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Springtails? Help?

Carter

Carter

Unknown Quantity - FML
I was holding my cali king and noticed a little elongated whitish bug running quickly off the snake and onto my hand. I flipped out (thinking they were mites) and sterilized the cage and everything in and around it. After placing the snake back in the fresh environment I noticed a couple more. Worrying that they may find their way to my corns, I did some quick digging on the internet and to my relief figured out they were not mites, but what I think are springtails. I use repti-bark fir substrate and I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem using the same thing or just in general? If so, is this a danger to my snakes, how do I eradicate this problem? I would greatly appreciate any information that you guys could give me on this subject.


(I am aware of what mites look and act like, where they like to hide, and I did check my snakes and did not find anything resembling a mite infestation. These bugs are elongated, fast, whitish, and seem to just run around nervously. The bugs are really small, and are probably no longer than 1-2 mm in length.).
 
I use a bark substrate - I have to bake it before use or it hatches tiny little black flies when it warms up in the viv. Might work for you?
 
I think they came in with your bark. As Bitsy said baking the bark will solve that problem. Bark and Cyprus Mulch and substrates of that nature hold moisture and grow fungus which will harbor fungus gnats. That is a different creature than what you have but something to be aware of.

They don't sound like any kind of a parasite. I don't thing they are a threat to your snakes, just a pest.
 
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