Changing Substrate?

[Sonicookie]

I was feeding my tarantula and removed the cinder block I keep next to the cage to prevent the cats from pushing it off, and I noticed two things. A few very small bugs crawling on the side of the water bowl, and a dark wet-looking spot at the bottom of the cage on the edge. I haven't had her for that long and I don't know about changing substrate. I know that you should, but wouldn't that interrupt their ground web and other things? I am pretty sure I should clean it but I need advice.

I have a photo of the dark spot but I am currently unable to upload it.

There's some hard water on the side of the water dish and it could have leaked over the edge when I watered her without me knowing. She's a rose hair so I try to keep the substrate as dry as possible.

Any advice would be helpful.

 

[Sonicookie]

Also noticed: the bugs ran away probably underground when exposed to light. Near the cage there are some things resembling very tiny grains of rice (all located in one spot near the dark/wet spot).

 

[Sonicookie]

I will also try to upload high quality photos in the morning. It's late but I wanted replies overnight with the current information.

 

[Tomoran]

Personally, I tend not to freak out when I find some little pests in my enclosures. Sometimes you'll miss a bolus, accidentally get it wet, and get some unwanted bugs. Most are attracted to moisture, so if you dry out the enclosure or remove the moist area and replace it with dry substrate, you get rid of the vermin. I would move the water dish to another corner and use a spoon to dig out the moist substrate and those critters. Replace it with dry, then keep an eye on the area. Also, make sure that there weren't any boluses or dead prey you might have missed. This is an especially easy fix for dry enclosures (and can be a bit trickier with moisture-dependent species).

Photos would be great when you get the chance!

 

[Sonicookie]

This is the dark spot.

This is her (mostly) unrelatedly eating a cricket. (My sister was enjoying watching it hang from her fangs)

I'm planning to take some more, but these are what I got last night.

 

[SpiderDad61]

It is kinda weird that it's a single wet spot on the bottom, unless if looking from top it's wet from top to bottom. It's not the end of the world to replace substrate but if u can safely, just dig the troublesome spot, add dry sub and move on.

 

[MassExodus]

If you move the water dish, the spot will dry up. I do this periodically for all of mine, so a single area isnt constantly wet.

 

[Sonicookie]

I moved the water dish. It is wet from the top to bottom, I just couldn't see it because it was covered by the water dish. I'll replace that spot.