- Joined
- Aug 17, 2002
- Messages
- 344
This morning I went to check on my Ts and noticed my smaller T. blondi had molted. I took out the tank, and prepared to retrieve the exuvium when I noticed part of the abdominal skin was still attached. I gently peeled it off with no issues, until one of the spinnertes snagged. With some assistance, the T finally got totally free from the exuvium.
That's when I noticed the maggots crawling on its abdomen. Three days ago I had added some extra moisture to the tank since it had gotten a bit dry, and the spider appreciated it, drinking readily. On the one hand, it is probably good I did so since a molt was so imminent. On the other hand, it got wetter than I expected and apparently attracted the laying of eggs by some form of flying insect. Uusually, the extremity of winter heating takes care of excess moisture for me in a day or two, but not in this case. Fortunately the T had recovered enough from the molt to be standing upright and capable of walking, so I gently removed the three maggots I found on the spider and removed it to a totally dry tank with a large, wide and shallow water dish. My hope is that the infestation was recent and that I've nipped it in the bud before it got out of hand. However, any advice would be appreciated, especially from those who may have been in this situation before. Thanks,
Adrian
That's when I noticed the maggots crawling on its abdomen. Three days ago I had added some extra moisture to the tank since it had gotten a bit dry, and the spider appreciated it, drinking readily. On the one hand, it is probably good I did so since a molt was so imminent. On the other hand, it got wetter than I expected and apparently attracted the laying of eggs by some form of flying insect. Uusually, the extremity of winter heating takes care of excess moisture for me in a day or two, but not in this case. Fortunately the T had recovered enough from the molt to be standing upright and capable of walking, so I gently removed the three maggots I found on the spider and removed it to a totally dry tank with a large, wide and shallow water dish. My hope is that the infestation was recent and that I've nipped it in the bud before it got out of hand. However, any advice would be appreciated, especially from those who may have been in this situation before. Thanks,
Adrian