# Tiny white bugs/mites



## Rogue665

Just check on t's vivarium and there are hundreds of tiny white bugs all over their enclosures, their creeping me out how do i get rid of them.
one sling 
two juveniles one that has just molted
and i just checked my chili roses adults females and there are some in their enclosure too.
is there some kind of spray to get them off the tarantula too?
i just transfered baby crickets into larger faunarium and now their in the faunarium too so i def think they came with the t's can i look out for this in shops?
heard putting wood lice in my tanks would help?


----------



## Mr Mister

Rogue665 said:


> Just check on t's vivarium and there are hundreds of tiny white bugs all over their enclosures, their creeping me out how do i get rid of them.
> one sling
> two juveniles one that has just molted
> and i just checked my chili roses adults females and there are some in their enclosure too.
> is there some kind of spray to get them off the tarantula too?
> i just transfered baby crickets into larger faunarium and now their in the faunarium too so i def think they came with the t's can i look out for this in shops?
> heard putting wood lice in my tanks would help?


 
Clean it all out.
Throw the substrate away.
Replace it.
Keep substrate much more dry.
Spot clean more.
In very bad cases these are a good option.
　
http://www.defenders.co.uk/pest-solutions/biological-sciarid-fly-control.html


----------



## blinky71

The enclosure is too moist leave it to dry out for a few days,these mites need moisture to survive and thrive.


----------



## Adam B Jones

Do they look something like this?

Tropical White Springtails |

Or more something along the lines of this?

Tiny white mites in bedroom and living room HELP - Hot UK Deals

Edit - ps - read this, it'll make you feel better 

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/spiders-inverts/388524-guide-mites.html

Are they actually visibly crawling all over the spiders?


----------



## Hedgewitch

Agreed, first check they're not springtails, which will actually be reducing the risk of mites. (Springtails move quickly, float in waterbowls and jump when disturbed. Mites move constantly and slowly).

Secondly, if you're really bothered, just dry out the tanks, they'll die. Sure some eggs will survive and come back with moisture but periodic drying at least controls the population.

Springtails are actually pretty awesome in more humid tanks as they eat spider poop and cricket remains and also control the spread of mould. Mites do a similar job though they're usually less nice to see about.

Thing is, little white mites you'll find in your tanks are going to be scavengers, they're not going to harm your spiders, they're more an indicator that your tanks might be a bit heavy on the dead cricket bits etc.

They will attach themselves to spiders, but it's just to hitch a ride, they go through a dormant state attached to a larger bug to help them spread to new places. They're not hurting the spiders unless they're totally coated in the things.


----------



## selina20

Im putting bets on them being springtails rather than mites. Do they jump?


----------



## Ron Magpie

Me too- in which case they are actually beneficial, helping to clean up the enclosure. I (and lots of other frog people) actually introduce them to tanks on purpose! :2thumb:


----------



## Adam B Jones

Yeah, seems likely I'd say as OP said they are running around creeping her out - I use them, but if I didn't know what they were, I'd probably be a bit creeped out if I suddenly noticed them due to their skittish darting movements - mites I've found tend to move like slugs in comparison...


----------



## Rogue665

nope not spring tails, they don't jump just crawl, the only dead cricket i have ever left in my t's enclosure was recently with my red rump, she was molting and she had killed the cricket but not ate it, so it was in her burrow, i would of had to dismantle her hole burrow to get at it.
would introducing something in the future prevent this kind of break out.


----------



## Hedgewitch

For humid enclosures, i.e. where you'll get mites, springtails will at least do something of a job out-competing them.


----------



## Rogue665

cleaned out all the enclosures affected, such a shame the t's made such good hides and tunnels for themselves and i had to destroy them, second shower seemed to do the job for me to stop itching and feel like i'm crawling...I am hoping to not have to go through this again..like ever so will introducing wood lice stop this? i have to spray the enclosure because the t's burrow, whats my best option?


