Mystery Eggs

[Bjorgly]

Hi all,

In my A.seemani's 10 gal talk today, i notices several small patches of whitish-yellowish eggs that appeared to be covered by web. I saw some patches near the water dish and some near the edges of the cage. I looked down the side of the cage and near the bottom of 4 inches of substrate i noticed some up against the glass as well, also covered by a web-looking substance. Since they were that far down the spider sure did not put them there and i don't see how a cricket could lay eggs there either. I am moving the 4"seemani out of the cage into a 5 gal one anyways because she hardly uses more than 50% of the cage anyhow, and no point in taking the added height risk of a 10 gal if I don't have to. Also i'm moving her because of the mystery eggs and some possible eggs/mold where she always sits. THe cage is at 74-82 F and around 70-80% humidity at all times but there is no misting, the cage is bone dry.

Any ideas of what these "eggs" could be?

Thanks,

Mark

 

[Jesse607]

since I can not see these eggs myself, I may be totally wrong, but I would guess that they may be tarantula poo. I know some of my T's have poo that looks just like eggs covered with silk.

 

[Immortal_sin]

Mark,
can you post a pic? What size are the eggs?

 

[Bjorgly]

It is definately not tarantula poo...I'll try and take some pics of what i haven't taken out of the cage....The eggs appear to be too large for a cricket to produce and probably too small for a tarantula to produce (they dont make eggs like this anyways, their in a sac).

Mark

 

[sabre]

i know exactly what you are talking about and it's a mold, you can remove it but it'll grow back again.

 

[Bjorgly]

Sabre, do you know how it originates?
I'd really like to prevent this if possible.

Mark

 

[sabre]

i don't know how it originates, but i stopped it by thoroughly microwaving the substrate before i used it.

 

[Kugellager]

I'd also guess that it was mold.

There are thousands of mold spores in the air of any room. Even if he had microwaved the substrate he could get mold...though it would reduce the potential for mold growth for longer than if the substrate were not microwaved. Eventually enough spores would get into any enclosure that under the right moisture conditions it could grow.

You might try increasing the % of peat in your substrate mix as the acidic pH greatly decreases the potential for mold growth. I use 100% peat for most of my jungle(high humidty) enclosures. The only time I ever see mold is if I am not diligent in picking up dead cricket pieces. The peat tends to keep the mold confined only to the the dead animal matter. I have yet to see any on the peat itself.

Just a little info about the fungus among us.

John
];')

 

[Bjorgly]

Well, I found some more of this egg-like mold on my A.geniculata's cage up against the glass 5 inches down in the substrate. I don't think it is doing anything so I'll assume a total cage clean isn't necessary yet. I'll get some pics and post them tonight.

Mark