Fungus/mold on tarantula?

[SilverFox]

Hi guys,

In the last week my G. pulchra has developed this light gray fuzzy stuff on her abdomen. She's also been sitting in the same corner of her enclosure with her abdomen sticking up in the air. Usually she's pretty active. I'm concerned that she may have some sort of fungal infection. I used a dry q-tip to wipe it off but there's still some left.

I just cleaned her cage last week and her abdomen looked fine then (a Jul 9th pic of her shows no gray fuzzy stuff). I haven't been misting her cage as it's humid right now, but she has a water bowl.

I'm including photos. Pink spot on the side of her abdomen is just a bald spot. I did a close up of before and after I cleaned her abdomen.

Does this look like some sort of fungal infection to you guys, and if so, any tips on how to help her?

 

[Myrlina]

Fuzz looks like loose urticating hairs. When you say you cleaned the enclosure do you mean you replaced all the substrate? It's not surprising the T would be stressed after that. Also, there is no need to mist a G. pulchra at any time.

 

[Sambro]

Could you take a picture of the whole enclosure?

I have a feeling you may be keeping your G.Pulchra incorrectly. Firstly you should not be misting down the enclosure.
The G.Pulchra will thrive on dry substrate with a full water dish. (Unless a sling, then we do recommend some extra moisture, but not stuffy and dank conditions)

I noticed your G.Pulchra has a bald spot from kicking hairs, most likely due to being disturbed and being cleaned with a Q-tip. Interactions with you T, should be kept at a complete minimum. There should be no reason to be cleaning your T, they will handle all grooming duties themselves.

In terms of mold, this should no way be an issue if kept on dry substrate, which others will highly recommend. If you have a mold issue, replace the substrate and make sure you keep it dry. Unless you're keeping an Asian species or something that prefers a more humid environment, then you should never see mold. If you are seeing mold, then you're keeping your T incorrectly.

I feel you may need to do some further research into husbandry and caring for you tarantula. I would recommend Tom's big spiders.

Feel free to take a read up on the following guides

Beginner Guides

tomsbigspiders.com

I have also included a YouTube link for the G.Pulchra

Best of luck and don't forget to update us!

 

[viper69]

Hi guys,

In the last week my G. pulchra has developed this light gray fuzzy stuff on her abdomen. She's also been sitting in the same corner of her enclosure with her abdomen sticking up in the air. Usually she's pretty active. I'm concerned that she may have some sort of fungal infection. I used a dry q-tip to wipe it off but there's still some left.

I just cleaned her cage last week and her abdomen looked fine then (a Jul 9th pic of her shows no gray fuzzy stuff). I haven't been misting her cage as it's humid right now, but she has a water bowl.

I'm including photos. Pink spot on the side of her abdomen is just a bald spot. I did a close up of before and after I cleaned her abdomen.

Does this look like some sort of fungal infection to you guys, and if so, any tips on how to help her?
View attachment 391318 View attachment 391314 View attachment 391314 View attachment 391314 View attachment 391315 View attachment 391316

99.9% sure it’s not mold, but UrS. Many Ts do this.

 

[SilverFox]

Hi guys, thanks for the feedback. I'll provide some additional information. I tried to wipe off the stuff on her abdomen just to figure out what it is, that's the first time I've done such a thing. I don't regularly mist her cage, just every once in a while, but I'll stop doing that from now on. It's humid in the house because I don't have AC, not because her cage is damp. By cleaning her cage, yes, I removed her from the cage and cleaned out the substrate. I rarely mess with her or her cage. The bald spot was there before I touched a q-tip to her back. I've never had her kick hairs at me before, not that she couldn't have done it. It's good to know you guys think it's just loose hairs and not some sort of fungus/disease, but what about the way she's sitting in her cage? That's not in response to me touching her with the q tip or being in the room. She's literally has been sitting like that for days. It's what made me notice the fuzzy stuff to begin with. Do you think it's just because she's stressed? I can send a habitat pic later today.

 

[Neonblizzard]

You Q tipped your tarantula??

