P. irminia enclosure is growing mushrooms

[Tulip]

They’re cool but I have no idea how they ended up there, since this enclosure is been set up the 3rd of January, and since then I haven’t added anything new.

 

[Isaax Critterz]

Humidity might be a factor, when it comes to the more tropical species, Mushrooms and other fungi can grow in such conditions. I'm no mushroom or plant expert.

 

[Wolfram1]

they are fine, as long as you have enough ventilation!

 

[Tulip]

they are fine, as long as you have enough ventilation!

Yeah I’m not worried about them, this enclosure has good cross ventilation and has never had any type of mold. I’m just surprised that they randomly spawned yesterday after months lol. I really like them tho.

 

[Smotzer]

Fungi spores are in every breath we breathe, surface we touch, and soil. It didn’t just appear magically, it’s been there the whole time, just the conditions were met for it to reach fruiting age. It’s not harmful at all either by the way!

 

[Frogdaddy]

While I agree the mushrooms themselves are harmless to the tarantula, it does indicate to me something is askew in that enclosure.

I've never had a mushroom grow in any tarantula enclosure. I had a bit of yellow mold once when an T. albospilosus kept flipping it's water dish. But mushrooms only appear when your substrate is pretty saturated with water. Should a P. irmina enclosure be that wet?

The other thing that really stands out to me from the photo is the amount of mineral deposits on the glass on the left and right sides of the enclosure. You don't get that mineral build up by misting with a hand mister every once in awhile. I've seen those many times before in dart frog vivariums using misting systems. So how much water/moisture is really in that enclosure?

 

[Tulip]

While I agree the mushrooms themselves are harmless to the tarantula, it does indicate to me something is askew in that enclosure.

I've never had a mushroom grow in any tarantula enclosure. I had a bit of yellow mold once when an T. albospilosus kept flipping it's water dish. But mushrooms only appear when your substrate is pretty saturated with water. Should a P. irmina enclosure be that wet?

The other thing that really stands out to me from the photo is the amount of mineral deposits on the glass on the left and right sides of the enclosure. You don't get that mineral build up by misting with a hand mister every once in awhile. I've seen those many times before in dart frog vivariums using misting systems. So how much water/moisture is really in that enclosure?

About the substrate saturated with water, you can clearly see that the substrate is dry in some areas, and on the bottom it is moist but there is no retained water. I water the plants (so no misting) once a week, and maybe I mist once every two/three weeks on the plants leaf. About the deposits on the side, this enclosure is I think 4/5 years old, and has had a P. metallica, a mantis, stick insects and a colony of roaches housed inside through the years. The water here is pretty hard, and years ago when I started keeping inverts I didn’t have a purification water system in my sink, and the minerals through the years have formed those deposits, that are pretty hard to clean off (I would have to use acid but I don’t care about how the glass looks).
My P. irminia has been inside since January, and has molted about two weeks ago. She’s perfectly healthy.

 

[Frogdaddy]

About the substrate saturated with water, you can clearly see that the substrate is dry in some areas, and on the bottom it is moist but there is no retained water. I water the plants (so no misting) once a week, and maybe I mist once every two/three weeks on the plants leaf. About the deposits on the side, this enclosure is I think 4/5 years old, and has had a P. metallica, a mantis, stick insects and a colony of roaches housed inside through the years. The water here is pretty hard, and years ago when I started keeping inverts I didn’t have a purification water system in my sink, and the minerals through the years have formed those deposits, that are pretty hard to clean off (I would have to use acid but I don’t care about how the glass looks).
My P. irminia has been inside since January, and has molted about two weeks ago. She’s perfectly healthy.

So no disinfection between different animals in the enclosure?
For future reference, vinegar and some hard scrubbing work great to remove hard water deposits.

 

[Tulip]

O

So no disinfection between different animals in the enclosure?
For future reference, vinegar and some hard scrubbing work great to remove hard water deposits.

Of course I disinfect the enclosures between one animal and the other. I use vinegar and water, and I have a vaporiser (those things that get the water super hot and create vapor to clean, I don’t know the word in English), but unfortunately some traces are still on the glass, and honestly the lights do make it look worst than it is.

 

[Frogdaddy]

O

Of course I disinfect the enclosures between one animal and the other. I use vinegar and water, and I have a vaporiser (those things that get the water super hot and create vapor to clean, I don’t know the word in English), but unfortunately some traces are still on the glass, and honestly the lights do make it look worst than it is.

Well at least your P. irmina doesn't go right to the front glass to poop like my Avic does
Always right after I clean the glass too

 

[Tulip]

Well at least your P. irmina doesn't go right to the front glass to poop like my Avic does
Always right after I clean the glass too

Oh don’t be fooled, she does, I scrape the glass like twice a week lol

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

Well at least your P. irmina doesn't go right to the front glass to poop like my Avic does
Always right after I clean the glass too

Count yourself lucky, my Avic sprays poo like it's a flamethrower....Everywhere.