Tiny flys in Tarantula enclosures...

[Tarantulas&Cats]

Does anyone know anything about tiny flys coming from fresh new Reptisoil or ZooMed frog moss? New T enclosures infested. I do use live plants, but I clean (rince) them very well & do not use the same soil they came with... please any advice. I'm worried about all my tarantulas. I have like close to 30...

 

[BigBill'sUniverse]

A picture of the Flies would help a ton. Do you see any maggots?

 

[Tarantulas&Cats]

A picture of the Flies would help a ton. Do you see any maggots?

Luckily I haven't seen any maggots or anything like that. Just flys everywhere in & around the enclosures. They are very tiny like smaller than the smallest ants. They don't seem to be landing on the Ts either really. Or atleast very much. I just know they're really annoying them... Most of them are constantly climbing the sides, I feel like they're not happy & that bothers me especially as.much time & energy I spend on their habitats trying to mimic their natural habitats... I just want to make sure they're not dangerous to my Ts. I also just bought one of those fly catching plug in lights.

 

[Anthony York]

Looks like fungus flies I have never had them bother my t's but you could let the enclosures dry out some that might help

 

[Tarantulas&Cats]

Looks like fungus flies I have never had them bother my t's but you could let the enclosures dry out some that might help

If that's what they are, do I not have anything to worry about them being dangerous to my Ts? That would be such a relief... I appreciate your take on the matter.

 

[Stan Schultz]

If that's what they are, do I not have anything to worry about them being dangerous to my Ts? That would be such a relief... I appreciate your take on the matter.

My personal take on the issue is that live plants and tarantulas don't belong in the same cage together. Their requirements are contradictory and the entire endeavor is risky at best. Yes, I know. A lot of people keep them together anyway. The problem is that few are willing to admit to their failures, and those who are successful like to brag to high heaven and publish all sorts of glitzy photos. That gives us an unbalanced, unfair perspective of the issue.

"But isn't natural and organic better?" Seldomly. The human race only started to make significant advances in basic survival when we learned to tame fire, invent weapons, and learn the basics of personal cleanliness. Back in the prehistoric days of "natural and organic" we had zilch of a chance of dying of old age.

"But there are so many tarantulas in the wild in the natural world!" Again, this a mistaken, misinformed perspective. The basic principle is that they breed in such large numbers that even with a massive mortality rates, they still manage to live in large numbers. Just remember: Mother nature (Yes, it's an anthropomorphism!) doesn't have to pay much of anything for any of these creatures. But each of those you keep as pets costs you at least the price of a hamburger and a cola, if not a week's wages!

Before you proceed, you should probably visit Natural is Better? and especially read "The 99% Rule" info box. In fact, in might be a good thing for you to go to the root, Spiders Calgary, webpage, and begin reading all the subsidiary pages in the webtree.

Further, tarantulas do not "need," nor do they necessarily appreciate a natural and organic lifestyle. A good illustration of this is that towards the end of the first quarter of our 21st century, almost none of the tarantulas that you possess has been anywhere near a real jungle or desert. They're nearly all cage bred. Throwing them into a jungle environment, even in a jungle-like or desert-like cage (which in itself is as artificial as a wooden leg) is tantamount to throwing you, naked and cold, and without even a shoelace or a jacknife, into some swamp or desert! Good luck with that.

Lastly, whenever you start having serious problems with a tarantula, and especially with an entire collection of tarantulas, your first, knee jerk reaction should be to revert to the "simple is better" strategy, and get them into basic, simple cages with dry substrate, a water dish and possibly a simple, basic "hide." (See the attachment.)

You need to start keeping them in an environment that as simple as possible, and in which you have as close to absolute control of all their living qualities as possible.

And all the while that you're doing this, you should be mentally reviewing your care practices and trying to determine what you did wrong. In your case, there's a 90% probability it's because you're keeping their cages too wet because of the live plants! Once you've saved your collection, you can start over. Only this time do it right.

End of rant.

Be kind to your newfound little buddies!


Stan

 

[Lentulus]

If that's what they are, do I not have anything to worry about them being dangerous to my Ts? That would be such a relief... I appreciate your take on the matter.

They’re not dangerous to T’s. They come in the soil. The babies eat what’s in the soil and the roots of your plants. The flies make more babies.

