Tarantula Housing smells, how to do a clean up?

[Tu Nyce]

Hi everyone.. I have two tarantulas, green bottle blue and versicolor.. I've been feeding them crickets every 1-2 weeks but lately I've been lazy and not cleaning up after them.

The housing smells awful, can I get any tips on how I should go about cleaning it and keeping it maintained?

Are there any bugs that I can put in my enclosure that won't harm the tarantulas but will help keep the enclosure clean?

I can post pictures if needed...

 

[Hobo]

If it gets to the point that it actually smells that much... Then you need to clean it out. Throw away the sub, rinse everything out.

I keep both and rarely clean them out after every meal, and even then only what I can easily reach. No issues with smell and some of them haven't been cleaned in years. If it's starting to smell, I suspect you are keeping them too moist, allowing the leftovers to rot and fester or feeders are escaping and dying somewhere in there.

Keep them drier, make sure uneaten feeders are removed, and pick out garbage as you see it.

 

[sandybanjo]

If it gets to the point that it actually smells that much... Then you need to clean it out. Throw away the sub, rinse everything out.

Keep them drier, make sure uneaten feeders are removed, and pick out garbage as you see it.

I completely agree. Please abide by your spiders' desire to keep a clean house.

 

[Tu Nyce]

What do you mean throw away the sub?

I think I do keep it too moist, I spray the enclosure for the versicolor once a week...

 

[CrystalRose]

What do you mean throw away the sub?

I think I do keep it too moist, I spray the enclosure for the versicolor once a week...

It means throw away the substrate and give them fresh stuff. If it's smelling that bad then you need to completely clean the enclosure.

 

[awiec]

What do you mean throw away the sub?

I think I do keep it too moist, I spray the enclosure for the versicolor once a week...

Veris really don't need to be sprayed a water dish with some overflow will do just fine. I spray my versi maybe once a month just so it will get some water droplets to drink since mine refuses to use its bowl. Also ventilation may be your issue, I have lots of holes on the sides of my container so it allows fresh air to circulate through and discourage mold growth. Also GBBs can be kept rather dry, I occasionally over flow the water dish but thats all it needs.

Just throw out everything and get some fresh new containers with lots of ventilation and be a little more judicious on the water. Also try to clean out the bolus and poop as you see them, that will deter anything to attract mold or mites.

 

[Poec54]

I think I do keep it too moist, I spray the enclosure for the versicolor once a week...

If you're not cleaning up the boluses (and dead crickets) AND keeping the cage too moist, yeah, it's going to smell. Poor spider. You need to remove the trash from the cage so it doesn't decompose, and keep the cages drier. Both of those species should be on dry substrate with good ventilation. Tarantulas are clean animals in nature.

 

[Tu Nyce]

My enclosure are pretty well ventilated. - They are these ones - http://www.jamiestarantulas.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=00001

I think my problem is spraying it too much and not cleaning up dead trash...

I'm gonna take out as much old substrate as I can and put new one in.

From now on I'm only gonna put water in the water bowl.

Should I leave the enclosure outside to get aired out and dried? It's pretty hot around this time though, but I won't put it in direct sunlight. Maybe under a tree?

---------- Post added 07-16-2014 at 01:58 PM ----------

Ok so I just got done dumping the old substrate, washing the enclosure and putting in new coco fiber substrate.

My only concern is the cork that I used for the GBB's shelter which it grew fond of. But theres a distinct smell coming from that cork. What is good for a GBB enclosure? Does it need some type of shelter. In other words can I throw away the cork and just have the GBB in an empty enclosure with substrate?

With that cork, I barely see the GBB around because it's always hiding under it. Is there a setup where I can set it up so I can see it daily?

Also I know that GBB are huge webbers but the only webbing I see was inside the cork shelter. Can someone post some pictures of GBB enclosure setups so I can get some ideas?

GBB enclosure: (cleaned)

Versicolor enclosure: (not cleaned)

Here is my versicolor enclosure as you see it's pretty dirty. I'm gonna put in new substrate and try to clean the back as much as I can... (btw what are those white splatters?)

The veriscolor is always inside this cork setup. Again, I'm not sure if I want to remove the cork because it made a home for itself here but I barely see it out of it.

Any advice on what to do?

 

[vespers]

(btw what are those white splatters?)

You've been a member here for 3 years and you don't know what tarantula poop looks like???

 

[Tu Nyce]

You've been a member here for 3 years and you don't know what tarantula poop looks like???

lol I don't visit the forums often and I rarely pay attention to the tarantulas because they never come out

 

[Hobo]

You think that's dirty?!
You should see some of my enclosures .
I'd keep the cork for the versicolor and GBB (assuming you can clean it first). They obviously make good hides, and IMO, people should favor the spiders needs (good hide) before theirs (visibility) when they can.

Anyway, judging from your versi enclosure, it doesn't look too moist, but I think I found your problem: dead feeders (I can see one on the bottom left).
Even just one or two can smell like death, so as I said in an earlier post, you should remove any uneaten food before they get a chance to go somewhere and die.

I would not recommend keeping the GBB on bare substrate. They are heavy webbers, and while they prefer to make their own retreats, they do appreciate some cover as well as anchor points for webs.

 

[Tu Nyce]

GUYS HELP I THINK MY TARANTULAS ARE DYING!!

I took both my tarantulas outside in the backyard to clean, and I went inside to check the forums and do other stuff for about ~ 10 mins. I came outside and saw these two like this!!!

It is pretty hot and sunny outside but I can't imagine they would die that quick?

Please tell me what to do. I brought it inside the house now. I've never seen them like this before... please help

 

[Hobo]

Yeah, sun + enclosed, windowed space = cooked animal in very short order (and people too, in locked cars for example).
Get them inside where it's cool, maybe fashion an ICU for them, and hope for the best.
If they are unresponsive, I wouldn't hold out too much hope.

 

[Tu Nyce]

omg I'm so stupid.

What do I need to do for the ICU?

 

[z32upgrader]

Deli cup with a few holes drilled across the top and wet paper towels inside. Add spider, and place in dark quiet place.

 

[Tu Nyce]

Deli cup with a few holes drilled across the top and wet paper towels inside. Add spider, and place in dark quiet place.

Right now I have both of them in the shower, with the hot water running. Would that help?

 

[z32upgrader]

No. Remove them from heat and do as instructed. Excessive heat is what caused the problem in the first place.

 

[vespers]

Right now I have both of them in the shower, with the hot water running. Would that help?

Hot water? After leaving them to bake in the sun?? What is wrong with you???

 

[Tu Nyce]

Hot water? After leaving them to bake in the sun?? What is wrong with you???

Sorry I took it out of the shower.

I put them in the ICU, deli cup with warm water. I'm gonna put them in the basement in a dark corner.

I picked them up and none of them moved....

 

[Yentlequible]

This thread really took a sharp turn there. Hope they are ok.