tarantulas and grain mites

[teeks]

anyone know how i can get grain mites off tarantulas? or, appropriately cleanse their enclosures? i have two, my millipedes got grain mites and theyve spread. i know how to handle the millipedes, but im not sure about the t's

 

[viper69]

going by my own experience, if you have grain mites on your Ts, you have an explosion of mites.

Had to rehouse IME

They are attracted to water, and T poop

 

[teeks]

going by my own experience, if you have grain mites on your Ts, you have an explosion of mites.

Had to rehouse IME

They are attracted to water, and T poop

i dont see any on them but im worried they might still be there. will rehousing help? and completely cleaning their enclosures with soap and water?

 

[jennywallace]

I've only ever had them once and rehoused the T, then there were only a few mites left, so I kept cleaning out the water dish twice a day for a few days and they were gone.

 

[teeks]

I've only ever had them once and rehoused the T, then there were only a few mites left, so I kept cleaning out the water dish twice a day for a few days and they were gone.

okay i'll do that. im worried about them traveling. i also have cats, and i fear they have spread like.. out of my control

 

[viper69]

i dont see any on them but im worried they might still be there. will rehousing help? and completely cleaning their enclosures with soap and water?

Why wouldn’t it??? If you have mites all over its not a cure.

 

[teeks]

Why wouldn’t it??? If you have mites all over its not a cure.

but then what would i do if i had mites all over?? they were crawling on top the lid so i assume they mustve gotten out

 

[viper69]

but then what would i do if i had mites all over?? they were crawling on top the lid so i assume they mustve gotten out

Don’t know

I cleaned out my area, then put all my T setups in bowls of water like a moat. Waited those bastards out. Takes maybe a day or two for them to sink and die, they change color a bit too after sinking/dead

 

[TheraMygale]

Well, you’ll have to wait. In any case, grain mites arent that bad. If controled. you don’t see them anymore.

adress the husbandry; is it to moist? To dry? Messy?

when you notice them, if enclosure is dry, lay out pieces of food like mushroom and potatoes. The mites should go to it.

take it one thing at a time.

in a super dry enclosure, mites can stick to tarantula waiting for food.

so use logic in your approach.

a tarantula in a small catch cup container with holes, can allow you to brush some off, if it gets crazy. But usualy, it can be handles before that.

watch your feeders, and how you keep them. Especialy what you feed the feeders. Potatoes seem to be stronger carriers of mites. Carrots are safer.