stink beetle ok around molting t??

[jimlaheytrailorparksuperv]

hi everyone new here, not sure which thread to post in i’m sorry, but a stink beetle (eleode genus i think?) showed up in my beautiful t’s enclosure, i think from the travelling i do but i’m really not sure. normally she has a great appetite and she only doesn’t eat in pre molt, was giving her water today and saw a stink beetle in her enclosure, she’s been avoiding it/moving away from it. scared to stink up my dorm room by taking it out, and scared to let it stay in there if she molts. please advise. would it be alright to let it stay there or should i find a way to take it out ??

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

hi everyone new here, not sure which thread to post in i’m sorry, but a stink beetle (eleode genus i think?) showed up in my beautiful t’s enclosure, i think from the travelling i do but i’m really not sure. normally she has a great appetite and she only doesn’t eat in pre molt, was giving her water today and saw a stink beetle in her enclosure, she’s been avoiding it/moving away from it. scared to stink up my dorm room by taking it out, and scared to let it stay in there if she molts. please advise. would it be alright to let it stay there or should i find a way to take it out ??

I’d just remove it to be safe, I highly doubt a tarantula would eat it. Now a sling might how big of a t???

 

[jimlaheytrailorparksuperv]

I’d just remove it to be safe, I highly doubt a tarantula would eat it. Now a sling might how big of a t???

ok thank you so much!!! i’ll take her tank out in the hall to do it lol. she’s around 4in, normally i feed her mealworms so i figure it’s only a bit smaller

 

[kingshockey]

remove it you already see your t avoiding it no need to keep stressing it

 

[ArynAlba]

ok thank you so much!!! i’ll take her tank out in the hall to do it lol. she’s around 4in, normally i feed her mealworms so i figure it’s only a bit smaller

My eyes aren't always the best, so please forgive me if I'm wrong--but it looks like the species of beetle that a mealworm matures into. If that's the case (as in, if I'm seeing things right, haha,) then these guys have been known to chew on molting/vulnerable tarantulas.

If you're worried about the smell (they can smell, in my experience; it's a sort of mild but unpleasant, acrid smell--like burning tires, if I remember right?)--then I'd recommend having an airtight cup (like a snack cup) ready to go when you take it out of the enclosure. Take it, put it into the cup, and then you should be able to humanely dispatch it if needed.

 

[Mustafa67]

hi everyone new here, not sure which thread to post in i’m sorry, but a stink beetle (eleode genus i think?) showed up in my beautiful t’s enclosure, i think from the travelling i do but i’m really not sure. normally she has a great appetite and she only doesn’t eat in pre molt, was giving her water today and saw a stink beetle in her enclosure, she’s been avoiding it/moving away from it. scared to stink up my dorm room by taking it out, and scared to let it stay in there if she molts. please advise. would it be alright to let it stay there or should i find a way to take it out ??

No

 

[jimlaheytrailorparksuperv]

My eyes aren't always the best, so please forgive me if I'm wrong--but it looks like the species of beetle that a mealworm matures into. If that's the case (as in, if I'm seeing things right, haha,) then these guys have been known to chew on molting/vulnerable tarantulas.

If you're worried about the smell (they can smell, in my experience; it's a sort of mild but unpleasant, acrid smell--like burning tires, if I remember right?)--then I'd recommend having an airtight cup (like a snack cup) ready to go when you take it out of the enclosure. Take it, put it into the cup, and then you should be able to humanely dispatch it if needed.

i think you’re right!!! i feed her mealworms a lot, once or twice they crawled into the dirt before i could remove them. i’ll remove it asap but i’m worried there could be more and i don’t have another container she could stay in temporarily. i’ll get it figured out though, thank you so much everyone for the help!!!!!

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

ok thank you so much!!! i’ll take her tank out in the hall to do it lol. she’s around 4in, normally i feed her mealworms so i figure it’s only a bit smaller

That’s a Super or mealworm beetle 🪲. Much in needs to be removed.

 

[kingshockey]

there probably are more good way to prevent that issue is just cut the heads off the worms prior to feeding your t. as far as a temp cage any empty plastic jar or deli cup will do just punch a few holes in it and your probably going to need to dump out all the dirt to really know you have found them all

 

[ArynAlba]

there probably are more good way to prevent that issue is just cut the heads off the worms prior to feeding your t. as far as a temp cage any empty plastic jar or deli cup will do just punch a few holes in it and your probably going to need to dump out all the dirt to really know you have found them all

Exactly this! If my T doesn't go for the superworms/mealworms right away (as in, if I don't *see* her take them down), I usually crush the heads with my tongs. It feels a little harsh, but it definitely prevents them from digging--and I've found that my T's, even in their adult years, seem to be willing to scavenge the mealworms even if they aren't moving much/at all anymore. That'll be a good way to prevent this in the future, OP! Otherwise, I'd just keep an eye on her, and go through the dirt if you can.
I'd recommend punching some holes in a plastic jar/deli cup, like kingshockey said, and then you get your T in there for a few minutes. Close the lid, and then clear out her main enclosure. Go through the dirt and check for beetles--just make sure to be mindful that many NW terrestrial T's will actually put urticating hairs on their ground webbing and/or on the dirt around their burrow, so either use tongs to comb through the substrate, or get some nitrile gloves and be careful. Then, once you're sure there are no more mealworms/pupae/beetles in the enclosure and substrate, you can put everything back to normal and get your T back in. It'll be a tad stressful for her, but I'd take that over risking a beetle chewing on her while she's vulnerable after a molt any day--and I'm sure that if she could understand, then she would too, haha.
Everything's gonna be okay--you'll feel bad in the moment for disturbing her, but you'll feel a lot better once you're sure those beetles are out (trust me, speaking from experience :') I didn't crush the head of a superworm when I fed one to my P. irminia, and she was in premolt so she didn't get it--I had to go digging around before I finally got it, oof. But she's fine, and your gal will be fine too! <3 )