# Crested gecko and mites please help!



## AstroFenn (Dec 25, 2010)

Okay so just spot cleaning Speckle's viv and noticed one of his poops was crawling with these tiny (as in grain of fine sugar tiny) crawly things that from what I can see look like white mites. they're not on Speckle himself just all over the coconut fiber substrate. I've seen the odd midge/fruit fly looking thing in there before (since they're attracted to the humidity and some of the fresh fruit i pop in there now and then.) 

I'm going to completely strip out his Viv and clan it anyway now and I'm wondering if vivarium carpet (or reptile carpet) would be alright to use as a substrate?


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## Chris18 (Mar 22, 2009)

They could be flour mites or spring tails, have you added anything from the outside into the enclosure at all?
The above two are harmless and will actually clean any faeces (by eating) that isn't removed and even mould
I would clean the viv out just incase though, if they're mites they will probably be on the lizard aswell so you will need to do some mite treatment, i'm not sure what to do in this case so wait for someone else to come along and help : victory:


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## AstroFenn (Dec 25, 2010)

Not added anything from the outside, but these little critters did seem mostly converged on the feces.... anyway stripping out and disinfecting the viv (With reptile safe disinfectant spray...also removing the foam backdrop since all the crickets I've not seen him catch were stuck behind it.)

Going to go for an easier to clean style of viv I think until I gain more experience XD still learning so much.


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

Sound very much like springtails to me, these are great viv custodians (they will clean up any mould & droppings in the viv). I have them in both my cresties vivs :2thumb:, it means there's no need to clean the viv out as the springtails clean it for you.


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## imitebmike (Jun 22, 2008)

sounds kinda like springtails :O but strange seeing as you aint added nothing from outside into the viv...


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

imitebmike said:


> sounds kinda like springtails :O but strange seeing as you aint added nothing from outside into the viv...



In one of my Crestie's vivs i put humus brick in & no live plants yet i saw springtails in there :2thumb:. They must have been in the soil :whistling2:.


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## AstroFenn (Dec 25, 2010)

Found out what they were they were Flour mites from the mealworms, they've all been removed anyway and the viv cleaned out, there were so many the cocobark was all moving.. ick. I know they can be beneficial but I work with other animals and herps and I'd rather keep my speckle's viv free from extra critters if possible, just found little worms in his poop too (To the vets tomorrow with my stool sample) Joy...


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