Are these mites?

[purplesnakegirl]

Today while I was cleaning out my diamond enclosure I was shocked to see hundreds of these tiny little insects. My initial reaction was to assume they were mites but they looked a little different to pics I have seen of snake mite. They were mostly living under the bark of an old tree branch I've had in there for years. When I pulled bits of bark off hundreds just went running everywhere and thats where I saw a lot of the young. They also were under the newspaper and in amongst the recycled newspaper substrate. I have never seen them on my snakes and still can't even when I look for them now. They are less than 1mm long and really hard to see. The adults are a sandy colour and the younger smaller ones are white. I'm sure I have seen similar insects in the garden in the grass when I have been doing the gardening and also in my letter box at times. Could someone tell me if these are snake mites or some kind of wood mite or something? I've attached some pics but they were very very hard to take pictures of because of their size and the little buggers move quite fast.

Thanks, your help is appreciated.

 

[GeckoJosh]

I cant tell you exactly what it is but its not a mite, mites are arachnids, what you have found is an insect

 

[Grogshla]

im not sure but i would give your snakey a bath and most of the mites or insects will move to his head then pick them off as best as you can. Clean and disinfect the enclosure let to dry in sun then use paper or white tiles. Best of luck keep us updated

 

[geckoman1985]

lol thay look like termites or ants lol

 

[GeckoJosh]

im not sure but i would give your snakey a bath and most of the mites or insects will move to his head then pick them off as best as you can. Clean and disinfect the enclosure let to dry in sun then use paper or white tiles. Best of luck keep us updated

Thats a bit of over kill, they wont be on the actually snake, just giving the enclosure a good clean would suffice imo

Maybe a queen termite has gotten in there somehow and laid eggs, I would make sure to kill them all before they start eating your enclosure lol

 

[RSPcrazy]

Definately not mites. They do look like a termite or ant of some sort. Go get some "ant sand" (it's a poison that they carry back to the nest) and put some around the enclosure (not in the enclosure).

 

[saratoga]

Look like termites to me too, definately not mites!

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Termites. The suggestion that a queen has got in there and laid eggs is not a possibility. Termites need very closely controlled temperatures and humidity to build a viable nest, and a reptile enclosure would be far too dry for them. They have either come in on some item of cage decoration, and will die off in due course, or they have come from somewhere else in your house and found something to eat in the enclosure. Either way, the main nest won't be in the enclosure.

Jamie

 

[snakelady-viper]

Termites

 

[GeckoJosh]

Termites. The suggestion that a queen has got in there and laid eggs is not a possibility. Termites need very closely controlled temperatures and humidity to build a viable nest, and a reptile enclosure would be far too dry for them. They have either come in on some item of cage decoration, and will die off in due course, or they have come from somewhere else in your house and found something to eat in the enclosure. Either way, the main nest won't be in the enclosure.

Jamie

Actually it is possible, although I will agree that reptile enclosures normally would not be a suitable place for a nest.

 

[Mr.James]

Throw a few lizards in there for a while. Lol

 

[geckoman1985]

lol i heard geckos love termites

 

[Wrightpython]

If they are only 1mm long they are not termites they are just a form of regular ant we get them in old brick piles etc. Dont worry they wont effect your snake and infact may help prevent mites. They live on fungus that they grow inside there nest which grows on rotting timber and dead insects mixed together. they wont harm you or your snake but to get rid of them use normal surface spray.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Using "normal surface spray" will kill your snakes!!!

Jamie

 

[Bluetongue1]

They are some form of insect, as stated, but certainly not termites as Pythoninfinite pointed out. The photos are not clear enough to even get down to a family, unfortunately. However, there are a few things you can say about them. They are free-living (non parasitic) as you have never found them on your snake. They are probably active at night, as you found them sheltering during the day. They are breeding in your enclosure for you to get those numbers present. Something new you have put into the enclosure, probably within the last month or thereabouts, is likely to have introduced them. See if you can think what it might be and don't automatically rule out anything until you check the source.

They need a food source and moisture to survive, grow and reproduce. They are not obtaining their moisture from the water bowl as you would find the odd drowned body in there. Therefore they are likely to be obtaining it from either misting or moisture from wastes retained by the substrate. Food wise they need something organic. Once again, the substrate and/or retention of waste matter is the most likely source.

I would suggest getting rid of all substrate and replacing it with newspaper or butcher's paper. No misting. Ensure any wastes are removed as soon as possible after being produced. Keep an eye on numbers over the next week and there should be a significant decrease. Keep it up until they are all gone. Once they have gone it is probably a good idea to de-bark the branch – up to you. Good luck.

Blue.

PS Worker termites require high humidity and controlled temperature. The humidity is absolutely ctitical which is why you do not find them under loose bark. Ants possess a "wasp waist" along with other members of the Hymenoptera. These do not have a "wasp waist".