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mold found in terrarium (concerning gargoyle geckos)

zombiexboo

zombiexboo

defender of teh reptiles
This was x-posted on www.forums.repashy.com
I'm posting for second opinions/info anyone here has to offer :)

When I was cleaning out my garg's terrarium today I noticed mold growth of some of the wood pieces I had in there.(cleaned out after one week) The wood I bought was from petco/pet's mart and could be placed in a aquarium if you wanted to. So, I'm not quite understanding what could have caused this mold outbreak.
I cleaned everything out and got rid of the effected wood and everything is fine for the time being. Glad I caught it before it got really bad.
I was accidently using coco bark instead of cork bark, could this what have caused the mold? (misted 2 twice daily) And how can I prevent this from happening again?
Most importantly, how can I tell if my garg is ok? He seems pretty normal /unaffected. But just to be sure I might bring him to a reptile specialist.
(If anyone knows of a reliable reptile specialist in broward county, FL it would be most helpful )

Thanks a ton in advanced!
 
Your garg will be fine just treat the wood with polyurathane before using it making sure it is dry and not smelling like fumes of course. Wood in a constantly moist environment is going to mold, but increasing your ventilation will help too:)
 
Was the wood "grape vine?" It is a pale tan in color and typically very twisted.

If so, that stuff, while marketed for aquariums, molds like crazy in humid or water environments. It's great for beardies and other desert critters but that's about it. I'd suggest getting a harder wood. I use African root wood obtained from my Local Fish Store.
 
You have to cycle any high humidity viv for awhile before adding reptiles, frogs, etc. You'll see mold, but it goes away after a couple weeks, just a natural occurring thing. There is an article in Reptiles Magazine that explains the whole process, I believe the Dart Frog issue...
 
I'd also say make sure you have good ventilation. I keep one of my gargoyle geckos in a rubbermaid type tub and I had to play with the amount of holes in it to get it just right. At first it was holding too much humidity and everything in it was molding...the food, the vines, the plants, etc... Eventually I got it to the point where I have enough air holes to keep it from molding, but enough to keep the right amount of humidity in. If it is a natural terrarium, real everything, then mold is a natural process.
 
The key to ventilation is not just the amount of hole, but where they are placed.
To make sure that a constant air flow is going through any viv, you need to use natural convection currents.
One set of holes at the bottom of one side, as there are in the top of the opposite side, allows the air to escape readily. Thus forcing air into the viv.
This is the best way to ventilate any viv.....
Lots of holes in the top, will not ventilate.
 
thanks sooo much everyone! =]
i'm not quite sure about the ventilation because i have him in and 18x18x18 exo-terra with a screen top and the front has this "ventilation" strip on the front.
any tips on that?
 
zombiexboo said:
thanks sooo much everyone! =]
i'm not quite sure about the ventilation because i have him in and 18x18x18 exo-terra with a screen top and the front has this "ventilation" strip on the front.
any tips on that?
Click to expand...
Your in Florida, so do you use external heat for it?
 
zombiexboo said:
thanks sooo much everyone! =]
i'm not quite sure about the ventilation because i have him in and 18x18x18 exo-terra with a screen top and the front has this "ventilation" strip on the front.
any tips on that?
Click to expand...

I have my little one in a 12x12x12 exo right now and haven't had any problems with that, so I guess I can't help much. It is probably just the material/wood used.
 
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