Poop or Nematodes??

[GhostVlll]

Hey all, I'm a newer tarantula keeper and today I saw some white stuff on my GBB's mouth. I've unfortunately experienced nematodes already for one of my slings and now I'm paranoid about the rest of my Ts. She seems okay and nothing like how the sling I found infected acted, but I just wanted to check. She looks like she poops around her nest and that the white ball could be poop she got stuck to herself but I wanted to check and see if anyone else ever experienced this. I keep her enclosure pretty dry too. Only way i think she MAY have been infected is crickets but im not sure and to me it just looks like poop that dried to her. Any help to ease my mind would be amazing!

 

[A guy]

If they're nematodes, you could actually see them moving.

 

[GhostVlll]

If they're nematodes, you could actually see them moving.

Yea, it was a dried clump, so probably not nematodes then, thank you!

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

Another vote calling her a potty mouth

 

[Arachnophobphile]

Never had any of mine eat poop. IMO it has to be linked to something on why a tarantula would do this. Some form of hydration???

No clue and maybe it will remain a mystery.

 

[GhostVlll]

Never had any of mine eat poop. IMO it has to be linked to something on why a tarantula would do this. Some form of hydration???

No clue and maybe it will remain a mystery.

For sure, I felt confused too. I also was concerned that she couldn't find her water dish but then I looked in her dish and there was her Cricket ball that she just plopped in there. So she definitely knows where her dish is at. I honestly think she pooped on her webs and then walked over it/ layed on it and it got stuck to her mouth hairs.

 

[Arachnophobphile]

For sure, I felt confused too. I also was concerned that she couldn't find her water dish but then I looked in her dish and there was her Cricket ball that she just plopped in there. So she definitely knows where her dish is at. I honestly think she pooped on her webs and then walked over it/ layed on it and it got stuck to her mouth hairs.

It's very possible. With many things with T's we are left guessing

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

Never known T’s to eat poop, just be very messy with it.

 

[GhostVlll]

Never known T’s to eat poop, just be very messy with it.

Yea, I assume she was just messy with it. You can tell in the pictures that it's not necessarily in her mouth, it's around her mouth and I assume it just got attached to her on a fresh poop. Today it looks like it's gone but I can't tell for sure with the angle I have

 

[TheraMygale]

I dont think its nematodes.

i think its poop or feeder fluids.

tarantulas won’t feed on poop. But they can come into contact with it. By moving it, or walking over it. Especialy if its pooped on enclosure wall, and then walks over it.

in the book Biology of spiders, it talks about how some digestive fluids can be in the mouth part. The insides of crickets and worms can be pretty pale.

ive seen some of my tarantulas, minutes after a feed. Cleaning their mouth parts. Their was creamy fluid inside. The first time i saw this, i was starting to wonder. But i understood quickly it wasnt nematodes.