 

[Tarantulas&Cats]

My personal take on the issue is that live plants and tarantulas don't belong in the same cage together. Their requirements are contradictory and the entire endeavor is risky at best. Yes, I know. A lot of people keep them together anyway. The problem is that few are willing to admit to their failures, and those who are successful like to brag to high heaven and publish all sorts of glitzy photos. That gives us an unbalanced, unfair perspective of the issue.

"But isn't natural and organic better?" Seldomly. The human race only started to make significant advances in basic survival when we learned to tame fire, invent weapons, and learn the basics of personal cleanliness. Back in the prehistoric days of "natural and organic" we had zilch of a chance of dying of old age.

"But there are so many tarantulas in the wild in the natural world!" Again, this a mistaken, misinformed perspective. The basic principle is that they breed in such large numbers that even with a massive mortality rates, they still manage to live in large numbers. Just remember: Mother nature (Yes, it's an anthropomorphism!) doesn't have to pay much of anything for any of these creatures. But each of those you keep as pets costs you at least the price of a hamburger and a cola, if not a week's wages!

Before you proceed, you should probably visit Natural is Better? and especially read "The 99% Rule" info box. In fact, in might be a good thing for you to go to the root, Spiders Calgary, webpage, and begin reading all the subsidiary pages in the webtree.

Further, tarantulas do not "need," nor do they necessarily appreciate a natural and organic lifestyle. A good illustration of this is that towards the end of the first quarter of our 21st century, almost none of the tarantulas that you possess has been anywhere near a real jungle or desert. They're nearly all cage bred. Throwing them into a jungle environment, even in a jungle-like or desert-like cage (which in itself is as artificial as a wooden leg) is tantamount to throwing you, naked and cold, and without even a shoelace or a jacknife, into some swamp or desert! Good luck with that.

Lastly, whenever you start having serious problems with a tarantula, and especially with an entire collection of tarantulas, your first, knee jerk reaction should be to revert to the "simple is better" strategy, and get them into basic, simple cages with dry substrate, a water dish and possibly a simple, basic "hide." (See the attachment.)

You need to start keeping them in an environment that as simple as possible, and in which you have as close to absolute control of all their living qualities as possible.

And all the while that you're doing this, you should be mentally reviewing your care practices and trying to determine what you did wrong. In your case, there's a 90% probability it's because you're keeping their cages too wet because of the live plants! Once you've saved your collection, you can start over. Only this time do it right.

End of rant.

Be kind to your newfound little buddies!


Stan

Ok I will check that out, only that enclosure just seems so boring, & I don't mean only to me but the T has no enrichment or anything. Nothing to explore... yes I know they normally just sit in a burrow or outside their burrow & wait for prey to walk by , maybe a mate every so often... kept that way I would feel like it was being imprisoned just fot my entertainment or to use for breeding to make money off it... I'm not saying I think you're wrong, I just think if I had to keep them like that, I'd rather not have them at all. And I do enjoy them. Just watching them... I don't breed them or sale them. I guess I'm selfish to even want them in my possession. Idk. I really do like them though. I spend alot of money on them too, as in everything for them.... plus so much of my time. If I did what you suggest... gosh I don't know how I would feel after all this... Thank you for your opinion on the matter. I honestly do appreciate it. You've given me so much to think about now.

 

[Tarantulas&Cats]

They’re not dangerous to T’s. They come in the soil. The babies eat what’s in the soil and the roots of your plants. The flies make more babies.

Great, thank you. That makes me feel better.

 

[Gizalba]

@Tarantulas&Cats - I did have a fly infestation over summer that my friend confirmed were just harmless fungus flies. I use moss in lots of enclosures, especially for the slings that web up their water-bowl; the moss holds the water so they can also drink from that. So I didn't really want to get rid of the moss and I also didn't want to dry out any enclosures of moisture-dependent species. I'm not sure if I did right but I got some sticky fly-trap paper to put around the room on kitchen roll (so it didn't stick to my floor/windowsill as I had nowhere to hang it) and after a few weeks the infestation seems under control; just the odd fly about now. I made sure the fly paper was at the edges of the room though away from the actual enclosures as it does have an odor to attract the flies and I was a bit worried the odor might be toxic to the Ts.

