How often do you deep clean?

magicmed

Arachnobaron
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Jun 4, 2016
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Just wondering what everyone's personal preference was on deep cleaning. By this I mean removing the T from the enclosure, taking everything out for a wash and give fresh substrate? I figured you wouldn't want to do it very often as it would destroy all webbing and basically be a new enclosure for the t when done, but it's gotta be done some time, right? Spot cleaning doesn't get everything
 

Trenor

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Unless there is a major problem I don't. As long as basic cleaning is done you shouldn't have too much issue.
 

magicmed

Arachnobaron
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Excellent thank you much. :) I figured not often at all but I didn't want to neglect anything
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
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I haven't deep cleaned my G. porteri's enclosure in about two years. As @Trenor said, you only need to do that if you have a bad mold or mite infestation.
 

shining

Arachnodemon
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I meticulously spot clean and do a "deep clean" once a year or two. You don't even really need to do that, I just do that from my habits of the herp husbandry (they get the deep clean twice a year) and it makes me feel safer from something I can not see like a buried bolus or mummified prey item.
 

Poec54

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Never. You destroy their homes, the one place of security they have in the world. You can use forceps/tweezers to spot clean. If you have adequate cross ventilation, mold/mites aren't an issue, even with moist substrate.
 

louise f

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Never do the deep dive cleaning, and never had. Well i would have if there is something really bad going on in there, as mold or mites, or other "funny" stuff.

Yes if i need to do a rehouse then i do. :) Beside from that if you just take out boluses, molts. And they have the needed ventilation, and dont keep the sub to moist, you will probably never have issues with mold or mites, others. ;)
 

magicmed

Arachnobaron
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Awesome :) that really puts My mind at ease. Like shining said it's probably just habbit from caring for reptiles lol. I'll make sure I just keep up on spot cleaning and never deep clean.
 

chanda

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I keep a variety of inverts in addition to T's, and I really only do a full deep-clean when I rehouse (to prepare the enclosure for the next inhabitant) or if I start to get mites or mushrooms or mold in one of the enclosures. The one who seems to need deep cleaning the most often is the Scolopendra subspinipes because I keep the substrate in his enclosure a little on the moist side. I've been letting it dry out more in between watering, though - and so far, it seems to be working. The Ts usually don't require more than the occasional spot-clean to remove dead crickets, clean out the water dishes (why is it that almost every T I've ever owned seems determined to fill, web, bury, overturn, or otherwise dispose of their water dish?) and wipe down the glass from time to time.
 

Poec54

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why is it that almost every T I've ever owned seems determined to fill, web, bury, overturn, or otherwise dispose of their water dish?

Very simple. To tarantulas water bowls are like potholes around their retreat; they could stumble over them when they have to race back inside when there's predator or other hazard. They need a smooth, fast track to get to safety.
 

Ellenantula

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I've never needed to do a deep clean either. I spot clean - remove any bolus I find, replace pooped-up water dishes. Good luck.
 

Abyss

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Apr 15, 2016
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Everyone already said it so i will only add this.
How often would you prefer someone tear the roof off of your house, move all your stuff around (and possibly steal 1/2 of it an replace it with dif stuff), possibly capture you in a small box, then plop you back in and expect everything to be peaches an cream?
Thats exactly how often the T's want you to do it to them ;)
 

Estein

Arachnoknight
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Feb 11, 2016
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Is it worth doing a deep clean to get to an exuvium that hasn't been thrown out of the burrow yet? Or is there far less concern when it comes to an exuvium staying in for awhile vs a food bolus?
My other T always molts above ground so I haven't had to worry about this until getting my first sling.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
 

Toxoderidae

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Is it worth doing a deep clean to get to an exuvium that hasn't been thrown out of the burrow yet? Or is there far less concern when it comes to an exuvium staying in for awhile vs a food bolus?
My other T always molts above ground so I haven't had to worry about this until getting my first sling.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
the exuvia does not mold or anything like that. I only grab mine because I love them. You can leave it in there without worry.
 

Estein

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Feb 11, 2016
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Exuvia = singular
Exuviae = plural
Exuvium = not a word ;)
Can I ask for your reference? Exuvium is the term used for a molted exoskeleton in Ranier Foelix's Biology of Spiders (3rd edition), among other textbooks. Exuvia is listed as the plural.
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
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"An exuvia (plural exuviae) is the cast-off outer skin of an arthropod after a moult. In some species the exuvia is eaten soon after the moult although in other species it is left. For example, the exuviae of cicadas can often been seen on the surface of trees."
https://www.amentsoc.org/insects/glossary/terms/exuvia

However, exuvium is a word, I was wrong about that - it simply is not what we're referring to here. Close, though.
 
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