I think i have a parasite problem :( need urgent help?!!

[Ryan Simons]

I have recently moved my p.murinus and C.rose to bigger enclosures, probally only about a month ago.

I noticed a lot of tunneling going on in the C.rose's tank where the substrate meets the plastic walls.. i had a closer look and see quite a few little black bugs, about 1/2 a mm in size and they jump! they look like tiny fleas!

Are these the common parasites that could harm my spider?
My Chile rose is healthy, and eating fine, i noticed the tunneling when i fed her today as it goes. should i get her out of there asap!?

I dont know how they got there, especially so quick after putting in the new substrate etc! and im worried that if i clean out the enclosure and use new substrate, there only going to come back again.

Could i just put the enclosure in the microwave and nuke the basterds?!

thanks for the help

Ryan

[steven simcock]

I don't know much about parasites m8 but if i were you i would clean there tanks out then put new subtrate and oven any bark or wood in there tanks just to be on the safe side.

[Ryan Simons]

The thing is tho, its new substrate! and i cleaned all the tanks 1st, and all the substrate (that expandable coconut stuff) got submerged in boiling water, then microwaved for about 10 minutes!

i dont see how anything could have got in there!

[steven simcock]

I had a problem once abit like yours, i put new subtrate in all clean and new but after a few days there were little flies flying around my tank. They were the size of nats but i could not understand where they came from.

[Ryan Simons]

Well i have just had an even closer look and i have found small white banana shaped eggs!! there was a bunch of about 20 together! they look just like flee eggs.

I have scooped them out and got rid of as many of the bugs as i can. i dont have a spare enclosure or fresh substrate that i can use temporally tho. will she be ok in there?

[Matthew Bagley]

A few questions .

Do you feed crickets ?

And am I right in assuming crickets lay eggs ?

[Phil Rea]

They could either be springtails, or baby black crickets. Neither are parasitic, and neither are harmful to your spider.

Have a look at one under a magnifying glass or put a picture up

The small banana shaped "eggs" are very probably spider poo, and are nothing to worry about either.

[Ryan Simons]

i do feed it crickets... surely not!! ill have to catch one of these 'flees' and study it. i have never seen these eggs in the cricket boxes before tho ??

they look like small maggot eggs, but there defiantly not maggots inside... Not spider poo, thats usually stuck to the walls lol.

[Phil Rea]

i do feed it crickets... surely not!! ill have to catch one of these 'flees' and study it. i have never seen these eggs in the cricket boxes before tho ??

they look like small maggot eggs, but there defiantly not maggots inside... Not spider poo, thats usually stuck to the walls lol.

You've not seen eggs in cricket boxes because they lay them where there is moisture

So you're absolutely 100% sure it's not spider poo? If there is nothing inside, these 'eggs' and they are clustered together, then I'd say it's fairly certain that it is poo

[Ryan Simons]

yes i have seen lots of spider poop, these are defiantly not spider poo..

heres a pic....



there is a LOT of tunnelling going on by them too and i think i have spotted about 20 of these little bugs running about so far. they are black and im quite sure they have a bronze dot on the top ??

[Phil Rea]

They sure look like cricket eggs to me, and as the female digs her ovipositor into the ground before laying them, the depth looks about right too.

Without seeing the 'bugs' it's difficult to say conclusively, but I'd still say that you have an infestation of crickets

[Ryan Simons]

You know what, i think you may be right!!

The little bugs have got a little bit bigger since yesterday, and i caught one for a quick inspection and it does look like a tiny cricket! blimy!

So, shall i just leave them in there? will they be a problem? i have already removed the eggs. wish i knew they was crickets , i would have tried growing them!!

thanx for the help peeps!

[Phil Rea]

Apparently they're not easy to breed in captivity so well done

Keep them in there or remove them. It shouldn't make a difference

[lynn mawdesley]

Free food ....bonus lol

[Ryan Simons]

Lol thats what i was thinking! free food indeed!

But i do wonder tho, If she was going to moult -could these baby crickets cause a problem? I binned most of the eggs before i realised they was crickets unfortunatly but there is a good few babies running about in there.

Is there a 'how too' on breeding crickets anywhere? i may give it a go