----------



## Spideypidey

They could also be tropical white woodlice which I prefer to Springtails and do much the same job as springtails and don't jump. My baby Samon Pink Bird-eater which is hidden away in its hide most of the time eats them which is something of a trepidation because I'm trying to get a good population in there.


----------



## Adam B Jones

Rogue665 said:


> i have to spray the enclosure because the t's burrow


How come? Is it because they bury the water bowl? 

What species are they apart from the chilies?

I wouldn't worry too much about overly wetting it unless they are theraphosa, ephebopus, etc - you can just pour a bit of water in one corner to keep the substrate more moist underneath, this should be fine for slings also, as if they are burrowed away they will benefit from the damper sub-level...

Did you read the link about mites? That should keep you right


----------



## Mr Mister

Rogue665 said:


> cleaned out all the enclosures affected, such a shame the t's made such good hides and tunnels for themselves and i had to destroy them, second shower seemed to do the job for me to stop itching and feel like i'm crawling...I am hoping to not have to go through this again..like ever so will introducing wood lice stop this? i have to spray the enclosure because the t's burrow, whats my best option?


To keep it far more dry and spot clean more.

Else it will happen again.


----------



## GRB

Post a photo - in focus, but not needing to be too close - and I'll tell you what they are. 

Not all springtails jump either, btw. Look up _Poduromorpha_. 

Ridiculous that the first advice given is still "NUKE THE ENCLOSURE BAAAAH THEY ARE DANGEROUS". 

Load of rubbish, even if they are mites.


----------



## Rogue665

i can't get a picture, my phone is too crap, their tiny like a little smaller then a .
I swapped around all the substrate yesterday to all dry and all new and they are still some around all the enclosures, like up the sides of the faunariums.
As for spot cleaning once again the only messy thing in any of the enclosures was a killed but not ate cricket belonging to my Brachypelma vagans in her burrow during a molt, reason i couldn't get it out for the past week.
I clean away their mess too when one appears.
Will introducing something else like wood lice or spring tails get rid of the mites still in their. 
I know they are not dangerous but the thought of them crawling around is enough to send into a frenzy just like normal spiders, i am an arachnophobe and quite the clean freak so this has creeped me right out.


----------



## Adam B Jones

If the substrate is properly dry, I doubt much will survive for long, mites, springtails, or woodlice... and certainly not in any noticeable numbers...

With the springtails and woodlice as clean up crew, it's not that they will get rid of the mites, it's just that they will compete with them for food, so the mite levels may reduce as a result.

But they are probably the kind of mites that will do the same job as springtails anyway... and there is really nothing you can do to to eradicate them if you want to be able to feed your spiders, as they will be introduced with crickets.

Also, I expect there are many many many types of mites living in our houses all the time anyway, and it's perfectly normal.

If the substrate is dry, and you take out prey remains, the numbers should decrease.

If the substrate needs to be moist for any of your spiders, try using springtails and woodlice to help keep numbers down.


----------



## Rogue665

they seem to of come back with a vengeance, now there's even more, even though the T's are dry, i had to give them water last night as substrate was bone dry.
what is the name of them predatory mites that eats other mites, please need to order them asap.


----------



## martin3

Are these things in all your enclosures,or just the one,?


----------



## Rogue665

martin3 said:


> Are these things in all your enclosures,or just the one,?


All my t's enclosures even though my two chili's don't even have damp soil their big enough for water bowl.

I asked a rep guy today, he thinks they came with the dubia roaches i am breeding just underneath my t's enclosures or from outside and are growing in numbers from good habitate in the t's enclosures.
I wanted to get the predatory mites to kill off the ones i got now and then get some isopods to keep the numbers down.


----------



## Adam B Jones

What sort of size are they? I'm curious...


----------



## Rogue665

Adam B Jones said:


> What sort of size are they? I'm curious...


Not even . size well one or two are the size of . but their tiny, they look like dust crawling over the walls and lids.


----------



## Poxicator

Have you read my sticky on mites?


