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Thread: Wood Mites!?

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    BPnet Veteran Generationshell's Avatar
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    Wood Mites!?

    Alright... I think I have wood mites in my BP tank. Definitely not mites. But Wood something.
    Should I throw away everything wood in my tank. Or do you think I just just carry on.... My ball python has been doing great. So they don't seem to be affecting him.
    Any ideas on what I should do?

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    I'd say toss the bedding and buy new stuff, while clearing the inside of the tank with a bleach/water solution (10 parts water to 1 part bleach). No telling what those might be...termites or mites or fleas...nothing good, I wouldn't think! Not the easiest solution but I would think the best given the situation. Hope that helps and good luck!
    Before all else, be armed. - Niccolo Machiavelli

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    Re: Wood Mites!?

    Quote Originally Posted by youbeyouibei View Post
    I'd say toss the bedding and buy new stuff, while clearing the inside of the tank with a bleach/water solution (10 parts water to 1 part bleach). No telling what those might be...termites or mites or fleas...nothing good, I wouldn't think! Not the easiest solution but I would think the best given the situation. Hope that helps and good luck!
    Thank you :] I just cleaned everything. I sprayed down the tank with Lysol bleach spray. I always wipe it down with water afterwards to get rid of harsh chemicals. then I let it air out for maybe 15 mins. I sprayed the tank with Natural chemistry Reptile Mite spray. Cleaned his hide, water dish, plastic plant and then sprayed all but the water bowl with Jurassi mite. Put his paper towel substrate in, sprayed that with Jurassi mite. Then let it dry. I wiped down Xander (my bp with natural chem reptile spray) I removed all wood branches and what not. Going to bake them soon. I hope all that helps. the tank is still airing out. IDk what those little things are!! :/ They are ovalish, with black buts, and skinny heads. But very tiny. Nothing compared to a reptile mite though. I've had those before haha.
    Last edited by Generationshell; 03-17-2011 at 05:23 PM.

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    WOW, awesome job! That should do it, I would hope, lol! ANYTHING that survives that, welllll...! Baking the stuff too, on low heat for a decent amount of time, should kill off anything that isn't visible, such as eggs and whatnot. Just don't burn anything down, lol! That said, where did you get the bedding? Did you change suppliers or something or bring a tree branch in from outside or something? Not trying to imply anything or cast blame, just odd that you'd get something like that if you hadn't changed anything or had something introduced somehow. If you could drown one of the little boogers and take it to an exterminator, you might get a better idea as to what it was, if you wanted to go to that length. Me, I'd HAVE to know, lol! Would bug me (hahahahaha! pun intended) no end if I didn't.

    Regardless, I hope that takes care of it for you and isn't an issue any longer.
    Before all else, be armed. - Niccolo Machiavelli

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    Prevent-a-mite will also kill woodmites.

    I get them every once in a while if I've got any actual wood perches in enclosures (driftwood).

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    Re: Wood Mites!?

    how does one distinguish woodmites from reptile mites? I have found small mites on the inside of my wood hides, but never any on the animals themselves... regardless, I am going through an every 3 day process with the nature relief stuff and soaking all the wood...just wondering how one can distinguish them? thanks

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    Re: Wood Mites!?

    Quote Originally Posted by gardenfiend138 View Post
    how does one distinguish woodmites from reptile mites? I have found small mites on the inside of my wood hides, but never any on the animals themselves... regardless, I am going through an every 3 day process with the nature relief stuff and soaking all the wood...just wondering how one can distinguish them? thanks

    I have no clue honestly. That is just what I think they are. But definitely not blood sucking mites. Once you have had them before there is no mistaking anything for them (well maybe a piece of dirt haha) Reptile Mites are extremely small, most just the tip of a pen/ or pin. Which smear when you put them on the tip of your fingernail and press it against a white surface. The bigger ones you can see. They are round and about the size of.... Oh man umm one of the tips of a bobby pin (One of the two prongs) without the rubber. And they move pretty quickly. Also wood mites shouldn't be on the snake. Not like regular reptile mites would be. Since they live off the snake. Wood mites don't. They don't pose a threat really to snakes but maybe a little stress. Which Is why I wiped down him with some mite stuff. Just so they don't bug him. But besides that. I hope I helped a bit. I'm sure someone else can give a much better explanations

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    I've also had wood mites...mine got to be about 1/4" long before I noticed them. They seemed to be living in the grapevine branches I had gotten two months prior.

    Appropriately enough, it was our terminex guy that pointed them out. Then I saw the holes in the vines, and he told me to bake all the wood. Took care of them in about an hour, but I bleached them anyways.

    Also, baked grapevine makes your kitchen smell AMAZING.

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    BPnet Veteran cinderbird's Avatar
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    Re: Wood Mites!?

    Quote Originally Posted by gardenfiend138 View Post
    how does one distinguish woodmites from reptile mites? I have found small mites on the inside of my wood hides, but never any on the animals themselves... regardless, I am going through an every 3 day process with the nature relief stuff and soaking all the wood...just wondering how one can distinguish them? thanks
    Reptile mites are small, round and black or dark brown. you will find them on your reptile, or in their water bowl.

    Wood mites are smaller, kind of oblong shaped and tan or clear looking. You'll find them on the wood pieces in your enclosure and on your substrate.

    Hope that helps!

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    Re: Wood Mites!?

    thank you! sorry to hijack OP but thank you for your response too! from these descriptions mine fit as wood mites... either way though, yuck. glad theyre not rep mites tho! thank you!

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