R.I.P. Nacho :(

[KezyGLA]

So my lovely AF Idiothele mira did not survive her last moult

She was one of the jewels of my collection and she will be dearly missed. I thought I would post in case anyone was wondering how it went.

After her last rehouse she tried to moult but never made it out. After inspection it was clear that she was suffering from mite infestation as they were all over her when I checked on her this morning.

I cant stress enough how important ventilation is for Ts. I am kicking myself as I thought I provided plenty of ventilation for her. the substrate under the water dish was heavily saturated and seemed to be the source of the mites. I didn't know it could happen so fast.

Here are some photos of my gal, a stunning specimen she was -
View media item 35101View media item 36071

First death in so long

 

[Trenor]

Sorry to hear it man.

 

[KezyGLA]

Her picture was featured on TRR a couple of days ago too. Its a shame but if anything will have me be more vigilant and make sure there is no stone unturned when I am setting up enclosures. Its my first loss since my first Avic. avic in 2007. I forgot how upsetting and frustrating it is.

 

[Andrea82]

I'm so sorry she didn't make it. Best of luck for the coming sad days!

 

[Realevil1]

Really sorry to hear bud. Sometimes I tend to go overboard with ventilation for reasons such as this. Luckily in the many years i've had critters i've never once had mites.
It happens, just keep trucking man.

 

[creepa]

Sorry to hear..., but how can you have mites?
All your baboons can be kept dry, a full waterdish without overflowing is enough.

 

[KezyGLA]

Sorry to hear..., but how can you have mites?
All your baboons can be kept dry, a full waterdish without overflowing is enough.

I dont know. I had been noticing that it was empty every day. It was only a large bottle cap. All I can think of is maybe she was walking over it and spilling it. There was no holes or anything in it.

 

[creepa]

Could it be that the corpse was the cause of the mites

 

[KezyGLA]

Could it be that the corpse was the cause of the mites

She had mites on her when I first saw her attempting to moult. It was only a few around her spinnerets.

I just had to leave her be. I wish I had noticed them sooner. After she stopped moving and was completely curled I saw a lot more on her. I never found any in or around the dish, just underneath it. There was much more than when I first spotted them on her.

Do you reckon it could maybe have been something to do with poopstick to her in that area? I couldnt see any on her after examination, though they were all localized to that area.

 

[KezyGLA]

I think maybe there could have been some dead prey items in her burrows.

 

[louise f]

Sorry to hear that friend. <3

 

[creepa]

Sorry i cant help you..., ive had e few slings with mites in they're jars but i noticed them soon enough to rehouse the slings and freeze the jars.

Allso i dont use waterdishes i just spray every other week or so sometimes more.
And i keep my spiders on the dry side, it only takes a bit more work inspecting the spiders to check that they're not dehydrated...

 

[Haemus]

Beautiful shots and beautiful T. Sorry for your loss

 

[CEC]

Sucks. They are a neat species.

Are you sure they were parasitic mites and not cleaner/scavenger mites? Either way, parasitic mites don't usually kill mature Ts, maybe a really bad infestation could. In fact, lots of people have Ts with parasitic mites, they're just unaware because it takes a good microscope or marco camera to see them.

 

[KezyGLA]

Sucks. They are a neat species.

Are you sure they were parasitic mites and not cleaner/scavenger mites? Either way, parasitic mites don't usually kill mature Ts, maybe a really bad infestation could. In fact, lots of people have Ts with parasitic mites, they're just unaware because it takes a good microscope or marco camera to see them.

They were quite visible and appeared to be feeding on her to the point where she was leaking fluids on the abdomen. Fluids that she probably needed to complete the moult.

It all happened over 3 days. I would have removed her if she wasnt already flipped. There was barely any to start but when I found ger this morn there was a good amount all over her. Its a bummer but I guess it happens.

 

[CEC]

They were quite visible and appeared to be feeding on her to the point where she was leaking fluids on the abdomen. Fluids that she probably needed to complete the moult.

It all happened over 3 days. I would have removed her if she wasnt already flipped. There was barely any to start but when I found ger this morn there was a good amount all over her. Its a bummer but I guess it happens.

Hmmm, were they attached around her carapace or their favorite place the chelicerae? Never seen parastic mites on the abdomen. Do you have a pic?
What you are describing sounds like scavenger mites that smelled death. Scavenger mites will devour every thing but the exoskeleton.

 

[KezyGLA]

Hmmm, were they attached around her carapace or their favorite place the chelicerae? Never seen parastic mites on the abdomen. Do you have a pic?
What you are describing sounds like scavenger mites that smelled death. Scavenger mites will devour every thing but the exoskeleton.

She was alive and kicking for 4(since Monday. I dont know why I said 3 days) days on her back before dying.

Here is a photo of when I had first noticed the mites around the anus and spinnerets.


And here is one a couple of days later. She was still alive and trying to moult.



There were much more once she passed.

 

[CEC]

Yeah, look like scavenger mites.
Plus, I have never seen parasitic mites multiply so fast or being in those odd locations. Scavenger mites will leave what looks like a molt in no time.

Check out this thread:
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/mites-on-tarantulas.245232/

 

[EulersK]

Man, that's rough. Such a beautiful spider. I'm sorry to hear it.

 

[viper69]

@KezyGLA Man, that sucks. I know the feeling trust me.

As for the empty water bowl, all it takes is the right amount of webbing, often unseen, (though w/a Mira I'd be surprised if there was any on the dish, mine doesn't web anywhere but her trapdoor etc) OR even the right amount of cocofiber fibers to wick away water.