Strange yellow things

LXLV

Arachnopeon
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Dec 23, 2019
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5
Hi all,

hoping someone can help figure out what this bright yellow substance is in my T’s enclosure is.

It is above and below where she has dug her tunnels.

she is very active and is constantly digging / building etc. she has previously had mites, so I’m hoping it’s not that again.

thanks in advance.
 

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cold blood

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mold...dry things out periodocially.

Its not harmful....but then again, neither are mites.
 

Zac0904

Arachnopeon
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35
It looks like fungal or mold to me. I suggest you to rehouse immediately as mold are quite harmful to Ts since they block their booklungs.

mold...dry things out periodocially.

Its not harmful....but then again, neither are mites.
Are mold not harmful to Ts? Ive read a lot about how dangerous they are.
 

cold blood

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No, spots of mold are not harmful at all.

Theres no reason to re house because of it....just pick it out.

Drying the enclosure out from time to time will keep molds at bay....if not, increase ventilation and/or reduce the moisture levels.

I generally just let mold run its course or pick it out.
 

Patherophis

Arachnobaron
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Zac0904

Arachnopeon
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No, spots of mold are not harmful at all.

Theres no reason to re house because of it....just pick it out.

Drying the enclosure out from time to time will keep molds at bay....if not, increase ventilation and/or reduce the moisture levels.

I generally just let mold run its course or pick it out.
From time to time I get quite a lot of mold in some of my moist enclosures, my Ts never had any healt problems because of it.
read this:
https://arachnoboards.com/threads/all-you-need-to-know-about-mold.313315/
I never knew lol, sry I am still a newbie. >w<
thanks for telling me though! :)
 

LXLV

Arachnopeon
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Dec 23, 2019
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Really unsure as I am to pick it out as it’s in her tunnel, so do you think she will be safe if I let it run it’s course? @cold blood

she hides her left overs in places I can’t get them and find that she only takes them out if they bother her.

she also seems to get mites quite often while Sophie our other girl doesn’t get them at all.

How often should I treat the mites if she is always getting them. $50 every 2 - 3 months on mites sucks!
 

cold blood

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The only time I would be concerned is if its in and blocking the hide.....this mold comes on fast and is caused by wood that's too fresh. Generally its the wood that needs replacement if thats the case.

Unless I am mistaken, it looks like its below the burrow and not the kind that would block anything or be a worry.
 

PidderPeets

Arachnoprince
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How often should I treat the mites if she is always getting them. $50 every 2 - 3 months on mites sucks!
The vast majority of mites are harmless, and any mites that occur in the enclosure that weren't on a WC tarantula at the time you got it are at the very most, a minor nuisance to it. Most mites that you'll see in your enclosures are scavenger mites that are essentially a free cleanup crew, eating leftover prey scraps and other waste left by your tarantula. They might be a bit unsightly to look at, but they really aren't a concern unless there's a population boom and the tarantula is visibly irritated by them.

Out of curiosity, is there a specific reason you specify the $50 cost of dealing with mites? I ask because it sounds like you have a specific product in mind, and I just want to make sure you know that any products meant to kill off mites are dangerous to your tarantula as well. Mites are a type of arachnid, so those products could pose a risk to ALL arachnids, including tarantulas, true spiders, scorpions, etc. Mite removal products meant for the household or for reptiles are not safe for taratulas. If I'm misunderstanding, then I apologize, but I just really wanted to make sure you didn't accidentally poison your pet.
 

LXLV

Arachnopeon
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The vast majority of mites are harmless, and any mites that occur in the enclosure that weren't on a WC tarantula at the time you got it are at the very most, a minor nuisance to it. Most mites that you'll see in your enclosures are scavenger mites that are essentially a free cleanup crew, eating leftover prey scraps and other waste left by your tarantula. They might be a bit unsightly to look at, but they really aren't a concern unless there's a population boom and the tarantula is visibly irritated by them.

