Parasite

[AlainL]

Hi!

I have a p.chordatus with parasites around her sternum and they are way to big to be mites, does anyone have any idea on what it is?

I tried to brush them off with no success.

could it be ticks?

 

[cheetah13mo]

Could be seed ticks but that not likely. How moist do you keep your substrate and did you bring in a new T recently that might be infested?

 

[AlainL]

Could be seed ticks but that not likely. How moist do you keep your substrate and did you bring in a new T recently that might be infested?

She is the one infested, she been in quarantine since I got her(1 1/2-2 months ago) an I'm keeping her in a kk with no more substrat, just a water dish.
She add substrat in the beginning but it was very dry.

Seed ticks???I don't know but these parasites does look like white seeds and are impossible to brush off.

Thanks for your reply

 

[avocadoflavo]

Where was the tarantula bought?:liar:

 

[Talkenlate04]

Those look like mites to me. They are seeking moisture. So set him up in an ICU. Change the wet towels every day. The should climb off the T and onto the wet papertowel. It should get a lot of them to get off her. But not all. After she molts get that shed skin out of there as fast as you can.

 

[AlainL]

Those look like mites to me. They are seeking moisture. So set him up in an ICU. Change the wet towels every day. The should climb off the T and onto the wet papertowel. It should get a lot of them to get off her. But not all. After she molts get that shed skin out of there as fast as you can.

Thanks for your reply

Iv'e seen some mites before but these look way bigger than regular mites.
Maybe it's a different type of mites???

 

[Talkenlate04]

They might be a different kind of mite, I am not to familiar with the different kinds, but the big difference between mites and parasites is the shape. Mites are like miny spiders, parasites are almost always worm like and small, some are not so small to.

 

[Stan Schultz]

... I have a p.chordatus with parasites around her sternum and they are way to big to be mites, does anyone have any idea on what it is? ...

Mites. Are you keeping it on damp substrate or misting it regularly? The Pterinochilids are savanna/semi-desert species. They thrive in dry cages. Shame on you! Visit

www.ucalgary.ca/~schultz/mites07.html

for possible remedies.

... could it be ticks?

No. Not at all. All the ticks I've ever heard of are vertebrate parasites. They have complex life histories that almost always require at least two alternate hosts. They'll not have anything to do with other arachnids.

Your tarantula has a mite infestation and you need to do something about it ASAP. If you're also keeping your other tarantulas on damp substrate you're also going to have problems with them soonest. I'd clean the cages of the whole collection and start over with dry substrate and a water dish.

Hope this helps. Best of luck.

 

[AlainL]

Mites. Are you keeping it on damp substrate or misting it regularly? The Pterinochilids are savanna/semi-desert species. They thrive in dry cages. Shame on you! Visit



www.ucalgary.ca/~schultz/mites07.html

for possible remedies.



No. Not at all. All the ticks I've ever heard of are vertebrate parasites. They have complex life histories that almost always require at least two alternate hosts. They'll not have anything to do with other arachnids.

Your tarantula has a mite infestation and you need to do something about it ASAP. If you're also keeping your other tarantulas on damp substrate you're also going to have problems with them soonest. I'd clean the cages of the whole collection and start over with dry substrate and a water dish.

Hope this helps. Best of luck.

Why would I keep Pterinochilus on damp substrat?
My substrat is bone dry, that's the reason why I think these are not mites.
I'm not gonna clean all my enclosures since I have about 60 of them and none of my other t are infected.
the chordatus is in quarantine by the way.

Thanks!

 

[sparular]

There are about 10,000 species of mite in over 700 genera. Their living requirements (like moisture) and size are as varied as (or more) those of tarantulas. So just because it's dry or they are big doesn't mean that it is not a mite. Ticks and mites are related and look similar and it really doesn't matter which you have (I'd bet big money it's a mite). It is no good for your T either way.
If they have been thriving in dry conditions on a spider that lives in dry conditions, they probably like it dry. I'd hit them with some humidity in a clean ICU like someone suggested. Heck maybe even give your spider a bath, did you know that tarantulas can swim? It might just shake most of them off, but I'd bet they have eggs in the cage or on the spider.
I don't have a lot of experience with mites on tarantulas (mostly on plants), but i imagine a molt is a good cure. If you see premolt behavior, I'd put her in a new cage with no substrate and move her to a third sterilized cage as soon as she can move after the molt. Also remove the old molt as soon as she molts. As far as medicines, I've heard that cinnamon repels some mites, maybe try putting some ground cinnamon in a sachet in an ICU and see if the mites crawl off of your spider. A little theraputic potpourri.
Spar.

 

[GoTerps]

Honestly, my suggestion at this point is not to worry about it. There's no reason to suggest they're causing any problem.

Eric

 

[verry_sweet]

I was doing research on an unrelated topic and found out about these guys. They are Parasitellus fucorum, which are bee mites but through my search I have found them on other predatory isects. I figured they can basically hitch a ride on anything they come in contact with.

I remebered this thread and thought it might be usefull. The picture isnt very clear but they sorta kinda look like the mites the T has.

http://www.biolib.cz/cz/taxonimage/id11379/?taxonid=76770

http://park1.wakwak.com/~mameko-bachi/female_with_mites.gif

This is a picture I took a couple days ago of a giant robber fly, which feeds on bees and other insects. Clearly I would not have been able to take pictures of it if it wasn’t sick. Notice the mite.

 

[Lorgakor]

Mites. Are you keeping it on damp substrate or misting it regularly? The Pterinochilids are savanna/semi-desert species. They thrive in dry cages. Shame on you! Visit

www.ucalgary.ca/~schultz/mites07.html

for possible remedies.



Your tarantula has a mite infestation and you need to do something about it ASAP. If you're also keeping your other tarantulas on damp substrate you're also going to have problems with them soonest. I'd clean the cages of the whole collection and start over with dry substrate and a water dish.

Hope this helps. Best of luck.

Shame on you? Seriously? He did state that it was on dry substrate if you read his posts. And he IS doing something about it, the spider is in quarantine which you clearly didn't read or you wouldn't have told him to clean his whole collection.

I appreciate that you are here and helping folks, but maybe you could read the posts first.

 

[AlainL]

Shame on you? Seriously? He did state that it was on dry substrate if you read his posts. And he IS doing something about it, the spider is in quarantine which you clearly didn't read or you wouldn't have told him to clean his whole collection.

I appreciate that you are here and helping folks, but maybe you could read the posts first.

Thanks Laura

I could clearly see that this person didn't read the post.

Shame on him

 

[AlainL]

Thanks to everyone for you replys

 

[verry_sweet]

How is your T now?

 

[AlainL]

How is your T now?

She is ok but not eating cause she is in premolt.

I have her in quarantine in a icu with no substrat, just a water dish a hide and to attract the mites I put a moist paper towel at the bottom that I change every day.

Since I put a moist paper towel(Talkenlate04 idea)the mites seem to disapear from my t.

Thanks to Talkenlate04

 

[verry_sweet]

Oh good. I’m glad she is doing better. Thank you for the update.

 

[AlainL]

Oh good. I’m glad she is doing better. Thank you for the update.

Thank you

 

[Lorgakor]

Thanks Laura

I could clearly see that this person didn't read the post.

Shame on him

You're welcome. I know that Mr. Schultz is very knowlegable and everything, but that post was very condescending, especially since it's clear he didn't read your posts. Glad to hear that the treatment is working! I'll have to remember that paper towel trick in the future.

PS, I've had mites in completely dry conditions also.