White spores on wood?

[123rc123]

I keep getting white mold on almost every single piece of wood i use, himdering my progress on my terrariums.

Ive baked and boiled every pice of wood for hours. Im even changing substrate and still getting it.

Is it dangerous for my arachnids?
How can i prevent this? Why does this keep happening?

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I keep getting white mold on almost every single piece of wood i use, himdering my progress on my terrariums.

Ive baked and boiled every pice of wood for hours. Im even changing substrate and still getting it.

Is it dangerous for my arachnids?
How can i prevent this? Why does this keep happening?

Without pics it's impossible to ID or guess if those are harmless mites, mold or worst. What kind of wood you used, btw?

 

[123rc123]

Without pics it's impossible to ID or guess if those are harmless mites, mold or worst. What kind of wood you used, btw?

Pet store and outdoor wood in various kind of wood. Here is a photo

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Pet store and outdoor wood in various kind of wood. Here is a photo

Could be wrong but watching the photo seems mold, like you said... what about the ventilation? You should use for prevent that, cross ventilation in your enclosure/s (so drill holes in the sides, both) a not too much wet substrate and remove prey remains always (if you can easily spot those... with burrowers sometimes could be hard because those do not take out boluse, like my Pelinobius muticus).

If you already have cross ventilation and do that etc then the problem is probably in the "origin". The wood. Now i've heard there's people here who use wood from the wild without issues, granted.
I always used cork bark, and never had a mold problem.

 

[cold blood]

Just bake, don't boil....by boiling you are introducing moisture to the wood, which is exactly the opposite thing you want...the heat from baking is more than sufficient.

Your wood is simply holding moisture within it.

I also second the ventilation question.

When I re-housed my irmina last year, a similar mold appeared on a newer piece of wood (actually root system), it was covered in it, although not thick or anything...what did I do....absolutely nothing aside from drying the enclosure temporarily. I let it run its course and within a month, no mold....haven't seen a speck of it now for a year.

 

[Ellenantula]

I'm a boiler -- BUT not for woods I need right away. I have some stored 6+ months I boiled and still haven't used an enclosure. I find this 'sticky' stuff on driftwood, and for me, it was easier to scrape away after boiling.
If you need the wood soon -- I gotta agree.... BAKE IT.
Moistness is just begging for mould, imo.

 

[viper69]

Mold spores are one of the most resistant things on the planet that will sprite life. Spores are all over the place when it comes to obtaining cage products, be it from the pet store, and esp from outdoors.

Your conditions are PERFECTLY set for growing white mold. Mold prefers cool, dark and moist areas to grow with little ventilation. So perhaps some or all of those conditions need to be adjusted.

I've never produced white, but I've seen orange!

 

[123rc123]

Mold spores are one of the most resistant things on the planet that will sprite life. Spores are all over the place when it comes to obtaining cage products, be it from the pet store, and esp from outdoors.

Your conditions are PERFECTLY set for growing white mold. Mold prefers cool, dark and moist areas to grow with little ventilation. So perhaps some or all of those conditions need to be adjusted.

I've never produced white, but I've seen orange!

I have a mesh screen on top, and how can I change the conditions to be better?

 

[Steve123]

Well the wood is dead, so whether it is boiled, baked, or deep-fried, spores from the atmosphere will land and at the soonest possible opportunity, begin the natural process of decay. Conditions that favor mold are often those that don't favor Ts. But when backed into the corner of needing the extra moisture for the T versus mold, cork can be a very good friend. GL!

 

[123rc123]

Well the wood is dead, so whether it is boiled, baked, or deep-fried, spores from the atmosphere will land and at the soonest possible opportunity, begin the natural process of decay. Conditions that favor mold are often those that don't favor Ts. But when backed into the corner of needing the extra moisture for the T versus mold, cork can be a very good friend. GL!

What should I do about sticks and stuff like that? What about custom backgrounds?

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Man, i suggest you to buy cork bark if you want to avoid those issues. I used always that and in 25 years never had a mold issue (and not only with "arid" species, i mean). That's my advice.

 

[123rc123]

Man, i suggest you to buy cork bark if you want to avoid those issues. I used always that and in 25 years never had a mold issue (and not only with "arid" species, i mean). That's my advice.

Well I tend to make the more scenic terrarium set ups with live moss, etc.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Well I tend to make the more scenic terrarium set ups with live moss, etc.

Ah. You know, IMO the better thing to do? To provide the best enviroment for "them", following their needs and their needs only, not the best scenic one for our "eyes".

 

[The Snark]

Just an FYI, there is a few kinds of wood fungi that produce white spores that are hazardous to your health.

Anyway, all our woodwork had this fungus. The treatment that worked is a strong fungicide, Dettol, and completely water sealing the wood. NOTHING else worked. I even put doors out in the sun for days and painted them with 40% hydrogen peroxide. The fungi itself lives up to an inch inside the wood.

 

[cold blood]

Well I tend to make the more scenic terrarium set ups with live moss, etc.

There is no rule that says you can't have a scenic terrarium with live moss AND cork...the two things are unrelated....lol.

I use driftwood, it works fine for me. I don't buy it.

 

[viper69]

I have a mesh screen on top, and how can I change the conditions to be better?

If you only have a screen top, and the rest is glass or acrylic no ventilation etc, you would have to decrease the moisture and/or increase the ventilation. It also depends upon the type of setup you are going for, a more dry route like I and many others do, or a more realistic route. A more realistic route when dealing with tropical species is not impossible with Ts, just most don't do it. Now the dart frog community, they have a lot of more experience in that dept.

Cork is the most mold resistant natural material I have found thus far.

 

[123rc123]

I picked up some top soil and it was very wet from being outside at the depot. What method should i use to dry it? Can i bake it?
Thank you

 

[viper69]

I picked up some top soil and it was very wet from being outside at the depot. What method should i use to dry it? Can i bake it?
Thank you

I would bake it. Soils are baked all the time in "special" ovens for soil analysis research.

 

[123rc123]

Here is what my set up looks like now for my scorpion. Two days later I awoke to tons of long white fungus covering the bottom of the ferns, on the soil as well. And I have been getting a little white mold patches on one of two piece of wood. The other piece of wood had had no problems whatsoever, even with live moss covering it. Is my enclosure too damp? My soil seems pretty wet. Should I have rocks on the bottom on the substrate for drainage? I really like the way my setup looks and I dont want to change it. Only prevent the mold and fungus. I have since thrown away the ferns. No more problems with the long white fungus. Please help me!

 

[cold blood]

Its clearly monsoon season at your house.