Is that mold on my T?

Marija Takac

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 25, 2016
Messages
1
Hi guys. I noticed something a day ago on my T's abdomen. White spots that seem bigger today. I tried brushing it off of her but nothing. Could it be mold? If yes should I change the whole substrate and clean the terrarium? How do I prevent this stuff? It worries me that the substrate I bought is too wet. We only have bricks of substrate that you cover with water to loosen it up.
Should I do something with my T or just to clean the terrarium?
Thanks guys.

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trinette

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 14, 2016
Messages
16
Think this is some thing I have worried about previously. Your pics aren't that clear but it's looks like normal hair kicking. Mine go all fluffy at the back close to moult time. Could be that, but there are far more experienced keepers who can address this better than me .
 

Marija Takac

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 25, 2016
Messages
1
Maybe I'm being paranoid. I'm new at this hobby, had her for month and a half. I noticed tiny flies in the enclosure and that bugs me quite a bit. Also, the temperature at Croatia dropped a lot so her enclosure is colder and I always find a lot of condensation at the glass of the tank in the morning. For the last few weeks she never hangs out on the substrate, always on the glass, and didn't eat for more than three weeks, then decided to take a single super worm. She molted maybe six months ago when she was at her previous owner so I don't think it's time for molting again. She is 5 years old, 17 cm leg span.
I think she got scared when I turned the lights on in the room yesterday so she kicked some hairs, not much.

Here are some more pics.

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CEC

Arachnoangel
Arachnosupporter
Joined
Feb 28, 2011
Messages
952
Not mold, that was caused by kicking hairs. To get rid of the flies, keep substrate dry and remove all dead carcasses or boluses immediately to stop them from reproducing. The flies won't hurt your spiders, just a nuisance. ;)
 

Marija Takac

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 25, 2016
Messages
1
Not mold, that was caused by kicking hairs. To get rid of the flies, keep substrate dry and remove all dead carcasses or boluses immediately to stop them from reproducing. The flies won't hurt your spiders, just a nuisance. ;)
Thank you so much for your help, and you too @trinette
I got scared, never seen those kind of hairs. I'll try to clean the enclosure to get rid of flies. Love you guys!
 

trinette

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 14, 2016
Messages
16
Only been keeping t's since last year but you pick up so much fantastic advice on here. X . Won't be long before you're helping out newbies too :)
 

Andrea82

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
3,686
Be careful when cleaning the tank, chances are your L.parahybana has kicked those urticating hairs in her enclosure. Most tarantula do, as a line of defense against intruders. Don't scoop out substrate with bare hands!
 

Marija Takac

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 25, 2016
Messages
1
Only been keeping t's since last year but you pick up so much fantastic advice on here. X . Won't be long before you're helping out newbies too :)
I have much more to learn! Tarantulas are such amazing animals, a new and different experience. I love to look what they are up to, it kerps me entertained. That crazy girl of mine had a mission last week where she was biting the terrarium lid. Such a silly girl :D and to think people say that they are stupid...
 

Marija Takac

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 25, 2016
Messages
1
Be careful when cleaning the tank, chances are your L.parahybana has kicked those urticating hairs in her enclosure. Most tarantula do, as a line of defense against intruders. Don't scoop out substrate with bare hands!
I used a small cup so nothing happned :) . Thanks for the advice!
 

AHMR

Arachnosquire
Joined
Oct 3, 2016
Messages
75
A tip for when using the bricks.
Throw the substrate after it's been expanded with water into a roast pan(I use the throw away ones. So I don't ruin my good one lol). Cook on 300 ish in your oven,tossing the dirt every 30min ish(use tongs as it'll be hot!). It dries it out.
Then let cool(tossing every 15min ish. Again with tongs as its hot at first).
Then tada,dry substrate faster then waiting for it to naturally dry.
 

Marija Takac

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 25, 2016
Messages
1
A tip for when using the bricks.
Throw the substrate after it's been expanded with water into a roast pan(I use the throw away ones. So I don't ruin my good one lol). Cook on 300 ish in your oven,tossing the dirt every 30min ish(use tongs as it'll be hot!). It dries it out.
Then let cool(tossing every 15min ish. Again with tongs as its hot at first).
Then tada,dry substrate faster then waiting for it to naturally dry.
Good advice, never thought of that. Thanks so much.
For soaking the brick it says to immerse it into 3 liters of water but that is just too wet so I immersed it in 1,5 liter only and every once in a while break it with my hands and than it's ok, not too dry, not too wet.
I'll try the oven method too :)
 

AHMR

Arachnosquire
Joined
Oct 3, 2016
Messages
75
Good advice, never thought of that. Thanks so much.
For soaking the brick it says to immerse it into 3 liters of water but that is just too wet so I immersed it in 1,5 liter only and every once in a while break it with my hands and than it's ok, not too dry, not too wet.
I'll try the oven method too :)
That's smart to!lol
I only dried mine out completely cuz my G.Porteri HATES any type of moisture in her substrate lol so I had to eliminate the moisture before adding to her enclosure.
 

Marija Takac

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 25, 2016
Messages
1
That's smart to!lol
I only dried mine out completely cuz my G.Porteri HATES any type of moisture in her substrate lol so I had to eliminate the moisture before adding to her enclosure.
I recently got a juvenile G pulchripes so I'll have to dry out the substrate a bit for her. She is about to molt (I think I'm going to die waiting for her to molt haha, she last ate on september 01.) so I'm keeping the humidity a bit higher for her.
 
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