What could this be? M. Balfouri

[Teresaisrad]

Hello,

There’s a first time for everything and this one has me bamboozled.
I had a ton of slings and never experienced anything like this so far.

I had some M. balfouri slings and they stayed hidden most of the time only coming out at night. (Normal right)
Well most nights all was well until last night I saw one of the little guys with a white fuzzy thing protruding from his abdomen.
I gently tried to use a cotton swab to wipe off and inspect the substance to no avail. (I will post pictures of enclosure and white stuff)
When wiping didn’t work I tried to pick off the white string with a super skinny tweezer and that’s when I realized this white string is well attached. The sling came with it, dangling by this little thread.

That is when my real concerns set in and I decided to separate them all.
I took the threaded one and placed it in its own enclosure, found a second completely healthy one and into its own enclosure.
I kept digging to find another sling mangled by this white stuff. It saddened me as his eyes and fangs were completely covered in the stuff and the sling was wildly twitching.
The only thing I can compare this sight to is a Clicker from The Last of Us.
The last slings were in the tunneled webbing deceased.

I euthanized the sling with his head covered (freezer) and now only have the healthy looking on, and the stringy butt sling.
I don’t think it was my husbandry that brought this on as I check on my slings daily, there was no mold growing in this enclosure and I made sure to clean any uneaten (prekilled) prey the next morning.

Has anyone experienced this weird fungal white stuff growing out of slings?
Do you thing the string butt sling will be ok?
Does anyone have any ideas as to what happened and any pointers in general?

Thank you in advance for all thoughts and thank you for reading this lengthy story. I am beside myself, really.
(also apologize for horrible pics but my phone camera broke *insert tears*)

 

[Goldiesgiants]

Hey there I'm so sorry about your slings.
I'm new to the hobby but I am a biology student and I did do my main essay and research on cordyceps in insects and it mainly affects ants but it can in fact infect tarantulas but it's very rare for it to be found in Ts in captivity. But it is possible.
I can't say for certain that is exactly what it is but you mentioned the last of us and that's the fungus in the game. But as I said it's really rare in pet Ts.

 

[Goldiesgiants]

Hey there I'm so sorry about your slings.
I'm new to the hobby but I am a biology student and I did do my main essay and research on cordyceps in insects and it mainly affects ants but it can in fact infect tarantulas but it's very rare for it to be found in Ts in captivity. But it is possible.
I can't say for certain that is exactly what it is but you mentioned the last of us and that's the fungus in the game. But as I said it's really rare in pet Ts.

I should also mention that with cordyceps the insect/arachnid is usually dead when the fungus erupts and the fact that the stringy sling is still alive means its alot less likely to be that too but it could be a similar fungus.

 

[Teresaisrad]

I should also mention that with cordyceps the insect/arachnid is usually dead when the fungus erupts and the fact that the stringy sling is still alive means its alot less likely to be that too but it could be a similar fungus.

Yes I will say this sling died the very next day after posting.
I have one left alive and seemingly no issues as of yet.