is this a parasite or what? i'm a bit worried :(

[aileen31613]

so, after feeding my T yesterday with a cricket i saw a very large amount of white tiny crawlies, is it a parasite? well, i found it all over the leftover cricket. I was so worried that i transferred my T on a tarantula incubator. Is this normal? should i get another cocopeat? or can this be prevented? i really need your help

 

[DVirginiana]

If it's what I'm thinking it is, just spot cleaning that area of cocofiber should be enough. It doesn't take long for creepy crawlies to show up on either poo or unfinished prey. If you keep seeing them in other places then I'd recommend breaking down the tank for a good cleaning.

 

[hellknite]

It is possible that those are mites you are talking about. They usually breed and present on leftover prey so better get rid of leftovers. Also when the substrate gets too moist they tend to breed. I agree with DVirginia about spot cleaning. But if they may be on an outbreak then you may need to change substrates or need to bake and reuse your cocopeat.

 

[FaaFaa]

Some little organisms are good for the tiny little ecosystem that our tarantulas live in. Without pictures to help identify which ones you have it would be best to keep a very close eye on things. If you have a water dish in the enclosure that is a good place to begin to watch for an infestation. You would see them sitting on the surface of the water, almost film like. Also you could check things out late in the night with a flashlight, it's easier to see mites and things then. If you are paranoid and have the extra time, just bake the ecoearth and be done with it. Nice low setting on the oven, like 200*F in a shallow baking dish, stir often to get it good and dry. This is time consuming though. Hope this helps!