Assistance Please - Could these be Mites?

[Dragonwolf]

I keep the crickets (Pisces brand - the only ones available here) I purchase to feed my Bearded Dragons in a terrarium (all glass sides with a glass lid) so that I can keep them fed and hydrated. This morning when I went to collect the beardies breakfast there were thousands of miniscule white bugs crawling around the inside and outside of the enclosure.
I used an eye magnifier (from the Herp Shop) to look at them clearly and they look like tiny spider /mite type creatures. I can't see them clearly enough to count the legs but they look to have small antenae at the front end and fluffy back ends. They are ovalish and translucent white at this time.
Could these be snake mites? Would they have come in with the crickets or the woodies I keep in another tank? Or are they hatchlingcrickets or woodies.
My pythons and beardies are kept in another area of the house and I'm about to steam the 2 terrariums to kill everything in them as I don't want to risk an infestation of mites. I don't have any T.O.D. and the earliest I could get any would be from the Herp Trader and that would probably not get to me til early next week.
If I could photgraph something that small and post a pic I would, sorry.
Thanks for any help in advance.
Kyles

 

[diamondgal79]

small antenae at the front end and fluffy back ends. They are ovalish and translucent white at this time.
sounds like baby crix

 

[JasonL]

Fodder Mite

 

[Dragonwolf]

Thanks for the reply Diamondgal. Are baby crickets so small that I'd need an eye magnifier to see them clearly? These are less than a milimetre long...you'd think they were dust except they're moving?
I hope you're right though. Thanks again.

 

[herptrader]

Fodder Mite

and therefore not great threat to your beardy.

 

[Dragonwolf]

Fodder Mite

Should I be concerned?

Thanks for the help, Kyles

 

[JasonL]

Only for your own health if you suffer from mite allergies like myself. They are extremely hard to kill too, they swim happily in most pesticides.....

 

[Dragonwolf]

Thanks so much guys. It's wonderful to be able to get good advice quickly.
I do react a bit to dust mites so I assume I'll react to these mites. Boiling water should kill them though? If I dump the contents into a plastic tub and flood it with boiling water and steam the enclosures I should be right do you think?

Kyles

 

[diamondgal79]

never even thought of fodder mites.
Good thinking guys.
Sorry for the bum steer Dragonwolf

 

[JasonL]

yes, though they have a tendency to re-appear after you think you have got on top of them...

 

[Dragonwolf]

It's all good Diamondgal, I was stressing a bit when I posted and your reply calmed me down enough to realise there could be another explanation. I appreciate your help.

JasonL, is there no solution to eradicating these things then? Do we just learn to live with them as we do dust mites? I've never had them turn up before so would they have come in with my cricket packet? I purchased them from a store I normally don't frequent due to husbandry issues but I was desperate this time.

 

[JasonL]

Yes, you can get rid of them with persistance, keep your bugs really clean and dry, wash all tubs ect..

 

[mysnakesau]

and therefore not great threat to your beardy.

Thank you Herptrader. I have spent years trying to work out what those things were. I didn't think they were baby crix as there was millions upon millions absolutely cover everything. Good to know all the time I stressed over their presence, that they were in fact harmless.

 

[Dragonwolf]

I have gotten rid of the contents of both my tanks and have cleaned them well. I had a friend going to Toowoomba today and she picked up new food for me which I will keep in the plastic containers while I wait for my order of Speckled Roaches from Herptrader.
Thanks again JasonL and Herptrader, your information was most helpful and timely.

Have a beautiful day, Kyles

 

[JasonL]

I stressed over their presence, that they were in fact harmless.

Harmless to some, I suffer extreme allergic reactions to mites and they almost send me into hospital, though luckily I havn't had any for some years now.

 

[Dragonwolf]

Harmless to some, I suffer extreme allergic reactions to mites and they almost send me into hospital, though luckily I havn't had any for some years now.

That IS a worrying reaction Jason. I guess you don't have carpets in your home then and you'd have to be fairly vigilant with house cleaning too. I itch, sneeze and my eyes puff over dust mites and I'm anaphylactic to oats (go figure). The simplest things can bring us to our knees.

 

[JasonL]

Yes, ripped out all the carpet and floors are mopped every 3-4 days.... My eyes puff till their almost closed, I sneeze 400 times a day, then I have breathing difficulties like asma..