# Mites and Springtails



## kman (Nov 22, 2009)

So I found a few tiny yellow mites in a bottle cap of my juvie C. marshalli this morning and several spring tails in my E. murinus bottle cap. Springtails are harmless I'm told but mites are generally cause for concern. My question is are all mites dangerous for Ts or only some? Will introducing springtails into the enclosure where mites were found do anything to solve the problem if it is one? I have examined boluses from both enclosures and found mites on one and springtails on the other.

Any advice is appreciated.


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## Bill S (Nov 22, 2009)

kman said:


> Springtails are harmless I'm told but mites are generally cause for concern. My question is are all mites dangerous for Ts or only some?


This has been brought up here many times in many different ways.  There are many thousands of kinds of mites out there, and a very tiny minority of them are parasitic on tarantulas.  And those that are parasitic on tarantulas are, for the most part, like fleas on a dog.  Not deadly, but annoying.  A heavy infestation will be more of a problem than a light infestation.

Most of the mites you will see (if they really are mites) will be soil mites or scavengers, and will appear in your cages when there is enough food for them.  Actually, they are probably present already if you use potting soil, and if not will be introduced through any of a number of other ways.  Their populations will explode when there is enough food and moisture to support a larger population, and will decrease when there isn't.  If your cage conditions are likely to support detritus mites, you can use other animals (isopods, springtails) to compete with them, or introduce predatory mites to directly kill and eat them.  Or you can adjust your cage conditions.


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## Sathane (Nov 22, 2009)

As Bill said already, not all mites are harmful to your T.  

I have a large collection that I treat quarterly with _Hypoaspis miles_ mites.  These are the predatory mites that Bill mentioned.   The _H. miles_ mite are harmless to your Ts, yet are the worse nightmares of every other mite, springtail, and their eggs, in your enclosures.

Very effective and inexpensive.  Applied Bionomics produces these mites but here is a link to their North American distributors:

http://www.appliedbio-nomics.com/distributor_links.html

I've never had the dangerous mites in any of my enclosures.  I have seen the slow, white ones that forage for my T's leftovers though.  These mites don't hurt your Ts but can regularly be seen swarming a cricket carcass.  These guys often get mistaken for the dangerous mites as they will usually be seen on the bodies of Ts that have died some other way - leading the keeper to blame these guys.
Regardless, the _H. miles_ mite will gladly chew them up for you too.


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## Miss Bianca (Nov 22, 2009)

These are SO annoying to me. 

From time to time I have found the slow-moving kind that gather around any moist spots and prey left-overs, as well as around any T-poo.. 
But just recently I saw some that were super fast.. About the same size and color but moving notable faster...
In maybe 3 or 4 of my sixty-ish amount of different enclosures, and not in huge numbers, but present..
Think I'm gonna try the h. miles.. 
Getting tired of re-housing and slings don't do well in bone-dry conditions for an extended period of time... Wouldn't want to lose any to dehydration because of one of the moves..
I use coco-fiber btw..


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## TalonAWD (Nov 22, 2009)

I have seen a few in two of my enclosures (mites) and did a total cleanup. Good to know where to get the army in the event I need to call in thre troops. Subscribed.


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## kman (Nov 22, 2009)

Thank you for the replies. I will take some pictures through the microscope next weekend as I am gone for the week away from my Ts. Perhaps someone can tell me what type of mites I have then.

I appreciate the feedback.


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## micheldied (Nov 23, 2009)

Bill S said:


> This has been brought up here many times in many different ways.  There are many thousands of kinds of mites out there, and a very tiny minority of them are parasitic on tarantulas.  And those that are parasitic on tarantulas are, for the most part, like fleas on a dog.  Not deadly, but annoying.  A heavy infestation will be more of a problem than a light infestation.
> 
> Most of the mites you will see (if they really are mites) will be soil mites or scavengers, and will appear in your cages when there is enough food for them.  Actually, they are probably present already if you use potting soil, and if not will be introduced through any of a number of other ways.  Their populations will explode when there is enough food and moisture to support a larger population, and will decrease when there isn't.  If your cage conditions are likely to support detritus mites, you can use other animals (isopods, springtails) to compete with them, or introduce predatory mites to directly kill and eat them.  Or you can adjust your cage conditions.


yup.
every enclosure i have with springtails never had mites.
ive only found mites in one enclosure so far,it doesnt have springtails.
the mites were only on the food remains and never found any on the T itself.
the T didnt seem at all bothered by them either.


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## kman (Nov 27, 2009)

Update

I'm home for the weekend and so I took some pictures of the two enclosures in question. This is what I found.













Thanks for any help.


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## micheldied (Nov 27, 2009)

first pic is a mite.
second pic im not so sure...but doesnt look like springtails when i see them with my own eyes.


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## Sathane (Nov 28, 2009)

Agreed.  First pic is a mite.  Most likely on it's way to a rave party, as indicated by the sparkles.

The second pic appears to be some sort of swimming race although I'm unsure of who the participants are.

Reactions: Funny 1


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