Tiny Tiny Bugs

[MysticCaribou]

Hi, My habitat has the tiniest bugs I've ever seen. Smaller than a pin head. The only times I see them is if food falls off of Juliet's plate and its left there for a few hours or more. They are very very small and you can see their movement on the piece of greens or mushroom or whatever. They don't reach up to the plate. They aren't on Juliet. She gets soaked twice a day and rinsed off in tap water to get the dirt off of her (she's a digger) before I put her in her soaking water. So if a bug is on her - which i have never seen, then its washed off.

I noticed this months ago, and completely gutted her cage. I washed everything including the tarp that lines her habitat, in an alcohol based cleaning product (rinsed well.) Used a mixture of Organic Sterilized Soil and the Coconut Core. (sp?) On top of that in several places especially under her hides, is a thick layer of sphagnum moss.

The darn little bugs are back. Do you know what these are and the potential source of the disgusting little scurrying fleck like bugs? Anyone have any suggestions? Please?!?

Thanks ahead of time,

Laurie

 

[Anyfoot]

Hi, My habitat has the tiniest bugs I've ever seen. Smaller than a pin head. The only times I see them is if food falls off of Juliet's plate and its left there for a few hours or more. They are very very small and you can see their movement on the piece of greens or mushroom or whatever. They don't reach up to the plate. They aren't on Juliet. She gets soaked twice a day and rinsed off in tap water to get the dirt off of her (she's a digger) before I put her in her soaking water. So if a bug is on her - which i have never seen, then its washed off.

I noticed this months ago, and completely gutted her cage. I washed everything including the tarp that lines her habitat, in an alcohol based cleaning product (rinsed well.) Used a mixture of Organic Sterilized Soil and the Coconut Core. (sp?) On top of that in several places especially under her hides, is a thick layer of sphagnum moss.

The darn little bugs are back. Do you know what these are and the potential source of the disgusting little scurrying fleck like bugs? Anyone have any suggestions? Please?!?

Thanks ahead of time,

Laurie

Probably springtails, not harmful at all. They live off food scraps and poop.

 

[MysticCaribou]

Probably springtails, not harmful at all. They live off food scraps and poop.

@Anyfoot Do you know where they come from? And how do I get rid of them? They really upset me. There is no poop in her cage as she always does that in her soaking water - and I regularly check. But she does knock food off of her plate. Can they harm her? After you identified them I read that they are attracted to dampness. Well - I can't get rid of that as the damp substrate is necessary. I'm really grossed out - can you tell.

 

[Yvonne G]

The eggs are most likely already in the dirt you use. They thrive in warm, moist conditions.

 

[MysticCaribou]

The eggs are most likely already in the dirt you use. They thrive in warm, moist conditions.

I replaced the dirt with a new bag. But I'm going to buy a new brand of soil from a different place. Has anyone ever had this problem?

 

[Anyfoot]

@Anyfoot Do you know where they come from? And how do I get rid of them? They really upset me. There is no poop in her cage as she always does that in her soaking water - and I regularly check. But she does knock food off of her plate. Can they harm her? After you identified them I read that they are attracted to dampness. Well - I can't get rid of that as the damp substrate is necessary. I'm really grossed out - can you tell.

I can tell your grossed out. . But they are nothing to worry about, they don't harm your torts, they help clean up other mess. I'm also guessing there is some protein in there when the tort eats food with bugs on it.
No matter what you do they will come back within a couple of weeks.

Not sure but adding pillbugs might help to keep them down, then again if pillbugs freak you out too, you may have to add spiders to keep them under control, then maybe a bird to eat spiders.

 

[Yvonne G]

Probably doesn't matter how many new bags you buy. . . the eggs are in the soil - in the new bags.

 

[threeboxerlover]

We have the same little bugs in both Frank and Eleanor's habitats. We completely changed everything out and sure enough - back they came. Now we're all just used to them. Although the info about pillbugs is interesting!

 

[MysticCaribou]

I can tell your grossed out. . But they are nothing to worry about, they don't harm your torts, they help clean up other mess. I'm also guessing there is some protein in there when the tort eats food with bugs on it.
No matter what you do they will come back within a couple of weeks.

Not sure but adding pillbugs might help to keep them down, then again if pillbugs freak you out too, you may have to add spiders to keep them under control, then maybe a bird to eat spiders.

Funny person. But you're right. Pill bugs will be even worse. I'll just try to deal with it. Thanks everybody.

 

[Anyfoot]

I've seen my baby hingebacks actively hunt them down, they stick their tongues on a bunch of springtails on the food slate. Never seen the redfoots do it though.

 

[MysticCaribou]

I've seen my baby hingebacks actively hunt them down, they stick their tongues on a bunch of springtails on the food slate. Never seen the redfoots do it though.

Lovely.

 

[PJay]

Think of them as the cleaning crew. Every environment has creatures who clean up the poo, the food that gets buried in the substrate and the mold and mildew that takes hold in the damp. They are your partners.

 

[MysticCaribou]

Think of them as the cleaning crew. Every environment has creatures who clean up the poo, the food that gets buried in the substrate and the mold and mildew that takes hold in the damp. They are your partners.

I'll try to get used to it. Thanks everyone!

 

[BabyJack]

Hi, My habitat has the tiniest bugs I've ever seen. Smaller than a pin head. The only times I see them is if food falls off of Juliet's plate and its left there for a few hours or more. They are very very small and you can see their movement on the piece of greens or mushroom or whatever. They don't reach up to the plate. They aren't on Juliet. She gets soaked twice a day and rinsed off in tap water to get the dirt off of her (she's a digger) before I put her in her soaking water. So if a bug is on her - which i have never seen, then its washed off.

I noticed this months ago, and completely gutted her cage. I washed everything including the tarp that lines her habitat, in an alcohol based cleaning product (rinsed well.) Used a mixture of Organic Sterilized Soil and the Coconut Core. (sp?) On top of that in several places especially under her hides, is a thick layer of sphagnum moss.

The darn little bugs are back. Do you know what these are and the potential source of the disgusting little scurrying fleck like bugs? Anyone have any suggestions? Please?!?

Thanks ahead of time,

Laurie

I have the same issue, thanks for posted here, very usefull info for me too.

 

[BabyJack]

I replaced the dirt with a new bag. But I'm going to buy a new brand of soil from a different place. Has anyone ever had this problem?

I use coconut fiber and have the same result. It seems those little alien can not be exterminated...jajaja

 

[Anyfoot]

I'd like to know where they come from. I always mix my new coir with boiling water before I use it, so any eggs would surely be killed.

 

[Yvonne G]

Some folks spread it out on a cookie sheet and bake it in the oven

 

[Anyfoot]

Some folks spread it out on a cookie sheet and bake it in the oven

Think I'll need to buy a dog house before I start baking coir in our oven.

 

[TammyJ]

It's hard for most people to think of bugs as beneficial, but some of them are actually essential to the creature with which they are in symbiosis...nature is wonderful and complex.
Get with the programme!