My slings died.

[Brendon1127]

Over the last 2 months I have had 10 slings just randomly die. I keep them all on a schedule water, food etc. I thought it could be the dirt mix I used. But the rest do fine no issues. I keep a variety of Ts. My question is how often does this happen to others? Or am i doing something wrong? The ones I thought would give me the trouble are my ones that are flushing.

 

[Tarantuland]

What species have you lost and how were they kept? Without more info, it's anybody's guess, but I doubt you'd lost 10 in 2 months unless you have hundreds from breeding or something. Can you post pics of these enclosures? What is the dirt mixed you used that you're suspicious of?

 

[Brendon1127]

The mix was cocoa fiber and top soil.
Neoholotheie incei, Trinidad olive 2
P. Metallica 1
Pumpkin patch 3
Hat,hati. 1.
Orphaneus sp quezon blue. 1
All set ups were basic sling enclosures the slings were any were for 1/2 to 1 1/4 .
I was feeding all of the redrunner roaches.

These are my basic enclosures I use for my slings.

 

[Tarantuland]

Oh wow thats all different kinds. I'd change any others on that soil just to be safe

 

[viper69]

The mix was cocoa fiber and top soil.
Neoholotheie incei, Trinidad olive 2
P. Metallica 1
Pumpkin patch 3
Hat,hati. 1.
Orphaneus sp quezon blue. 1
All set ups were basic sling enclosures the slings were any were for 1/2 to 1 1/4 .
I was feeding all of the redrunner roaches.

No one loses that many slings unless something is wrong.

Incei, pumpkin are both tough as nails
P mets are easy as well.

SOMETHING is wrong

 

[cold blood]

They look WAY too damp.

Moisture is a dangerous thing...people are always worried about too little, but too little is much safer than too much.

I hate vials as their lack of ventilation (top only) makes for little in the way of air movement....fine if dry, but add just a touch too much moisture and things can go downhill shockingly quick. They are fine, but they're just not beginner friendly at all.

What I suspect happened was spring brought in warm, humid air. Too much moisture can be gotten away with in the dry winter, but in the summer humidity it turns quickly into a death trap.

 

[Wolfram1]

good point cb.
is it just me, or does the soil look almost wet in all enclosures

 

[Lobstersign]

Are you using tap water? Some tap water has minerals in it that can really harm animals. If you do use tap water I suggest switching to bottled water.

 

[8 legged]

Are you using tap water? Some tap water has minerals in it that can really harm animals. If you do use tap water I suggest switching to bottled water.

I've never heard that before, which minerals should that be? Is there a source of information?

 

[KaroKoenig]

I've never heard that before, which minerals should that be? Is there a source of information?

Depending on where you live, tap water can be very high in NaCl content, or heavily chlorinated. These, I would suspect, are not healthy for invertebrates long-term. Other stuff, like sulphates or carbonates - probably not that big a deal.

 

[8 legged]

Depending on where you live, tap water can be very high in NaCl content, or heavily chlorinated. These, I would suspect, are not healthy for invertebrates long-term. Other stuff, like sulphates or carbonates - probably not that big a deal.

Ok, that sounds logical. I myself only use elaborately filtered water (no osmosis but similar), because I don't want any limescale stains in the Terra.

 

[Wolfram1]

in most cases the water is harmless though, and its the amount that's harmful

before i got my first tarantula i once cought a common black spider, not sure of the exact species, in my local forest and assumed it would like it moist and only put in a big leaf and some wet moss in a corner.
it was dead the next morning. that was a horrible experience and since then i am always apprehensive about putting too much sphagnum-moss into my enclosures and make sure not to over-saturate my substrate because that is a damn fast killer

 

[Lobstersign]

I've never heard that before, which minerals should that be? Is there a source of information?

There could be but I was just remembering a personal experience I had when I was younger.
I used to have budgie birds. Once one got extremely sick (close to dying kind of ill) when I took him to the vet I was told that the tap water in the city I lived in at the time had minerals in it that were quite harmful to smaller animals. She had seen similar sick animals brought in before. She told me to switch to bottled water. Once I started using bottled water my bird recovered.

Since then I have been very paranoid about using tap water and have only ever used bottled water for my pets.

I know that water does very greatly from city to city. The small town I used to live in the quality of the water varied just from the area you lived in.

 

[Smotzer]

I second/thhird too much moisture in the substrate leading to stagnant and swampy conditions

 

[sasker]

I keep them all on a schedule water, food etc.

I never use a schedule. I feed and provide water according to needs, not a schedule. Perhaps that's how you overwatered the terrariums? Keep adding water because the schedule said so, instead of looking if it is needed to provide water?

The ones I thought would give me the trouble are my ones that are flushing.

I don't know what you mean by that. What is flushing in this context?

 

[Brendon1127]

So far I have changed all soil over to a new mix. And only give water once a week

 

[Smotzer]

So far I have changed all soil over to a new mix. And only give water once a week

IS the substrate also soaking wet as in the photos you have provided, its looking like that is what killed all of them unless you hhave had exposure to toxic chemicals like pesticides such as topical flee treatment. 10 slings dying is a human error; moisture issue or chemical it would seem, coco-fiber and straight topsoil would not do that.

and what is the new mix exactly?

 

[sasker]

And only give water once a week

But do you also look if adding water seems required once a week, or do you give water regardless? Your enclosures are so wet, that it may take more than a month for them to completely dry out. My advice, after you have changed the substrate: only add water when the substrate looks like it needs some water. Same with food. Some slings grow fast and could use food more regularly. Others may need less food, or are in premoult and not eating at all. Forget schedules, just adjust your care to the needs of your animals. You have different species with different needs. Don't treat them all exactly the same, if that's what you are doing.

 

[koldaar]

I'm just throwing this out there, but were the slings laying on their backs when you thought they were dead? Were the legs curled up around them when they died or were they on their backs with legs splayed outwards? I don't know your level of expertise here so that's why I'm asking these questions.

 

[cold blood]

Wster should NEVER be added on a schedule....only on an as needed bases....like add water only when things dry out....its ok for things to dry out from time to time, in fact its quite beneficial.