Bugs!

4bsingreece

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Omg. We just went to do the bedding change and we found tons of these little bugs!?! What are they?? Where did they come from? We completely empty the enclosure, wiped it all down and refilled. With in minutes we saw them again. Could they be from the bedding? Help! ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1504316590.308635.jpg
 

Pearly

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Can't really tell from your picture, are those not pillbugs? They look elingated and grayish but perhaps little slimmer than the rollies would be? Can you post another closeup pic? Like really good zoom?
 

crimson_lotus

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Can't really tell what those are - if you could get a picture we may be able to help identify better.

The most common bug people ask about frequently on this forum would be silverfish. Before my tortoise was actually mine, I remember cleaning her enclosure to find the entire bottom layer under her substrate was infested as they never cleaned the bedding. They thrive in wet places, and I'm sure excess food lying around doesn't help either.

Harmless, but preferable to just not deal with them.

What kind of bedding is that?
 

Pearly

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ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1504377792.348314.jpg these are the ones I'm referring to. Only they would not "reappear" so quickly after complete substrate change even if there were some teeny babies or eggs left, it would have taken some time for them to repopulate the enclosure.
 

4bsingreece

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It is not a pill bug but maybe a slivefish? It is the zoomed wood chips on one half and coconut substrate on the other. But it does get wet as he climbs in and out of the water bowl.
 

Pearly

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Yes, definitely not a pillbug, it's too flat and I see a long leg in one side. Pill bugs don't have couple pairs of legs like insects do. They are isopods and have rows of legs on both sides kinda like centipede.... but that is not a silverfish either.... ok, guys, who knows your bugs?.....@Tom, @Yvonne G, @ZEROPILOT, @Anyfoot, who can we ask about insects on this forum? Do we have an insect specialist here? This thing is an INSECT but that's all I can tell
 

Tom

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Looks like it may be a baby roach, or something similar.

Insects live all around us and our tortoise enclosures offer a great place for them to live and prosper. The vast majority are harmless detrivores and you don't need to worry about them.

You can boil, bake, freeze, or replace your substrate every couple of weeks to get rid of them, but they will always come back because the area is so perfect for their needs. Personally, I just ignore them.

What is the white stuff all over the substrate in your pics?

Looking at your username, are you in Greece? You can go into your user profile and add your location, so we will all know where you are. This sometimes helps us offer better advice.
 

Yvonne G

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The bug's eggs were probably in the substrate from the store.
 

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