Cleaning an Enclosure after a T dies.

[ApexApinkPanda]

I washed the enclosure with super hot water, poured 91% Isopropyl Alcohol on it then rinsed with super hot water and dried with a cloth. Is this good, over kill, or not enough. I have no idea why the last P. Cambridgi died and didn't want to take chances.
Also, when your spot cleaning dead stuff out of enclosures or putting in fresh webbing, what do do when when it would destroy a large part of a T's webbing? I hate damaging the webbing but I don't want a mold explosion or nasty water to kill a T either. Lastly, after cleaning the enclosure out my hand feels like it's on fire, P. Cambaridgi don't have Urticating hairs right?

 

[Tarantuland]

I never used alcohol to clean an enclosure. Someone else here will know more than me on that, but it seems unnecessary. P cambridgei don't have urticating hairs. Dont worry about destroying webbing unless the spider is in heavy premolt, the spider will spin more.

putting in fresh webbing

...what?

 

[Almadabes]

I think the alcohol is prob overkill. It likely wasnt mold that killed them unless you had a huuuuge outbreak or something.

When reusing old enclosures. I pretty much only use hot water and paper towells.

 

[Poonjab]

one of two things. One: Randomly died for unknown reasons (yes, it happens). Two: poor husbandry. This includes incorrect setup. Soap and water is good enough for a clean out.

 

[ApexApinkPanda]

putting in fresh webbing

That was putting in fresh water... I'm not sure how that happened. The other two P. Cambridgi's are doing very well. I've gone over the husbandry dozens of times and I don't see anything I've did or did not do for that T that was bad. It's a Tarantula Cribs Small Arboreal enclosure so I'm sure that wasn't the problem. Is it wrong to use tap water?

 

[KaroKoenig]

Is it wrong to use tap water?

Depends. I have been to places where the tap water smelled and tasted like water from an indoor swimming pool. Plus salt. If tap water is heavily chlorinated, I wouldn't use it.

 

[Braden]

I use half distilled and half filtered tap water for my T's

 

[Edan bandoot]

Don't worry about destroying web, they're built to web and they go through a hell of alot worse in the wild.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

I washed the enclosure with super hot water, poured 91% Isopropyl Alcohol on it then rinsed with super hot water and dried with a cloth. Is this good, over kill, or not enough.

Overkill, soap and water is generally good enough. I've used a 10% bleach solution in the one instance I've known for sure that parasites were the cause of death (a WC A. avic that had nematodes).

Also, when your spot cleaning dead stuff out of enclosures or putting in fresh webbing, what do do when when it would destroy a large part of a T's webbing?

Wreck the webbing, the tarantula can make more webbing.

I hate damaging the webbing but I don't want a mold explosion or nasty water to kill a T either.

Mould is a non-issue, it will not kill your tarantula, the conditions in which mould thrive are more of a threat to the tarantula than the mould itself.

Lastly, after cleaning the enclosure out my hand feels like it's on fire, P. Cambaridgi don't have Urticating hairs right?

Psalmopoeus spp. don't have urticating hairs. Did you reuse the substrate from a NW that does? If it's coco fibre you could also be allergic to it, that would cause a similar reaction.

Is it wrong to use tap water?

I guess it depends on what your water is like but I've used tap water for 5 years and never had an issue.

 

[viper69]

I washed the enclosure with super hot water, poured 91% Isopropyl Alcohol on it then rinsed with super hot water and dried with a cloth. Is this good, over kill, or not enough. I have no idea why the last P. Cambridgi died and didn't want to take chances.
Also, when your spot cleaning dead stuff out of enclosures or putting in fresh webbing, what do do when when it would destroy a large part of a T's webbing? I hate damaging the webbing but I don't want a mold explosion or nasty water to kill a T either. Lastly, after cleaning the enclosure out my hand feels like it's on fire, P. Cambaridgi don't have Urticating hairs right?

Fine cleaning

No Psalmos have UrS, they are like OWs there.

I don’t care about ruining webbing generally. They will remake as needed.

 

[spideyspinneret78]

Soap and water is fine, you can also use some diluted vinegar as a mild disinfectant then wash it really thoroughly. At the zoo I used to work at we often used vinegar to clean enclosures of animals that were more sensitive to harsher chemicals (birds, inverts, etc). You can let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then really thoroughly wash it.

 

[Danzog]

Overkill, soap and water..

 

[Braden]

Vinegar is good, as always rinse with distilled water to avoid water stains