once every 6ish months.


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