Bugs in enclosure

[jfenton954]

I've noticed these little bugs on my temporary giant day gecko enclosure. They are on it poop. Does anyone know what they are? Are they good or bad?

 

[Amanda1]

They might be springtails, which are very good to have, although it's hard to tell from the pic. No matter what it is, if it's eating poop it's welcome in my tanks. Less cleaning for me.

 

[jfenton954]

I don't think their springtails, they look a little bigger and less white. I bought springtails for my main enclosure.

 

[Josh2]

That photo is so close it looks like an impressionist painting!
I like my enclosures insect-free unless I deliberately put them there. I'd try to remove the bug though I can't tell exactly what it is.

 

[jfenton954]

I haven't seen them anywhere in the enclosure but on the poop. And they seem to be eating it til it's gone. My guess is that they came in the 100% cypress mulch. Would that help determine what they are?

 

[Amanda1]

Can't tell you exactly what they are. There are different types of springtails, maybe those are just a bigger kind. And like I said, if it eats poop, it's fine by me. I like having bugs in my enclosures.

 

[Jetfire]

Dubias make excellent janitors/snacks,I keep them in all the habitats except for the Leos (too dry).The spot cleaning is reduced to practically nothing.

 

[Geckomaster743]

Dubias make excellent janitors/snacks,I keep them in all the habitats except for the Leos (too dry).The spot cleaning is reduced to practically nothing.

Haha, Jetfire good to hear from you again. I actually like this topic, Been a while since I've been so interested in reading some thing that would save me a lot of time lol. Personally I have a lot of crap to clean at the end of every week. Where can I get spring tails?

 

[jfenton954]

I got my springtails from Josh's Frogs website.

 

[Josh2]

@jetfire come back to us! lol!
I'm slated to be getting some dubia really soon. I will have to look into springtails

 

[jfenton954]

Well these bugs are everywhere outside my vivarium now not sure why but their everywhere!!

 

[acpart]

I wonder if they could be grain mites? Check out this Gecko Time article about getting rid of them:
http://www.geckotime.com/how-i-got-rid-of-grain-mites/

Aliza

 

[jfenton954]

They are totally infested in my mealworms colony!!!! But I don't need a magnifying glass to spot them there are little white dots everywhere!!

 

[acpart]

Yes, those are grain mites. Heat and cold are your allies, though you may lose your mealworms in the process.

Aliza

 

[jfenton954]

What about a predatory mite?

 

[jfenton954]

Good call thanks!! Grain mites... Got rid of mealworm colony and shop vac the stand and area where they were and their pretty much gone!!

 

[acpart]

Be sure to use either heat or cold on your shop vac or they may resurface.

Aliza

 

[jfenton954]

I sucked up boiling water in my shop vac to be sure they would die.

 

[Geckomaster743]

I sucked up boiling water in my shop vac to be sure they would die.

That sounds like it should finish them off, Another thing to make sure they are gone is to freeze the enclosure for 24 - 48 hours. When I buy substrate I usually freeze it for 24 - 48 hours if it comes from outside like trees where they can pick up wood mites.

 

[jfenton954]

Yeah freezing the enclosure is not an option at all I have a live vivarium that would kill everything. Plus I don't see any grain mites anywhere around or in the enclosure. Plus I threw out the whole mealworm colony.