Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hi i just acquired my first snake this past weekend, it is a 2 1/2 yr old female (i think) ball python. i adopted it from someone who no longer had the time to care for it as much as they would have liked.

she is well tempered and i don't really have any problems w/her at all so far. however, i noticed something disturbing last nite as i was watching her.

currently the substrate used in her tank is a forest fir or something to that nature and when i looked closely last nite, i noticed these small insects jumping around down in the substrate (there's currently about 2 in or so of substrate).

these insects appeared white/greyish and was an oval shape almost the size of 2 periods.

i believe these are too small (and too many of them) to be ticks, yet they appear to also be too big to be mites.

i also inspected the python closely and did not see any swarming on her (checked mostly her head).

any idea what this could be and what i should do?? any input would be greatly appreciated, thank you in advance.

The bugs could be almost anything. Most types shouldn't be a problem for your snake. Since you only have one snake there is a fairly simple way to heat treat your substrate and take care of any bugs or eggs that may be in it before you use it. Put the substrate (make sure it has some moisture in it) in a large plastic bag, seal it and put it in the microwave long enough to get it hot. Leave the bag sealed until the substrate cools. After cooling you should be all set and bug free.
Grant

thanks grant, that sounds like a quick and painless way to heat treat the substrate (much better than baking in my opinion). i will give it a shot

Personally, I think baking your substrate in the oven on a cookie sheet for a few hours would be a lot easier - you wouldn't have to worry about melting that plastic bag. I'd say use the oven set between 250 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Alternatively, you could freeze the substrate. I like to use Spanish moss for my Dumeril's Boa (since the species really likes to burrow and hide), and before I use a new bag of moss, I'll leave it in the freezer for a week or so. It's really easy.

Anyhow, both options that I am talking about are something for you to do in the long run, with new substrate before you use it in the cage, not what you have in the cage now. Either method could still work just fine with what you have now, it would just be more time-consuming.

Just don't open up with a big can of Raid or anything OK??

Good luck
~Rebecca
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0.1 Dumeril's Boa '04 (Courtney)
1.2 Ball Pythons
[1.0 '05 Orange Hypo (Specter)]
[0.1 '05 Het Orange Hypo (Sylvia)]
[0.1 '03 Normal (Sue)]
0.2 American Pit Bull Terriers (40lb darling lap dogs:Brandy&Mara)