| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| marc_sg |
Posted - 17/01/2012 : 21:49:16
just went to look at my lil ones and change their water and noticed a couple of tiny grey bugs crawling around. their about 1/2 big absolutely tiny. i just looked at the mite section and they dont look them. ive checked the snakes nothing on them. none have been bathing in their bowls. please tell me these arent mite ive caught 4 or 5 of them to takw to the shop tomoz but want to get quick advice. ive emptyed out the substrate and put paper in as replacement. |
| 19 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| marc_sg |
Posted - 19/01/2012 : 16:38:05
quote:
Originally posted by lotabob
Ahh they are totally harmless and they are a bit cute. If they got on you they'd only eat your mouldy bits, lol.
lovely thought cheers lol |
| lotabob |
Posted - 19/01/2012 : 13:07:30
Ahh they are totally harmless and they are a bit cute. If they got on you they'd only eat your mouldy bits, lol. |
| marc_sg |
Posted - 18/01/2012 : 23:40:10
lol i itched for hours after cleaning my vivs out last night. even thou i washed my hands 3 times |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 18/01/2012 : 23:25:08
quote:
Originally posted by Mort13
quote:
Originally posted by lotabob
Does sound like springtails. I have had these appear in pretty much all my vivariums now, they only seem to hang around the water bowl and are totally harmless. Unfortunately providing snakes a perfect environment also provides our native bugs an environment where they thrive. You will from time to time get springtails they like moisture so they are less likely to make a low humidity vivarium a home but high humidity set ups will quickly become colonised. They are beneficial though they eat mould and muck keeping things clean, my crested Gecko vivarium has very high humidity and I had a few issues with mould but not since the springtails turned up.
Thats a springtail
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lordv/94484378/in/set-590338/
Maybe its because I've never had issues with them,but I think they look really cute!  
Try when they are crawling in the holes, the bright plastic hides and the viv glass... and then you see them on you and then tell me they are cute. |
| Mort13 |
Posted - 18/01/2012 : 22:55:40
quote:
Originally posted by lotabob
Does sound like springtails. I have had these appear in pretty much all my vivariums now, they only seem to hang around the water bowl and are totally harmless. Unfortunately providing snakes a perfect environment also provides our native bugs an environment where they thrive. You will from time to time get springtails they like moisture so they are less likely to make a low humidity vivarium a home but high humidity set ups will quickly become colonised. They are beneficial though they eat mould and muck keeping things clean, my crested Gecko vivarium has very high humidity and I had a few issues with mould but not since the springtails turned up.
Thats a springtail
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lordv/94484378/in/set-590338/
Maybe its because I've never had issues with them,but I think they look really cute! |
| Red123 |
Posted - 18/01/2012 : 20:17:27
I've had them in my vivs. Didn't get them until I started using Auboise so have gone back to kitchen roll and now there is no sig of them. I did find them in the bale of Auboise so dumped that as well. I don't mind bugs in their rightful place but hate the thought of them in with the snakes. |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 18/01/2012 : 19:42:31
quote:
Originally posted by Auld Baldy
Easiest way to get rid of them is just to change the water and clean the dish. They lay eggs in the water so if it is changed every day they will eventually die off.
Agreed. I have springtails in my viv 50% of the time every time I do a viv change now. Still makes you feel icky though :( |
| marc_sg |
Posted - 18/01/2012 : 19:22:10
thanks for the replies i took a handfull down to my local shop that i caught and he comformed everything was already. not that i didnt believe any just wanted some one to see them for themself thanks everyone |
| lotabob |
Posted - 18/01/2012 : 13:04:53
Does sound like springtails. I have had these appear in pretty much all my vivariums now, they only seem to hang around the water bowl and are totally harmless. Unfortunately providing snakes a perfect environment also provides our native bugs an environment where they thrive. You will from time to time get springtails they like moisture so they are less likely to make a low humidity vivarium a home but high humidity set ups will quickly become colonised. They are beneficial though they eat mould and muck keeping things clean, my crested Gecko vivarium has very high humidity and I had a few issues with mould but not since the springtails turned up.
Thats a springtail
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lordv/94484378/in/set-590338/ |
| marc_sg |
Posted - 17/01/2012 : 23:25:16
well ive emptyed the vivs put newspaper in them. if there harmless the ill just wash the vivs a scrub down. im gonna leave the news paper in the for proof of breedings any way |
| Auld Baldy |
Posted - 17/01/2012 : 23:10:32
Pretty sure it is springtails from your sketch. I panicked, just like you  , when I first discovered them. They are harmless to the snakes and generally keep the substrate 'tidy'.
Easiest way to get rid of them is just to change the water and clean the dish. They lay eggs in the water so if it is changed every day they will eventually die off.
If you just want rid of them, clean out the viv and disinfect with a 10% bleach solution and rinse. Treat all the hides and furniture to a good scrub. Leave the viv empty for a couple of days to dry off before setting it up again with new substrate.
Keep the snakes in temporary RUBs, small secure plastic boxes will see them over the eradication time. |
| marc_sg |
Posted - 17/01/2012 : 22:53:57
 |
| marc_sg |
Posted - 17/01/2012 : 22:52:07
this is my impresson on what im looking at |
| marc_sg |
Posted - 17/01/2012 : 22:20:46
im still not sure ill TRY and get a pic |
| Auld Baldy |
Posted - 17/01/2012 : 22:12:41
99% chance that they are just harmless (but beneficial) springtails.
Compare with pics in this post.
http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=18297 |
| Casta |
Posted - 17/01/2012 : 22:05:06
i thought that. silverfish the same thing? you got pics?
|
| mkmattyk |
Posted - 17/01/2012 : 22:04:39
i had a simular problem and what my friends thought it was, was a mite that lived in the substrate, so now what i do is blast all my beech chip in the cooker for abit and put it in a separate container |
| marc_sg |
Posted - 17/01/2012 : 21:50:37
forgot to say ive not added any thing in there withing a year everything is as it always has been apart from a mdf divider from b&q |
| ScalySituation |
Posted - 17/01/2012 : 21:49:57
sprintails maybe? |
