Theraphosa emergency!!!! Please help!

[mandipants]

My Theraphosa female (blondi or stirmi, don't know) is possibly in a critical situation. Here's the rundown:

Her set-up:

20 gallon tank (she only has a 5in+ legspan right now) coco husk substrate, and 3/4 of the lid covered in plexi-glass to hold in humidity. I just did a complete change out of substrate and cleaned her tank (water and dishsoap used) about a month ago.

She has been in pre-molt for the last couple weeks, so I have been checking on her multiple times a day so I could catch it. Everything seemed to be progressing well, until this morning.

She was flipped on her back, which I was happy to see. What I was not happy to see was that she was completely coated in fuzzy mold. I had not even seen a speck of it the days previous, and now she was infested...I took her for dead...but like a good T keeper...I waited. Alas, 30 minutes later....cap popped, and movement. She took most of the day, and had a successful molt. By tonight she's up on her feet.

What do I do now!? She needs to have her habitat fixed before the mold has a chance to grow on her lungs and kill her. It will be days maybe weeks before she's hard enough to safely re-home. Right now I've taken the plexi-glass off to let it air out a bit. Inside her hide is the worst, I can see the mold growing on the substrate in it. (HOW DID I MISS THIS IN THE DAYS BEFORE!? I SWEAR THERE WAS NO SIGN OF IT!!!) I plan on removing her hide tomorrow to let that air out too ( I know this may stress her, but better a stressed T than a dead T) and carefully removing as much of the top layer of substrate around her as I can. Other than that what can I do at this point? I'm up for suggestions. Anyone dealt with something like this before?

 

[SC Tarantulas]

It sounds like you have it under control. I dont own a Theraphosa.... but I would recommend taking some of the substrate and drying it almost completly. Use that dry substrate as the top layer with moist substrate below it. this will heep the humidity up and the mold issue under control. People run into problems with mold when the surface of the substrate stays to moist. They humidity can be kept as high as you need by doing this with no issues. Also I assume the hide is not made of cork bark because I don't think cork bark can mold. Good luck.

 

[Prometheus]

Your on the right path. What your doing is spot on. If your really worried and the T has hardened up a bit(day or 2) you can rub her with some paper towel into a catch cup and rehouse that way. As long as a T can walk/support their weight with their new legs you should be fine to rehouse them. Just be careful not to drop or jar her during the process.

 

[Anonymity82]

No experience with that species but I do have general knowledge of mold and tarantulas. How much mold is in the enclosure? Don't go taking the hide out and stressing her out a day after her molt unless you absolutely have to. A little mold is not the end of the world. Can you get the mold covered exuvia out without disturbing her too much? Before you freak out, you should evaluate how much mold you have in the first place. Take pics and point out the mold and that will definitely help (if your pics are clear) in determining your next steps. Letting it vent out is a good start.

 

[advan]

Are you sure the "mold" isn't urticating hair she laid down prior to molting for protection? Pics would help.

 

[RottweilExpress]

Are you sure the "mold" isn't urticating hair she laid down prior to molting for protection? Pics would help.

Exactly. Especially apophysis does this. They sometimes creates an entire mat to lie on, to discourage predators from taking her while vurnable.

 

[mandipants]

Are you sure the "mold" isn't urticating hair she laid down prior to molting for protection? Pics would help.

I lost the charger for my camera, so no pics. And this is definitely not hairs. Its a fine white cotton candy looking fluff. Before she molted it was most concentrated on her feet, and had worked its way up her abdomen. I've been dealing with T's for years, and have actually been haired by this particular spider (not pleasant), and had her molt twice already in my care, so I am 100% sure this is not part of her normal process.

She's doing alright today, but I do notice a bit of white on her new dress. Any way you think I could get this off once she's hardened?

 

[matthias]

It still sounds like urticating hair to me. Theraphosa, don't always do it but usually they will kick a thick mat of them off before they molt and it is usually fluffier than what they normally kick.
Even if it is not, if you are VERY careful, and use a cupping method (a large one to be sure) you should be able to move her within a day or to of her molting. VERY CAREFULLY.
If it is mold it could have been triggered from the molt so it is not something you missed.

 

[Zoltan]

Just to be absolutely sure, please check the pictures in this post: http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?37152&p=1632779&viewfull=1#post1632779

Theraphosa blondi

Later, Tom

Does it look like this or is it different?

For the record, these are not my pictures. They are Philth's and they were posted in the Genus Theraphosa picture thread, I only quoted his post from there.

 

[billopelma]

My T. apophysis does this also...

Bill

 

[ZergFront]

Wow! I thought my books were exaggerating on all the fluff Theraphosa put out. That would be one tank's substrate I wouldn't want accidentally dumping on me. O.O

In TKG, they mention a tiny Theraphosa sling actually disappearing under all the bristles it put on it's mat.

 

[BrettG]

God I am itching just looking at that mess...

 

[Bosing]

cool! thanks for the photos. I thought my apophysis was weird...

 

[RottweilExpress]

I'm guessing mandipants got an anaphylactic chock from the excellent pics Zoltan posted ;D