Our ball python just shed, and when I was unrolling his skin, I noticed some little black critters quickly crawling up my arm. I've never noticed these bugs before (we've had our python for a little over one year now). I'd guess they're mites, but rather than looking like little black spots, they clearly have a head, and squish easily.

I changed the cypress mulch in his aquarium, and cleaned off his hiding place and water bowl and hosed out the enclosure, but I found one on my hand after picking the python up this morning. He's eating alright, and looks and acts as he always has.

Any thoughts? Mites? What should I do? And can it wait until this coming weekend (5 days from now)? And are our geckos at risk from the critters, too?