Mold? What my LP doing? and what should I do?

NateTheGreat

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 4, 2009
Messages
44


Ok, so I got an L. parahybana, about 3 or 4 inches, yesterday. I put it in this enclosure and it went straight to his hide. This morning I found it like this, its completely closed itself in on each side. So I was wondering what it is doing.

However, I also saw that green stuff, Im guessing that its mold, right? So that really kinda scared me but I don't want to disturb it, especially since I have no clue what its doing.

So, can anyone help me about on what its doing, and what to do about the mold :(:(:(

Thanks:D
 

paul fleming

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
941


Ok, so I got an L. parahybana, about 3 or 4 inches, yesterday. I put it in this enclosure and it went straight to his hide. This morning I found it like this, its completely closed itself in on each side. So I was wondering what it is doing.

However, I also saw that green stuff, Im guessing that its mold, right? So that really kinda scared me but I don't want to disturb it, especially since I have no clue what its doing.

So, can anyone help me about on what its doing, and what to do about the mold :(:(:(

Thanks:D
May be coming up for a molt.
The mold has nothing to do with it hiding.......it won't kill the para.
The main reason for that is lack of ventilation.
A few Q's for you.
Can we see a picture of the tank
what temps and humidity do you have
how often do you spray.
 

NateTheGreat

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 4, 2009
Messages
44
May be coming up for a molt.
The mold has nothing to do with it hiding.......it won't kill the para.
The main reason for that is lack of ventilation.
A few Q's for you.
Can we see a picture of the tank
what temps and humidity do you have
how often do you spray.
-I heard that when a T is ready to molt is abdomen will be darker but when I got it yesterday it had a couple of bald spots on the abdomen and it was not dark.
-I should still get rid of the mold as soon as I can, no?
-Ill try to get pics soon but its rougly a 12 inches long, 6 inches wide, 5 inches high, with 2-2.5 inches of peat/vermiculite. Its got the log hide on one side and a water dish in the corner of the other side. :Lots of airholes in the top.
-Its at around 76F during the day, 72F at night.
-I just got it yesterday but I had planned on once or twice a week. I over flow the dish and sprayed the side with the dish.
 

paul fleming

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
941
You are worrying too much mate
The spider is fine.It will come out when it wants to.
As for the mold,it's no big deal but it does look like you have too much humidity with not enough ventilation,that's why I wanted to see the set up.
Need to see..
set up...to see ventilation.
temps and humidity
Don't worry.....spider is fine.....all my klugi's and para's have done that.
Bald spots are also a sign of impending molt my friend.
 

DreadLobster

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 9, 2008
Messages
364
The darkening won't happen till right before the molt. Like when its really close. Sealing itself up and not eating would probably happen earlier. Just keep the water dish full and give it a few weeks. Tarantula's can live a long time without food... going weeks at a time is like a human skipping breakfast. LP's do eat a lot more than any other T I've owned though. And pretty consistently, once they stop eating, it means they're in pre-molt.

Or, if you just moved your T into that container, maybe its just not used to its surroundings yet so it found a place to hide. That would be my next guess. Either way, its probably fine.

Keep the water dish full, let the rest of the tank dry out a bit and the mold should clear up.
 

PrimalTaunt

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
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Jul 28, 2009
Messages
467
As far as getting rid of the mold goes, throwing in some isopods should clear that up pretty soon.
 

iluvcreepystuff

Arachnoknight
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Aug 3, 2009
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158
My b. albopilosum has been boxed in like that for weeks so im hoping for a molt this Christmas lol
 

Moltar

ArachnoGod
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Apr 11, 2007
Messages
5,438
Bald spots are not a sign of an impending molt, darkened bald spots are. A pink bald spot is a sign that it's been kicking hair.

I'd just up the ventilation as much as possibe and don't add any more moisture to the substrate until the mold has died back. Making the substrate in a new tank too moist is a common mistake and that's almost certainly why you have mold. The T will be ok as long as the mold outbreak isn't severe. I've seen T's dig in like that in a new enclosure and it usually means it won't be coming out until it's molted so it may be a while. I have an Aphonopelma witchitanum that dug in like that back in August, haven't seen her yet.
 
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NateTheGreat

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 4, 2009
Messages
44
Bald spots are not a sign of an impending molt, darkened bald spots are. A pink bald spot is a sign that it's been kicking hair.
Yeah, thats what I meant.

I'd just up the ventilation as much as possibe and don't add any more moisture to the substrate until the mold has died back. Making the substrate in a new tank too moist is a common mistake and that's almost certainly why you have mold. The T will be ok as long as the mold outbreak isn't severe.
Alright, thanks.

I've seen T's dig in like that in a new enclosure and it usually means it won't be coming out until it's molted so it may be a while. I have an Aphonopelma witchitanum that dug in like that back in August, haven't seen her yet.
LMAO, great:rolleyes::rolleyes:. Im brand new to the hobby and all I have to look at is 3 enclosures with dirt and logs.{D{D{D Oh well:D:D
 
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