I have seen tiny little white bugs crawling around in the substrate. Probably the only reason they are visible is because the power sun illuminates them and they stand out on the dark substrate. There aren't a ton of these things. Just randomly will spot 1 or 2 when i stir the substrate around. Anyone experience the same thing? Are they bad or nothing to worry about? I've never seen them crawling on my tegu yet either. It is a 5wk or so varnyard baby.
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Teeny Tiny white bugs in substrate... Bad or not a problem?
- Thread starter HorseCaak
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If they are white and jumping they are probably Springtails and will not harm your tegu. They feed on the wet mulch and the only way to get rid of them is an entire enclosure cleaning or let the wood dry out completely for weeks (but that's not good for your tegu).
When they are black and crawling, that's no good.
When they are black and crawling, that's no good.
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PuffDragon what are the little black bugs you are talking about?
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Usually mites.
Thanks guys. I forgot about this post. They must be springtails. They are tiny and white and mostly in the wetter areas. I changed enclosures recently with brand new orchid bark and they were there immediately. Must be in the bags of substrate. They are never on my tegu though. Not that I can notice anyway.
ok i am having the same prob. at the bottom of substrate(eucalyptus mulch). there are a few hundred in parts, 'bout the size of the tip of a needle, literally. and some tiny beetle/like f-n bugs. WHAT THE HE!! ARE THESE?!! :rant gonna get rid of all sub and use newspaper till i buy something else. --anybody got any idea what i am looking at?? :mad :fc
I find those tiny jumping white bugs in his water every damn day. Just appeared about a week ago. I have some eco earth coming to replace all the mulch since i've found tiny little pieces in his stools. I had them a long time ago when I had my columbian, but have never seen them since with the new argentine. I always wondered what they were and where they came from, but I've never seen them on the tegu.
wyattroa said:
So it's been 2 months since all that work you put forth to rid of those little bugs. ANy return of them? Is your Tegu awake or hibernating? I haven't noticed any in mine but that's because my girl is hibernating and I don't have the lights on. I probably just don't notice them with the lights off. Who knows...
-Cheers
;-)
Well, if they are white and tiny they are likely to be phorid fly larva (aka maggots) or springtails. Springtails are VERY tiny (though great for dart frogs) and the species can live in slightly moist to incredibly damp conditions with little oxygen and they breed like rabbits on viagra. Phorid flies are those tiny little brown gnats about the size of D. melanogaster fruit flies and they are notorious for breeding in substrates. From my understanding, if given the oppertunity they have this lil hook that they use to deposit eggs in a vulnerable spot in the fire ants armor and the fire ant is the only species of ant they lay eggs in, though will frequently lay in substrate. Take a good gander at them and get an idea of what they are. Its rather interesting. I wouldnt recommend bleaching substrate. Only bake it or boil it. Good luck.
-Jon DeLong
-Jon DeLong
Beazer said:
I'm predy sure mine are springtails. They are extremely tiny and tend to be in the moist areas and seen mostly when I dig down to the bottom where their may be a wet spot or two. THey are definitely not maggots. They probably come from the substrate that I purchase which is already moist. They don't seem to hurt any so I don't worry about them.
