really tiny red critter found in humid enclosure is it a mite? and if so bad or good?

[rachmills]

didnt get a pic it was kinda fast

 

[rachmills]

also an earwig, is this a general issue with millies or am i being screwed over by sellers with substrate wood leaves etc that have supposedly been microwaved then frozen to kill unwanted things im getting a bit annoyed, or am i over reacting and these extra pests are common and nothing to worry about i have sealed the ventilation with tights and there are no holes where things have come in

 

[rachmills]

i looked up about the mite and a website said they arent a problem as long as its not attached to millipedes in that case its a tick but this one had maybe 6-8 legs to extendedd forward when walking could be a money spider

if these pests are an issue im going to invest in new leaves/substrate/wood and freeze it for 3 days then cook it what temperature (UK) should i cook the items at

 

[GarField000]

Without a pic it's hard to say.

 

[Bill S]

There are thousands of kinds of mites, and many of them are red. Some are parasitic during at least one portion of their life cycle (Erythraeid mites come to mind). But often they have specific hosts - a mite that parasitizes crickets, for example, won't show any interest in spiders. One solitary mite of any kind is not a threat to your animals. But watch for infestations.

 

[BepopCola]

Earwigs eat mites aswell. I tried intoducing earwigs into some of my communal millipede tanks but they never survived for very long.
I'd try to remove it just to safe. They could potentially try to eat a small or molting millipede.

 

[SamanthaMarikian]

I get lil red mites in my enclosures for isopods too but havent ever seen a mite on an isopod or found dead ones or any body parts from isopods eatin another dead one. I may try the earwigs to eat the mites but idk how thatd go. I’ll do more research first or if any of you have any tips.

 

[rachmills]

thanks all i have got rid of the earwig but cant find the 'mite' it seemed scared of the ivory mill which is the smallest mill in the enclosure so i suppose thats a good sign and there are hundreds of spiringtails in there so if it wanted to feed its got easier competition

 

[Arthroverts]

Very difficult to know what it is without a clear picture, as millipede terrariums are hosts to dozens of species of microfauna at times.

The earwig should be removed. They can prey on millipede eggs, babies, and molting millipedes.

Thanks,

Arthroverts