As for live plants, I haven't yet put a live plant in an enclosure but have been growing one for that purpose; a pothos that my friend on here recommended as being successfully used in enclosures as they flourish with very little care. I have been experimenting with mine before I put it in and indeed it grows well by watering it very little in the same light exposure as my enclosures; I give it less watering attention than the Psalmopoeus species I want to put it in with. I feel that as long as the priority is the tarantula's requirements when you put a live plant in (and the plant is organic/very well cleaned); you get a plant that matches those requirements roughly and just water the enclosure as much as you would normally without the plant in, then I don't see the problem.

My personal take on the issue is that live plants and tarantulas don't belong in the same cage together. Their requirements are contradictory and the entire endeavor is risky at best. Yes, I know. A lot of people keep them together anyway. The problem is that few are willing to admit to their failures, and those who are successful like to brag to high heaven and publish all sorts of glitzy photos. That gives us an unbalanced, unfair perspective of the issue.

"But isn't natural and organic better?" Seldomly. The human race only started to make significant advances in basic survival when we learned to tame fire, invent weapons, and learn the basics of personal cleanliness. Back in the prehistoric days of "natural and organic" we had zilch of a chance of dying of old age.

"But there are so many tarantulas in the wild in the natural world!" Again, this a mistaken, misinformed perspective. The basic principle is that they breed in such large numbers that even with a massive mortality rates, they still manage to live in large numbers. Just remember: Mother nature (Yes, it's an anthropomorphism!) doesn't have to pay much of anything for any of these creatures. But each of those you keep as pets costs you at least the price of a hamburger and a cola, if not a week's wages!

Before you proceed, you should probably visit Natural is Better? and especially read "The 99% Rule" info box. In fact, in might be a good thing for you to go to the root, Spiders Calgary, webpage, and begin reading all the subsidiary pages in the webtree.

Further, tarantulas do not "need," nor do they necessarily appreciate a natural and organic lifestyle. A good illustration of this is that towards the end of the first quarter of our 21st century, almost none of the tarantulas that you possess has been anywhere near a real jungle or desert. They're nearly all cage bred. Throwing them into a jungle environment, even in a jungle-like or desert-like cage (which in itself is as artificial as a wooden leg) is tantamount to throwing you, naked and cold, and without even a shoelace or a jacknife, into some swamp or desert! Good luck with that.

Lastly, whenever you start having serious problems with a tarantula, and especially with an entire collection of tarantulas, your first, knee jerk reaction should be to revert to the "simple is better" strategy, and get them into basic, simple cages with dry substrate, a water dish and possibly a simple, basic "hide." (See the attachment.)

You need to start keeping them in an environment that as simple as possible, and in which you have as close to absolute control of all their living qualities as possible.

And all the while that you're doing this, you should be mentally reviewing your care practices and trying to determine what you did wrong. In your case, there's a 90% probability it's because you're keeping their cages too wet because of the live plants! Once you've saved your collection, you can start over. Only this time do it right.

End of rant.

Be kind to your newfound little buddies!


Stan

That is a good point about natural and organic not necessarily being best with your example about humans and our health improving due to unnatural interventions (as long as you see humans living longer as a good thing ). However I am concerned about that photo you have at the bottom with that sparse enclosure. Is that an example of what to do or what not to do? I agree that nothing fancy is necessary but I feel that tarantula needs a hide or at least some digging room to make a hide if it wants :/. I know the tarantula looks healthy and fine, the stance isn't a scared one, but I like to give all of my Ts at least the option to hide just in case they want it at any point e.g. especially for when moulting and they feel/are extra vulnerable.

 

[Gizalba]

Luckily I haven't seen any maggots or anything like that. Just flys everywhere in & around the enclosures. They are very tiny like smaller than the smallest ants. They don't seem to be landing on the Ts either really. Or atleast very much. I just know they're really annoying them... Most of them are constantly climbing the sides, I feel like they're not happy & that bothers me especially as.much time & energy I spend on their habitats trying to mimic their natural habitats... I just want to make sure they're not dangerous to my Ts. I also just bought one of those fly catching plug in lights.

Just read this - a fly catching plug in light sounds like a better idea than my fly paper if it works and doesn't have an odor? Has the light made much difference?

 

[Gizalba]

Sorry for all my comments haha but I just realised you are a newish member so wondered if you have also considered fake plants for enrichment? I do wash these too in hot water first just in case they have come into contact with anything dodgy in the shop, and make sure they don't have glitter or anything on them. However I have a lot of fun making the cages bright and colourful (I know just for me) with them, and the tarantulas seem to like them especially the webby species

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