# Mites problem



## antman (Jul 4, 2006)

I just redid my scorpion tank 2 weeks ago. Just noticed little white mites in there. Can anyone tell me how to get rid of them? And how to prevent them? Where do they come from? The tank can't be dirty I just set it up. I didn't put many crickets in at a time. I have coconut shavings in there can that be part of the problem? This is frustrating.


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## quiz (Jul 4, 2006)

antman said:
			
		

> I just redid my scorpion tank 2 weeks ago. Just noticed little white mites in there. Can anyone tell me how to get rid of them? And how to prevent them? Where do they come from? The tank can't be dirty I just set it up. I didn't put many crickets in at a time. I have coconut shavings in there can that be part of the problem? This is frustrating.


welcome to my world.  I have the same problem with my emps tank.  After getting frustrated with mites, I just said "no" to tropical species and started keeping desert species.


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## canadianscorp (Jul 4, 2006)

Are you sure they are mites, and not pinhead crickets?  If it is mites, you may have to clean the tank completely out (thoroughly) and your scorp too. The only real prevention of these little bastards is to try to keep ALL leftover feeders out of there. anything dead needs to be removed relitively quickly after feeding.

cheers, steve


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## fusion121 (Jul 4, 2006)

Hi
As mentioned check they are not pinheads. Even if they are mites the majority of infestations are not harmful to your scorpion. The mites you normally see in scorpion enclosures (that tend to come in with the crickets) are scavenger mites and eat dead prey remains, they are not harmful to your scorpion. I no longer clean out my enclosure when I see these guys. 
 Parasitic mites are only rarely established in collections and are easily identified by the fact that you will see them on your scorpion (they are also smaller), its unlikely you have these though if you every find any there are numerous threads dealing with their treatment.


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## Prymal (Jul 4, 2006)

Antman,

If they are mites, a very useful control method is to make a few mite traps by taking a vial (pill bottle or film canister) with a flexible plastic lid. Cut, puncture or burn several small holes in the lid and place 1-2 dead crickets within the vial. Place the traps lengthwise on the substrate in areas of the substrate where you see the most mites. Leave the traps in the enclosure for 48 hours. Mites will enter and stay within to feed on the decaying crickets. After 48 hours, remove, clean and reuse the traps if necessary or discard them. This method will not eradicate all the mites in the enclosure but works effectively to control population numbers. The best preventative control methods are prompt and timely removal of any potential food source and to keep the substrate and environment as dry as possible.
Always keep the substrate and environment as dry as possible (based on the needs of the scorpion wthin) and ALWAYS perform routine maintenance; promptly remove any dead prey remains and shed exoskeletons from the enclosure.


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## antman (Jul 4, 2006)

Thanks for the information. They definatly are mites. I've seen pinhead crickets before. These are tiny white specks that move. They climb up the glass. The scorpions are irritated by them and try to push them off but they are too small. I have to keep it moist in there for the humidity levels. I gave the scorps a temperary home in another 10 gal for now. It's frustrating because I just set up the tank. I will try the mite traps. Wish there was something that would eat them all.


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## Normski2020uk (Jul 5, 2006)

Hi all, yes these sound like mites, but i would guess that they are harmless, have you seen them on your scorps?? A good controle method is to introduce predatory mites. These feed on other mites and their eggs. However if you have a large infestation i would change the tank out completely and then introduce the predatory mites to clean up anything you missed.


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## ectic (Jul 5, 2006)

For the mite trap you can put some vaseline or something like that in the bottom and put the dead crickets. This way if the mites are in they are going the be glued in the stuff. This way you can control them.


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## tyrel (Jul 5, 2006)

I prefer to have no organic material in tanks (if possible) besides the animal and its food. That almost eliminates any chance of mites. for example, I use chunky sand in my vinegaroon tank, he can still move it around, but mites can't live in it. For emps you could try vermiculite, although Iv'e never tried it myself.


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## Ryan C. (Jul 5, 2006)

Using vermiculite would not be good for emps. Emps like to burrow and you can burrow at all in vermiculite.


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## czarmx (Jul 5, 2006)

a fairly large amount of pillbugs may do it

it works to control them but not to eradicate them all.


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## Prymal (Jul 5, 2006)

Aside from a large introduction of a predatory mite species, complete enclosure tear down or a 5-10 day drying period, there are very few means of completely eradicating mites and even after they're eradicated, they'll soon return even if only in small numbers.


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## EmielVrolijk (Jul 14, 2014)

Just found this really old thread with google search, so I thought: let's revive it!

I have a pair of Rhopalurus junceus... and last night, I noticed my male behaving in a very odd way: turning and twisting his metasoma, "chewing" air with his chelicerae, "scratching" itself with its legs.. My female seemed to do fine.. but he was going crazy.

I noticed tiny white specks on his body (near his pectines, one on his carapace, a few on his metasoma, and I guess there are some near his chelicerae too), and everywhere on the cork bark and the walls of the enclosure... I thought it would be a good idea to describe the behaviour on our local scorpion forum facebook page, and they adviced me to isolate the scorpions in a temporary clean enclosure, with dry paper towels as a bedding.. My predatory mites will arrive tomorrow, so I'll first put them with my scorpions for a few days, and then I'll place them in the redecorated enclosure (and disinfected, and with new substrate), together with my scorpions and a bunch of tropical isopods to clean any remains that are overlooked.

Anyway, my male is still acting weird, though my female doesn't seem to have any problems whatsoever... How could this be? Are some specimens more susceptible to mites than others? 

I should note that my little girl is gravid.. It might be that she just doesn't want to make a fuzz, because of her big belly.


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## Galapoheros (Jul 14, 2014)

I recommend doing a search for grain mites on this site, there's so much, you won't want to read it all.  But I do notice some pics and post deleted on some topics.  But I think there will still be a lot of info, too much to read and you will get the idea after a while if they are what it sounds like they are.


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## G. Carnell (Jul 14, 2014)

really interesting observation, I've had mites come and go on many scorpions and never observed them acting like they are stressed!


about the dry paper towels, make sure to provide a water bowl!
this will first prevent the scorpion from dessication, and secondly allow the mites to migrate to a wet environment

IME they will not migrate from the scorpion to a paper towel on purpose!

Good luck! Keep us posted on the actions of the male


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