Out of curiosity, is there a specific reason you specify the $50 cost of dealing with mites? I ask because it sounds like you have a specific product in mind, and I just want to make sure you know that any products meant to kill off mites are dangerous to your tarantula as well. Mites are a type of arachnid, so those products could pose a risk to ALL arachnids, including tarantulas, true spiders, scorpions, etc. Mite removal products meant for the household or for reptiles are not safe for taratulas. If I'm misunderstanding, then I apologize, but I just really wanted to make sure you didn't accidentally poison your pet.
Thanks,

no we spoke to the local Exotic species vet and they told us to ty the mites.
They are predatory mites that only eat other mites and then die, harmless to Tarantulas. We have already used them once and it works great and Cleo seemed happier afterwards.
 

PidderPeets

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Thanks,

no we spoke to the local Exotic species vet and they told us to ty the mites.
They are predatory mites that only eat other mites and then die, harmless to Tarantulas. We have already used them once and it works great and Cleo seemed happier afterwards.
Oh, okay. So you're using predatory mites to deal with the scavengers. I'm glad to hear that was what was suggested as opposed to a chemical option, since most vets have minimal knowledge of tarantulas and their care. Though I personally would still argue that using any method to deal with mites other than removing any food remains from their enclosure is unnecessary. I get mite booms every year during the summer, and my 20+ tarantulas have never seemed bothered by it.

But if they seriously bother you and you want to remove them without spending a fortune, the biggest thing would be to remove any leftover food remains the tarantula leaves in its enclosure. This removes the food source of the mites, and makes them less likely to establish themselves. If there's still a large enough population that they bother you, you could put in a little piece of fruit or vegetable in the tarantula enclosure, leave it in for a day or so for the mites to swarm it, then simply remove it and throw it out. Then just repeat with a new piece of fruit/vegetable until you're satisfied that there's no more mites for the time being.

But one thing I'll have to mention, though, is that mites are inevitable. They live everywhere, and even if you get rid of them temporarily, they will come back. So it honestly might be best for you to just do what you can to keep their populations minimal, but try not to be too bothered when they do show up
 

cold blood

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best way to limit mite populations are...

1. Keep a clean enclosure

2. Keep things dry, or dry everything out from time to time. Mites cant deal with dryness for long.
 

LXLV

Arachnopeon
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Dec 23, 2019
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Update:

Turns out it is a yellow mushroom!!

I’ll keep a close eye on Cleo to see if it is bothering her. This one seems to being opening out into the tunnel so I’ll wait and see if it becomes a problem.

thanks all.
 

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chanda

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Update:

Turns out it is a yellow mushroom!!

I’ll keep a close eye on Cleo to see if it is bothering her. This one seems to being opening out into the tunnel so I’ll wait and see if it becomes a problem.

thanks all.
You might want to break out the long tongs and pluck out the mushrooms as they get big enough to grab.

I get mushrooms in some of my moist tanks occasionally. They don't really seem to bother the occupants - but if you leave them there, they'll drop spores all over your cage, which will just keep the mushroom population booming. (I don't know if the spores might be harmful to the inverts or not. I try to pick out the mushrooms before they drop spores, but sometimes I miss one until it's too late. I haven't noticed any harmful effects - yet.)
 

SamanthaMarikian

Arachnoknight
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Jan 7, 2019
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272
You might want to break out the long tongs and pluck out the mushrooms as they get big enough to grab.

I get mushrooms in some of my moist tanks occasionally. They don't really seem to bother the occupants - but if you leave them there, they'll drop spores all over your cage, which will just keep the mushroom population booming. (I don't know if the spores might be harmful to the inverts or not. I try to pick out the mushrooms before they drop spores, but sometimes I miss one until it's too late. I haven't noticed any harmful effects - yet.)
Also ik this is an old thread but the spores can and will travel with you. i had the same thing happen to me with the mold in one tub, and as i went to feed in the others, it traveled got into those tubs and eventually to another house even and got into one of my other enclosures there.
 
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