Reptile & Amphibian Forums

The dirt in my ackie cage has these little white bugs that some here say are harmless. I want to throw this dirt out because I dont like the fact its filled with bugs. I wanted to know if I can get dirt from the yard (NNJ/NY-NJ area)? I actually went out in the yard today to dig some dirt but notice alot of worms and some ants, what do I do about these?

Strain it first then catch the bugs as they come out one at a time for a few weeks. The ants need to return to their nest so if they dont they die. Worms, your monitor eats them gladly.

if you're that worried about bugs, then get some store bought dirt. really though a few bugs won't hurt.
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- ianaré

It is store boght dirt when I first put it in the cage it looked like just dirt, before I knew it all these wood chips appeared and now the bugs. As far as the bugs being harmless its just that its so many and it doesnt look right. Since monitors can eat the worms than the yard dirt seems like a good idea.

This is crazy talk.

Unless your monitor is bieng forced to live with an excessive amount of bugs, then it doesn't care about them.

But this isn't about the montiors, is it?

If it were, you would be concerned about how well your monitor can burrow in the dirt, or wheather or not it makes for an adequate nest.

Most succesfull keepers avoid store bought substrates because they do not fill these needs.

Your putting your needs (fear of bugs) above the creatures needs.

You're not offering to help this person, just making him feel foolish for being normal. First and foremost, this monitor is living in someone's HOME.

Like it or not, the monitors must adapt to us, within reason. If a suitable compromise cannot be made, then people simply will get RID of the monitor. And the forums are for resolving problems that occur between the keepers and the kept. So work towards that end, because telling people they have to put up with it, is nonsense.

Are the bugs necessary for the monitor to be happy? no, they are not. But it is necessary for 99.99 % of people, to have bug-free homes. So wanting advice on getting rid of bugs is normal. Not everyone owns their own home, it is only common courtesy to not let insects overrun a place.
I had an ant problem after hauling home all sorts of leaf litter. This was NOT acceptable, and if I were told, I had to live with ants to be a good monitor keeper, that would have been the END of lizard keeping. Ant bait and some patience, took care of it.

And if everyone got rid of their monitors because they are too much trouble, then the matter would be moot. No one anywhere would be keeping monitors, or wanting to buy them.
What would people argue about then?
D.

Actually, yes, I was trying to help this person by pointing out that this is not a monitor problem, but a person problem.

Those are much easier to deal with than monitor problems.

He did not ask about how to get rid of bugs in a cage, or in his home. That is a problem with a variety of simple solutions.

What he is doing, is choosing substrate for the wrong reasons.

Bugs, or lack of, do not make for a good or bad substrate.

Substrates should be chosen by how useful they will be to the creature using it. If good ones happen to come with bugs, then the bugs can be eliminated afterword if they become a problem. Just as you did.

Please do not claim to speak for "the rest of us," because you most certainly do NOT speak for me!

Do you think monitors complain about any bugs they encounter in thier natural habitats?

A few FACTS:

1) Only certain parsites prey on reptiles.

2) Any creature in abundance can become an annoyance to another creature.

3) A healthy monitor can tolorate parasitic creatures in small numbers.

4) Bleach is potentially dangerous.

5) Even insects die without a food source.

The answer to the "there are bugs in my dirt" problem can be found by working with these facts.

i agree with you , creeps, but you have to remember where these people are coming from... i had a friend whose house was overrun with termites that originated from a bag of potting soil she used to plant some flowers.
ian
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buy the ticket, take the ride...

If your friend investigated it, she'd probably find that the termites originated elsewhere. The likelihood of a queen termite being found in a bag of potting mixture is slim, the likelihood of a winged alate flying in through an open window much higher.

Grapevine that caused absolute mayhem in my timors cage once. I bought that thing off of a store shelf from where it sat, no holes or evidence of termites but a few weeks later the queen came out of dormancy in the moist warm environment.

hmm... i just said what she did... its ok.
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buy the ticket, take the ride...

"Please do not claim to speak for "the rest of us," because you most certainly do NOT speak for me! "
Well I read your response and we agree on everything I said to him, and you commented on things to me that I didnt mention.

"Do you think monitors complain about any bugs they encounter in thier natural habitats?"
I agree, they dont complain or mind them.

"1) Only certain parsites prey on reptiles."
Earthworms are what we were referring to, and monitors lovem. Whered the parasite comment come from???

"2) Any creature in abundance can become an annoyance to another creature."
I agree thats why I said catch and kill the ants.

"3) A healthy monitor can tolorate parasitic creatures in small numbers."
Again I said nothing of parasites, as I get my dirt outdoors where you do, dont you? I tried the store bought recyled tree bark top soil crap and its full of white flying insects which I didnt like, and my monitors didnt like the stuff either.

"4) Bleach is potentially dangerous."
Who said anything about bleach either?

"5) Even insects die without a food source."
What I just said, I had an ant infestation in some cages, I caught them and killed them over about 2 weeks in the cages and they also starved to death.

My appologies.

When I read your origianl post the first time, I could have sworn you said to "bleach it first." Apperently I misread.

My mistake.

try putting a plant or moss in the dirt to not only keep burrows but to also keep the humidity. b.r.r.r. use dig boxes filled with sand and moss they say it work very well.this is just an idea i might be wrong. it makes sence to me.
Alex Oliver