Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was cleaning up after Indigo just a bit ago, and found a bunch of little white bugs crawling over and around his poo. I don't think they are mites, but maybe something that hatched out of the cypress mulch? I don't see any crawling on him, just in the substrate. What are they, and how do I get rid of them? I've heard of baking the mulch in the oven... but for how long and how hot? Thanks!

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Not mites, I've had mites come in on two seperate purchases. Attached is a pic of s couple of the little nasties.

Not sure how hot/how long but shouldn't be hard to bake it, will just smell up the kitchen. Keep it wet.

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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
19.29 BRB
13.18 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Thanks, Dave. Yeah, I thought I remembered mites being darker. But, it's been a LONG time since I've dealt with them. I just got another bag of mulch today, so I think tomorrow will be baking day. Hopefully it will kill any crawlies in there.
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Ive had those bugs come from mulch as well, they are flyers, i bake my much @ 350 for 1hr stirring every 10-15 mins on lower rack, cool throughly and problem solved. Had alot with my crickets and i used same mulch as BRB and yet i had soil too. None have shown in the BRB;s tank yet and i moved her to her container anyway.
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1.4 various boas(Flicka,Felony,Nova,Alias,Abby)
0.1 BRB Abalone; ABBI
1.0 Rott X (OSO)
2.0 cats (Simba, Morris)

fish & feeders

Any time I have used the barky substrate from local pet shop I have gotten those within a week or two of installing it. I forget the brand but it's a standard product think the specific substrate was jungle earth but am not sure. I've never seen it do harm but I always changed it out because I figured it most likely wouldn't benefit the snake any and I find them anoying.

Sounds like baking takes care of it nicely though. I ended up just switching to using sphagnum moss as the substrate because it is cheeper and doesn't seem to foster those flying bugs or mold overly easily.

Thanks!
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Thanks for the time and temp! I cooked a bunch today, but I have a small oven so it takes a while. Hopefully I won't see any more buggies.
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