Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, I was just cleaning out my imitator tank this morning and I was looking at the moss to see how it was doing. As I looked closer, I saw a bunch of little white bugs. I think there mites. They are really smalll and are definately not springtails. Should this be something to worry about? Thanks.

I just looked a little closer at the tank and they are all over the place. I'm worried my frogs are going to get sick or something from them. Please help.

There are several things these might be, but it is very unlikely they will harm your imitators. They more than likely will simply be another food source for them. How do the plants look? Do they appear to be doing any damage to them?

Almost any terrarium will contain various organisms that are part of the biological processes that are going on. They will appear to come and go. Most are difficult to identify. I've had various tiny plant and soil critters, fly and gnat larvae with no harm done to the frogs. However, it might be a good idea to examine your frogs' skin carefully to make sure there are no lesions, or bumps on the off chance these are one of the species of chiggers whose larval stage may occasionally infect amphibians. Do you also keep reptiles?
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Patty
Lost River, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
3 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
5 D. imitator
4 D. leukomelas
4 D. pumilio Bastimentos

I have a bearded dragon. It's not even in the same room. Anyways, I looked in my brazillian yellowhead tank and it too had the tiny little bugs. I'm not as worried now. My frogs don't appear to have anything wrong with them on their skin.

Sounds like you might have "mealy bugs". If they move really slow than that's probably what they are- and the frogs may not eat them. Fortunately, these bugs prey on your plants and can do some damage. I had to remove a really nice coleus from one of my tanks because of mealy bugs. This seems to be the best way to rid of them- by removing the plants that they are on. Hope that helps!

Justin

D. pumilio (bastimentos, "blue jeans"
D. leucomelas
D. azureus
D. tinctorius (yellowback, citro, giant orange, lorenzo, etc...)
D. auratus
D. ventrimaculatus
P. bicolor
P. aurotaenia
E. tricolor

Mealy bugs are a type of aphid surrounded by a sweet, sticky, fuzzy exudate that protects them from most preditors. They are found stuck solidly to the plants and do not go about freely. And no, since they don't appear to move, dart frogs won't even try to eat them. If this is what you have, either remove the plants they are on, as suggested, or you could conscientiously and (endlessly) touch each of them with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. They are persistent little buggers.

All in all, I think you are relatively safe as far as the frogs are concerned. If it's not mealies, the population will diminish. Look carefully and see if your frogs are eating them. If so, consider it just another food variety. I introduce leaves of aphids (not the mealies) occasionally. The frogs love them as a kind of sweet dessert plate. They've never gone on to infect my tropical plants in the vivariums. There are several reasons for this, one being that the various species of aphids are relatively plant specific-- i.e. some infect fruit trees, some beans and peas, or others specialize in the cabbage family. So they won't usually go for what you have planted in a tropical terrarium even if the frogs don't get to them first.
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Patty
Lost River, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
3 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
5 D. imitator
4 D. leukomelas
4 D. pumilio Bastimentos