Mildew on Melamine enclosure walls

[scottishscott]

Hey guys and gals, While checking and spraying Rhino's enclosure, I noticed little spots of mildew on the walls. The substrate is not molding or anything and we keep it very clean and pick up several times a day. I can sponge it off the melamine, that's not a problem, but is there anyway to prevent this?

 

[scottishscott]

Would you guys think a small cpu fan might work. Mildew usually forms due to poor air circulation in humid conditions. Any thoughts?

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I think, and this is just my gut thinking, any preventative that might be used to kill/stop it from growing, would be bad for your tortoise. These things grow from a lack of fresh, non sour air exchange. Increase your fresh air rate, and this problem will likely solve its self. Left untreated, you will notice a souring of the sub-straight and that will be bad for your tortoise.

 

[N2TORTS]

Mold tends to grow most proficiently in moist, damp, temperate, and darken areas. In fact, all molds need moisture to grow. Mold colonies begin when mold spores floating through the air land in a moist environment, so there are two stages to taking care of your mold problem: removing the mold growth itself, and preventing the mold spores from creating another colony.
The mold spores will not grow if moisture is not present. Indoor mold growth can and should be prevented or controlled by controlling moisture indoors. If there is mold growth in your enclosure, you must clean up the mold and fix the water problem. If you clean up the mold, but don't fix the water problem, most likely the mold problem will come back. As others have mentioned circulating the air better, moisture control ,along with proper UV lighting ( UV light kills mold) will keep mold down to a minimum if not rid it completely. Some “safe” clean up solution can be made with diluting lemon juice, bleach or even Vodka in spray bottle , mist down and wipe area clean.


JD~