Bugs - bad?

[remmick]

We've had our ball python, Mocha, for about a year now since we adopted her. While checking on her last night, I noticed that there are a LOT of tiny bugs in her tank. We freaked out at first, but after doing some online research I really don't think that they're mites:

• While tiny (maybe about 2mm long?), they still seem much bigger than the mites I've seen in pictures.
• They're light grey, not dark brown/black, and their bodies aren't shaped like mites.
• I seemed to find them everywhere but on the snake herself. I picked her up and inspected her, and found nothing on her. I even watched bugs bump into Mocha, then turn around and run away, multiple times.

So they don't seem like mites. I think they're just some bugs that came in from outside and liked the moist environment. Is there still a chance that they'll harm the snake? We've read up on how to take care of mite infestations, and we can do that if necessary, I'm just wondering whether it's worth worrying about.

In case it's relevant, here's our setup. That's Eco Earth substrate and sphagnum moss. All of the wood pieces and the rock came with the snake when we adopted her, so I don't know their source - but I do know that this is the first we've seen these bugs, so I don't think they hitched a ride on these pieces.

I tried to get some pictures of the bugs themselves last night, but my cell phone camera is no substitute for a macro lens. I'll try again tonight and post pics if I can get any good ones.

[llovelace]

Could be wood mites, especially if wood was not treated

[Jessica Loesch]

Yucky! I would change out everything. Sorry, but that sounds creepy!!! LOL
The wood may not be treated as llovelace suggested .. I would boil it if you want to keep it.

Ps ... i would ditch that light.

[remmick]

The wood's been in there for a year and we haven't noticed them until now... But for all we know, they just slipped past us. I didn't freeze or bake the eco-earth before putting that in there, either. I'll be sure to do that next time (which will be soon, since it looks like we'll be cleaning everything out after all...)

Ps ... i would ditch that light.

We did just buy a nighttime bulb to use instead since that's so bright, I'll be switching that in. Or should we get a ceramic heater instead, or something else?

Thanks for the help!

[Jessica Loesch]

I would use an undertank heater. Ball pythons don't normally see light in the wild. You could use a ceramic heater or nighttime bulb, but it is unneeded if you have an undertank heater. If you don't have humidity problems, then you should be fine, but you'll have much better humidity without it!


The wood can develop those bugs over time. I would boil the wood, and change out the eco earth!

[Shawnfireball]

Silverfish perhaps??