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Jayde
Yearling
United Kingdom
291 Posts |
 Posted - 16/10/2011 : 13:57:55
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Ok, so I'm taking the décor out of the viv as Heques kindly decided to leave his mess over just about everything last night. As I removed his water bowl, I noticed some small greyish, almost see through, tiny bug like things, scuttled across the bottom of the viv. There were only 2, and one came out from under a piece of the substrate. ( I keep the water bowl sitting on the floor of the viv and place the substrate around it)
I squashed both of them and tried to have a look at them, which was totally hopeless. I then moved all of the substrate around, to see if any more appeared, but found nothing.
I had him out last night, and always check all of them when they are, just to be on the safe side.
He's never had any health issues, and there has never been anything in his water bowl or viv to suggest an infestation, atleast not that I would be able to recognise.
Should I be worried? Is it a type of infestation that I need to be treating, or are they something like dust creatures?
They really have me baffled.
The substrate I use is Orchid Bark.
The Viv is spot cleaned each timed it is fouled, and cleaned once a month, 6 weeks on the odd occasion.
Water is changed every 2 days.
Temperature and humidity are all normal.
No change in behaviour, feeding, fouling or shedding .
Any Ideas??
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7384 Posts |
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Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 16/10/2011 : 14:12:39
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| Because they were at the waterbowl my money is on springtails, rather than a bad thing springtails are good, they eat mould, fungus and decaying stuff so they make fantastic cleaners, I'm actually going to be buyin a culture of these for my high humidity Gecko viv as they keep things clean. |
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Jayde
Yearling
United Kingdom
291 Posts |
Posted - 16/10/2011 : 14:14:52
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I suppose they are a little more like the second image in wikipedia,but barely any colour, and without the long antenna and long legs at the back, and much much smaller, literally minuscule! (obviously I don't know how far the wiki image is zoomed in)
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deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 16/10/2011 : 14:16:29
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Here is a springtail ...
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ig124
Could be your substrate's a bit high on humidity for a snake (but so many conflicting opinions about that, NOT trying to start debate lol!)
Certainly harmless! |
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blackskull
Fully Grown Royal
United Kingdom
1278 Posts |
Posted - 16/10/2011 : 14:19:02
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| i come across what look like silver fish in my vivs every now and then, don't seem to bother the snakes |
1.1 normal royal, sully, silver
0.1 pinstripe royal, penny
1.1 pastel royal, lars, clover
0.1 lesser royal, serenity
0.1 black pastel royal, betty
0.1 mojave royal, mavis
0.1 normal het clown
1.0 pastel het clown
1.0 nuclear, ned
1.0 super phantom
1.0 childrens python, myles
0.1 hog island boa
0.1 sonoran x boa, grace
0.0.1 mack snow leopard gecko, munchkin
4.1 cats, stan, dave, marble, binx, daisy
4.1 rabbits, mol, ted, bill, spud, alice
0.1 crazy cat/bunny lady of bridgwater, lucy |
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Jayde
Yearling
United Kingdom
291 Posts |
Posted - 16/10/2011 : 14:43:21
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Yes, is definitely more along the lines of one of those.
Good to hear it's not going to be a pain in the back side!
Thanks Bats |
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Jayde
Yearling
United Kingdom
291 Posts |
Posted - 16/10/2011 : 14:45:20
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Ohh sorry Lotabob, I didn't see your post.
That's most certainly reassuring.
Who can argue with something that likes to take o a cleaning task!! |
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reptilemadd
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
969 Posts |
Posted - 16/10/2011 : 17:03:46
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Got to admit I'm the same every time I get the snakes out always checking their eyes and vents since they are the two places mites seem to like to party, if your ever worried about your bark you could always bake it in the oven for a couple of hours at about 100c, which should kill of most if not all infestations then once it's cooled and in the tank sraying it will raise the humidity |
1.0.0 beardie "magic"
1.1.0 100% Het Clown "Cerberus" and "Artemis"
0.1.0 Poss Calico "Ariadne"
1.0.0 Lesser " Kronos"
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Jayde
Yearling
United Kingdom
291 Posts |
Posted - 16/10/2011 : 17:29:18
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With the current bag of bark I'm using, I must admit, I've been drying it out on a I a spare box, the week before cleaning in the airing cupboard, but only because it seems to be extremely more damp than my previous bags. When I first used it, it left condensation all over the viv, and took almost all day to clear, and that was without any additional spritzing. And it's not kept anywhere damp, just in a storage box, underneath the vivs with all the other spare stuff. Other half is paranoid I'll burn the place down if I use the oven, although god knows why when he's the one who can't use it without crucifying anything he puts in!
Maybe I'll give it a go, next time he's out and see if it prevents the little things.
Good tip to remember though |
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Should I be concerned?