----------



## Rogue665

Poxicator said:


> Have you read my sticky on mites?


Yes i have.
I just want them gone. I think my t's are stressing out too, the juvi's have just molted, the slings tub is covered in them.


----------



## Adam B Jones

Some pictures of the setups might help, as what one person's idea of "dry" is may differ from another's...

If they are that small, then surely it must be pretty damp for the populations to be coming back?


----------



## Rogue665

Adam B Jones said:


> Some pictures of the setups might help, as what one person's idea of "dry" is may differ from another's...
> 
> If they are that small, then surely it must be pretty damp for the populations to be coming back?


my phone is :censor: so ill grab some photo's tonight off charged camera. 

these are ones i took a few weeks backs, nothing changed , except recent clean out because of mites and new dried out substrate.

Chili's 

Jess

Pop's tub

crackles tub

Snaps Tub


After changing all the substrate and cleaning out the enclosure the last three are now completely dry except a corner which is sprayed.


----------



## Rogue665

where can i buy these predatory mites from (that'll kill these mites) their names?


----------



## Adam B Jones

I'm not sure, but the enclosures looked spot on to me before you changed them lol ;-)


----------



## Rogue665

Thanks : victory:
I'm trying to find a supplying of the predatory mite to kill off the spider mites but can't seem too. does any one have a link, someone must of used predatory mites before surely.


----------



## martin3

Rogue665 said:


> Thanks : victory:
> I'm trying to find a supplying of the predatory mite to kill off the spider mites but can't seem too. does any one have a link, someone must of used predatory mites before surely.


THIS may help,?


----------



## Rogue665

martin3 said:


> THIS may help,?


I found this one earlier but i wasn't sure if they are the same ones and if they will harm my T's


----------



## Rogue665

If thats the case then these are the same , yeah?
Red spider mite killer phytoseiulus phyto organic safe effective packs1000 +2000 | eBay


----------



## Poxicator

I don't want to sound negative, but you're wasting your time with this.
A substrate, moisture and certain conditions will always attract organisms, just like the plant pots we keep in our homes attracts them.
If you read my report on mites you'd understand that a lack of moisture is the quickest way to kill them off. It might not be instant but mites cannot live without a level of moisture, tarantula can. Infact, your G. rosea can do without moisture and heat for a long time. Put your enclosures outside for the day or near a radiator that will be a much quicker remedy than predatory mites. Its worth noting that predatory mites require the same level of moisture, so once your mites have gone, you'll likely find the predatory mites will be killed off too.


----------



## Rogue665

Poxicator said:


> I don't want to sound negative, but you're wasting your time with this.
> A substrate, moisture and certain conditions will always attract organisms, just like the plant pots we keep in our homes attracts them.
> If you read my report on mites you'd understand that a lack of moisture is the quickest way to kill them off. It might not be instant but mites cannot live without a level of moisture, tarantula can. Infact, your G. rosea can do without moisture and heat for a long time. Put your enclosures outside for the day or near a radiator that will be a much quicker remedy than predatory mites. Its worth noting that predatory mites require the same level of moisture, so once your mites have gone, you'll likely find the predatory mites will be killed off too.


Thats is what i have said, changing all the substrate to bone dry almost like powder eco earth, did nothing to stop these mites coming back worse than ever, my chili's enclosure are bone dry except water bowls but are infested with them also, their enclosure are and were spotless except a dead cricket i couldn't remove at the time. I'v never had them before with any of my plants or T's 6 years of owning my chili's.
They are preventing me from seeing to my T's


----------



## martin3

Was the new substrate from the same batch as previously used,?
( This isn't going to tell you what they are, but might sort where they're coming from )


----------



## ryanhollands

TAURRUS Mite Control for Snakes & Other Reptiles there the control mites


----------



## Rogue665

martin3 said:


> Was the new substrate from the same batch as previously used,?
> ( This isn't going to tell you what they are, but might sort where they're coming from )


same eco earth but different block, they have been fine for months since i had them.


----------

