Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My son bought a corn snake (regular) at a herp show about 2 weeks ago. He is very small, about the size of a pencil. We bought some forest bark for substrate. Yesterday I went in his tank to hold him, he was hiding under the water dish. When I picked him up, I noticed small clearish/creamy colored bugs crawling on the bottom of the tank. Now I am extremely paranoid about small crawly buggy things. Could these be mites? Or a bug from the forest bark? Any suggestions? Now I am afraid to let anyone hold him, afraid we will be mite infested.

Thanks all!
Shawnon

Are any of the bugs on the snake? Do a close inspection. If it seems to be just in the tank, empty it out, get new substrate (maybe aspen or even paper towel for right now), clean the tank out really well and start over. Is the bottom of the tank/substrate wet? Either way, if there seem to be bugs in the substrate, you want to clean it out and change it.
Maybe put the snake in a small rubbermaid on paper towel for a day or two after inspection to see if any bugs come off him.
You described the color of the bugs, but what about the size, etc. I know you don't like bugs, but someone needs to pick up the snake and get him out of there and start over with a clean tank, first determining if any bugs came out with him. If they are mites, then you have other stuff to do, too. Good luck.
Duffy