Help!!! Found mould?!?

Skelly

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As I was cleaning out little foots viv today I decided to move around the slates I have in it I have one at the cool end and one under his heat lamp but noticed there is mould growing underneath I use coco coir as substrate, this can’t be good for him? Any advice ?? I do mist his viv regularly every day but I don’t spray under the slates
 

Skelly

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Here are some pics
 

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Maro2Bear

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I would just “spot clean“ that entire area there, meaning just remove as much of the moldy substrate as you can without being too obsessive. Let it dry up. Put in some new substrate. Is your VIV just plain wood? It’s possible it’s the wood molding up a bit and growing into the substrate vice the substrate itself. Don’t panic. I’m sure torts encounter mold in the wild. Just keep your 3ye on that area.

good luck
 
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Skelly

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Thank you should I put some dry coco coir on top instead of soaking it? And yes it is wood but it apparently has a coating on it to prevent that and I checked the bottoms there was no mould on the wood just a thin layer on the substrate should I change substrates?
 

Maro2Bear

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I never had my coco coir get moldy, so before you just add a bunch back in, do some investigative work. Why that area, etc. Clean the area, let it dry up. Add substrate back in, yes, maybe a bit less moist in that area. Is that area in a cooler part or darker part of the enclosure? More water collect there? Did food lay there...etc.
 

Maro2Bear

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I should have said, never had my coco coir get very moldy. Under the water dish sometimes, or under a stine in a wetter area, yes.
 

Skelly

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Thanks for all your help I completely cleaned out the whole area and took everything out so it was just the coco coir and realized it was very wet underneath but not so much at the top so I think I may need to just keep rotating it every day or so because it’s holding to much moisture, I also just added a small amount of dry coco coir and mixed it in to see if it would help absorb some more hopefully this all helps
 

Maro2Bear

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Thanks for all your help I completely cleaned out the whole area and took everything out so it was just the coco coir and realized it was very wet underneath but not so much at the top so I think I may need to just keep rotating it every day or so because it’s holding to much moisture, I also just added a small amount of dry coco coir and mixed it in to see if it would help absorb some more hopefully this all helps

Yes, just experiment a bit with your enclosure & substrate. That area might be cooler & damper thus creating a perfect spot to grow mold. Good luck.
 

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