mold problem!

[msc02f]

hello all.
i am relatively new to the hobby and brand new to the board (just joined today for help with this problem). i recently acquired an Avic. metallica sling. i re-housed her(hopefully) in a plastic display container - the kind you get at michaels - with small holes melted into opposite sides and the top, vermiculite for substrate, and piece of pet store wood glued in place for climbing.
- the problem: after about a week i noticed some light green mold forming around the base of the wooden stick. in an attempt to remedy situation, i removed everything, cleaned the enclosure, cleaned and baked the wood, changed the substrate, and at least tripled the amount of ventilation holes.
- update: it has been 2 weeks and i noticed the mold is back. is the piece of mopani wood the culprit? inadequate ventilation? please check out the pictures included and any help will be greatly appreciated. thank you.

oh, shes kept at about 80 degrees F. i do not have a humidity guage and therefore have no humidity information to relate.

 

[codykrr]

that is the wrong wood to use if you dont want mold. I suggest cork bark.

its more pricey, but to get cheap pieces go to petsmart(if you have one) and buy the pieces ment for hermit crabs. its usually 2 or 3 bucks for 2 to 3 small pieces.

it comes in a bag just like this one only it is called cork bark

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752469 NOTE- that isnt the cork bark i suggest but rather showing what it comes in. if you go to your local petsmart and find this, chances are its sitting right next to it.

 

[JamieC]

I have had similar problems even with cork bark. Like you I increased the ventilation but the mold kept on coming back. I now use springtails. They eat mold/fungus. My mold problems dissapeared over night and they are harmless to T's.

I live in the UK so I'm not sure what is available where you are, but I'm sure there is something similar that can cure your problem

 

[msc02f]

thank you for the suggestion. i had a feeling it was the mopani wood!

 

[deep9]

The enclosure look quite big for that little spider. And I would take out the waterbowl and mist the substrate and sides twice a week instead.

 

[msc02f]

that is more or less the misting regiment i employ. regarding the waterbowl, ive caught her drinking from it on multiple occasions.

 

[deep9]

that is more or less the misting regiment i employ. regarding the waterbowl, ive caught her drinking from it on multiple occasions.

Yeah..just don't have to much water in it, so it can drown. But if I see your picture right, you have a piece of cotton ball in the bowl? Doesn't that collect bacteria? Better to fill up the bowl with a few small stones.

 

[lunashimmer]

Yikes!

Please, please take the cotton ball out of the water dish!!!!

This holds bacteria and is bad, bad, bad for the T!!!

 

[funguy@heart]

It could be the wood, but do you have any moss in there. Moss makes the soil acidic and mold won't grow. Easy solution.

 

[crawltech]

take a closer look at the water bowl, before everyone freaks out...its clearly a nice polished stone of some type ;P

...and about the wood...it will prolly show mold like that until it drys all the way thru....it may seem dry already, but i bet ya its still fairly moist inside....it looks like a pretty dense wood, very capable of retaining moisture on the down lo

 

[smallara98]

Please, please take the cotton ball out of the water dish!!!!

This holds bacteria and is bad, bad, bad for the T!!!

Ya man dont cry. Doesnt look like cotton. Anyways, I got this same problem with my versicolor 4in female. Doesnt affect them (unless it gets on them). I then scrape it off with my finger, or spoon, put some isopods in there, and it should be fine!

 

[codykrr]

Mopani wood wille eventually quit molding if it is kept wet according to people who use it in dart from enclosures.

from my readings at dendroboard.com (frog forum) it is not uncommon for this particular wood to mold for about a month before it finally "rests" and quits molding.

either way id switch to cork bark.

also to the person who said they had cork bark mold.

that was most likely cause by poor stripping of the cork tree. if a piece of the wood from the tree is actually attached to the back side of the bark it will mold. but the bark itself really wont.

that is why when i buy a new slab of cork bark i take a spoon and scrape off anything on the back that looks like wood remnants.

 

[JamieC]

also to the person who said they had cork bark mold.

that was most likely cause by poor stripping of the cork tree. if a piece of the wood from the tree is actually attached to the back side of the bark it will mold. but the bark itself really wont.

that is why when i buy a new slab of cork bark i take a spoon and scrape off anything on the back that looks like wood remnants.

The main cause of mold in the enclosure is due to the lack of airflow in a warm, moist environment. While changing the wood will help, it won't completely cure the problem.

Heating, humidity and good air flow are difficult to maintain and I found it tough to balance all 3 until I started using springtails and woodlice. They are enclosure dustbin men, they eat mold/fungus, remove leftover crickets and even eat poo off the sides of my enclosures. They really are a must have. You'll soon forget what mold looks like!

 

[lunashimmer]

Sorry...

...about freaking out about what looked like a dirty piece of cotton to me!!!!! :8o

 

[curiousme]

I would definitely add more ventilation on the 2 sides that have none. Then I would get a piece of cork bark to replace the stick that is in there. If you need a quicker/ cheaper solution, fake aquarium plants work well to anchor web on. Not the prettiest or realistic, but it gets the job done! The water dish is fine!

Welcome to the hobby!

 

[codykrr]

The main cause of mold in the enclosure is due to the lack of airflow in a warm, moist environment. While changing the wood will help, it won't completely cure the problem.

Heating, humidity and good air flow are difficult to maintain and I found it tough to balance all 3 until I started using springtails and woodlice. They are enclosure dustbin men, they eat mold/fungus, remove leftover crickets and even eat poo off the sides of my enclosures. They really are a must have. You'll soon forget what mold looks like!

I am well aware of the the causes of mold. but increasing airflow isnt always a sure fire way either. I use peat moss as a substrate instead of coco coir, which has a higher acidity. that helped with mold problems alot.

i keep my t room at 78 degrees all year and i keep a lot of Nw sp. therfore chances of mold are higher. yet i still havent had any since changing to peat moss, and cork bark.

 

[JamieC]

I am well aware of the the causes of mold. but increasing airflow isnt always a sure fire way either. I use peat moss as a substrate instead of coco coir, which has a higher acidity. that helped with mold problems alot.

Yes, sorry I'm aware of that. The info was intended mainly for the OP, sorry I wasn't clearer on that.

I agree, increasing the air flow sometimes does no good and the enclosure becomes unsightly with air holes everywhere. Your right, coco coir is no good, I also changed to peat moss for my substrate and I use springtails too just to be safe.

 

[BorisTheSpider]

I use springtails too just to be safe.

Where do you get them ?

 

[JamieC]

Where do you get them ?

www.dartfrog.co.uk

I get Tropical Springtail Culture (Folsomia candida) £4.99

They do ship worldwide, however they state the following:

Please note we only ship live insects to the UK and EEC. Any live foods shipped outside these areas is purely at your own risk & you should check local/national law as too determine whether it is legal to receive them in your country.

Hope this helps.

 

[BorisTheSpider]

Cool . I didn't know that they came in cultures . Thanks for the info .

edit ~ found and ordered some , thanks again .