Mites things?

I recently used a fresh bag of reptibark and today when I spot cleaned these tiny tiny white bugs scattered from where I parted the substrate. Any experience with what these are? they're too small to get a picture of. They kind of flash light that bounces off them when they move.

Search & compare them with "wood mites", that would be my guess. ;)

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Search & compare them with "wood mites", that would be my guess. ;)

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That looks like it could be them thanks... I didn't realize reptibark comes damp. It's always 100% humidity in the viv now. Don't know if they came in the bag or showed up. Guess I'll dump it all and order dry substrate.

Probably wood mites. They are harmless and will go away on their own as long as conditions are not too damp if that's what they are. Not sure what you mean with the light thing though.

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Originally Posted by nikkubus

Probably wood mites. They are harmless and will go away on their own as long as conditions are not too damp if that's what they are. Not sure what you mean with the light thing though.

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Their backs are reflective is all I mean. So I was guessing their backs were semi flat. I didn't know if that would help in identification. They are too small to make out defining features.

You could just bake the substrate for a while on a "slow" oven (150* for about 45 minutes), that would kill them & you don't have to waste it.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

You could just bake the substrate for a while on a "slow" oven (150* for about 45 minutes), that would kill them & you don't have to waste it.

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I'll try that. Thanks! I wasn't sure if it would be easier to bake it or toss it. It'd be a decent amount so I'd spend several hours rotating out pans to bake it and the extra substrate I have in a bin. I don't know if they're in the bin with the leftover reptibark but if I'm going to nuke it (throw out or bake) I should probably nuke it all.

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Originally Posted by Trinityblood

I'll try that. Thanks! I wasn't sure if it would be easier to bake it or toss it. It'd be a decent amount so I'd spend several hours rotating out pans to bake it and the extra substrate I have in a bin. I don't know if they're in the bin with the leftover reptibark but if I'm going to nuke it (throw out or bake) I should probably nuke it all.

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Personally, I'd bake it. Even though it takes a while to do multiple batches, you can just set your oven timer & watch the Olympics or do other things while it bakes- it's not "labor-intensive".
I would imagine they came in your bag of Repti-bark- you're not the first one this has happened to. ;)

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Personally, I'd bake it. Even though it takes a while to do multiple batches, you can just set your oven timer & watch the Olympics or do other things while it bakes- it's not "labor-intensive".
I would imagine they came in your bag of Repti-bark- you're not the first one this has happened to. ;)

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Not labor intensive, but time intensive. I have to find the time >.<. I won't leave the house with the oven on so I can only bake some if it. I didn't know they were common in reptibark. Sigh.

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Originally Posted by Trinityblood

Not labor intensive, but time intensive. I have to find the time >.<. I won't leave the house with the oven on. I didn't know they were common in reptibark. Sigh.

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I know, & in summer, I avoid running my oven too. Glad you don't leave with oven on- :gj: You definitely want to keep an eye on the stove/oven when it's on, whether food or baking substrate.

I didn't get any bugs in my Repti-Bark, but I just know others have posted about it, & not just this product specifically, but any similar ones that are "appealing" to the little buggers. It's not all the time, but it can happen. The bags have small air holes & then sometimes bugs find a "home".

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I know, & in summer, I avoid running my oven too. Glad you don't leave with oven on- :gj: You definitely want to keep an eye on the stove/oven when it's on, whether food or baking substrate.

I didn't get any bugs in my Repti-Bark, but I just know others have posted about it, & not just this product specifically, but any similar ones that are "appealing" to the little buggers. It's not all the time, but it can happen. The bags have small air holes & then sometimes bugs find a "home".

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I live and learn. Thanks for the advice! I'm convinced they came in the reptibark since I just did a deep clean and used a full bag of it for the first time. And it's causing incredibly humidity which bugs love. I'll be baking this substrate prior to use if I get it again.

I decided to purge. I really don't have the time to bake all the substrate and luckily tomorrow is trash day so I can put it all out on the curb. And I'm not sure if I can get all the mites and not cross contaminate while shifting so much substrate around. Plush some are probably still around despite a lot of vacuuming when it flys onto the floor. I don't want this to be an ongoing battle. Trying to get rid of any kind of infestation can be a PETA. I threw it all out and I'm going to bake the grapevines that I have to salvage them.

I'm not finding anything on the internet to ensure they're gone. Would spraying the viv down and the fake plants with vinegar get rid of them? Should I do paper towels for a month or something to ensure they're gone?

Remember they're harmless, & nothing whatsoever like dealing with snake mites. No, don't spray with vinegar. If you want to do paper towels, that's up to you. BTW, used Reptibark is great as landscaping mulch too- & those bugs are harmless there too.

Depending on where you live & how hot it is, you might have been able to just put the bag of substrate out in the hot sun for a while, like on top of a hot metal trash can. ;) Like gnats, wood mites are nothing serious, just annoying.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Remember they're harmless, & nothing whatsoever like dealing with snake mites. No, don't spray with vinegar. If you want to do paper towels, that's up to you. BTW, used Reptibark is great as landscaping mulch too- & those bugs are harmless there too.

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I'm sure I'm overreacting. I've just had bad experiences with house infestations and really don't like bugs, so my first instinct is kill it with fire and everything else before it spreads. I pray I never get snake mites. I've been paranoid about them to the point of dumping my clothes in the washer and immediately taking a shower after I go to a reptile shop. I did dump some of the bark in the landscaping. They can live out there all they want!