Hi guys, thanks for the feedback. I'll provide some additional information. I tried to wipe off the stuff on her abdomen just to figure out what it is, that's the first time I've done such a thing. I don't regularly mist her cage, just every once in a while, but I'll stop doing that from now on. It's humid in the house because I don't have AC, not because her cage is damp. By cleaning her cage, yes, I removed her from the cage and cleaned out the substrate. I rarely mess with her or her cage. The bald spot was there before I touched a q-tip to her back. I've never had her kick hairs at me before, not that she couldn't have done it. It's good to know you guys think it's just loose hairs and not some sort of fungus/disease, but what about the way she's sitting in her cage? That's not in response to me touching her with the q tip or being in the room. She's literally has been sitting like that for days. It's what made me notice the fuzzy stuff to begin with. Do you think it's just because she's stressed? I can send a habitat pic later today.

The position is the "scorpion" my chalcodes loves to do it too

 

[Sambro]

Hi guys, thanks for the feedback. I'll provide some additional information. I tried to wipe off the stuff on her abdomen just to figure out what it is, that's the first time I've done such a thing. I don't regularly mist her cage, just every once in a while, but I'll stop doing that from now on. It's humid in the house because I don't have AC, not because her cage is damp. By cleaning her cage, yes, I removed her from the cage and cleaned out the substrate. I rarely mess with her or her cage. The bald spot was there before I touched a q-tip to her back. I've never had her kick hairs at me before, not that she couldn't have done it. It's good to know you guys think it's just loose hairs and not some sort of fungus/disease, but what about the way she's sitting in her cage? That's not in response to me touching her with the q tip or being in the room. She's literally has been sitting like that for days. It's what made me notice the fuzzy stuff to begin with. Do you think it's just because she's stressed? I can send a habitat pic later today.

I've had another look and she just looks in a stressed position (You'll be surprised what funny positions that they can make. I have an arboreal Juvi Cyriopagopus sp. Hati Hati, that spends most of its time upside down in its webbing.)

 

[SilverFox]

I just gently brushed her back so I could figure out what was on it. Honestly, some other person suggested it on an old thread about mold/fungus.

You Q tipped your tarantula??

The position is the "scorpion" my chalcodes loves to do it too

I gently

 

[Myrlina]

I'm pretty sure your T is just stressed from the sub change, it will probably settle down. If you would like to share a pic of the enclosure that might be useful. I don't know why people are freaking out about the q-tip, it is hardly likely to cause a problem.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Just urticating hairs that have been dislodged. Mould tends to only grow on dead tarantulas, and the types of fungi that parasitise live ones you'll probably never encounter as a keeper.

 

[Dorifto]

The more you rub your T with Qtips the more hair will dislodge, causing a bald spot on your T.

 

[SilverFox]

It's a 10 gallon aquarium with a screen top.

 

[Dorifto]

It's a 10 gallon aquarium with a screen top.
View attachment 391393

Add more substrate, specially on the cork bark side. I'd burrow the cork bark and make a slope to the topside of the bark to give him a more usable area.

That posture, is a defensive posture when they feel threatened or indefense. Giving him more or better places to hide could solve that situation.

 

[Scorpiobsession]

It's a 10 gallon aquarium with a screen top.
View attachment 391393

I would cut the cork bark to a U shape and bury the end of it in so it makes a 45* angle. Currently there aren't any safe places to hide. You could also try covering 1-3 sides.

 

[VaporRyder]

Yeah, it does look very bright in there - even in the cork tube. Probably feels quite exposed.

Agree with cutting the cork bark. I would cut it in half longitudinally and diagonally, to create a cave - if that makes sense? - in fact 2 caves.

 

[Eiki]

It's a 10 gallon aquarium with a screen top.
View attachment 391393

Needs more substrate, all grammostolas are opportunistic burrowers. That cork bark is not a proper hide, as it leads to a transparent glass. You should have a hide that is closed off on all sides (apart from the entrance of course). If you don't have smth like that, burrow it into the ground. Water dish is dirty, clean it more often. I don't think there's anything wrong with the spider itself, just needs better husbandry and less stress.

 

[VaporRyder]

The other thing I’m wondering - and it’s just a thought - is that since the behaviour only seems to have started recently, if I understand correctly, then maybe there is something in the substrate that’s irritating her? Could she therefore be trying to get her abdomen as far off the ground as possible?

 

[Eiki]

The other thing I’m wondering - and it’s just a thought - is that since the behaviour only seems to have started recently, if I understand correctly, then maybe there is something in the substrate that’s irritating her? Could she therefore be trying to get her abdomen as far off the ground as possible?

It would climb the cork bark and stay there then or would just chill on the wall. Probably is just stressed, considering it's trying to hide in a corner in a position like this.