# Tiny white bugs in water dish



## Dexter (Sep 16, 2010)

Anyone know what these are? I find them in my water dishes periodically. They all swim in the middle and wiggle around. They seem to be only found in the water dishes.

UPDATE:
ok so again this morning i went through about 80 various size sling containers in my sling cabinet. It turns out every single container has these little buggers in them. With them all being in 1 big sling cabinet, the tiny mites or whatever seem to be able to move through the cabinet. I can see them even on the outside of some of the containers. I did look at every T for a few min to see if I saw bugs on the slings and I don't. 

I still have no idea what they are or if they are dangerous. Rehousing 80 slings will take days. They are all in different size container store containers and the slings vary in size from .5 inch to 2.5 inches. 

I do keep all the containers very humid above 80%. The cabinet is probably 60% atleast just from having all the containers in there. Its heated with heat tape at roughly 85 degrees at most times. I use vermiculite and sphagnum peat moss mixture, and cork bark.

I'm open to suggestions and theories.


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## Nicole (Sep 16, 2010)

Do they float on the top?  And jump?  Could be springtails.


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## NikiP (Sep 16, 2010)

Sounds like springtails to me. I had a large out break of them in July, or around there anyways. I just washed out all my bottle caps & held off misting for a few days. They disappeared


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## chyguy (Sep 16, 2010)

mites pretty sure .


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## hassman789 (Sep 16, 2010)

I've heard often times springtails will be in the water dish. But aren't spring tails more skinny and longer than those. Those kind of look plump like mites. Just my opinion, not sure how accurate it is... lol


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## Dexter (Sep 17, 2010)

I lied. I just found them climbing all over the cage. I checked all my cages and only found them in this one. They are more beige looking on the walls. I guess mites? Not sure how dangerous that is. I guess I will have to clean the whole cage tommorrow?


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## Crysta (Sep 17, 2010)

asap or your other critters will get some friends. keep the substrate dry as well


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## Titandan (Sep 17, 2010)

If they are indeed mites, take out the Tarantula and the water dish.  Clean the dish.  Place the enclosure in the Freezer for 24 hours or so.  

After the enclosure thaws for a couple hours with heat pads, you can place your T back in the enclosure with the clear water dish.  If they are indeed mites, I think that will do the trick.  

Hope the mites aren't on the T.  Let me know how it goes man!


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## Crysta (Sep 17, 2010)

or microwave it for 1 minute or 2

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Dexter (Sep 17, 2010)

ok so again this morning i went through about 80 various size sling containers in my sling cabinet. It turns out every single container has these little buggers in them. With them all being in 1 big sling cabinet, the tiny mites or whatever seem to be able to move through the cabinet. I can see them even on the outside of some of the containers. I did look at every T for a few min to see if I saw bugs on the slings and I don't.  

I still have no idea what they are or if they are dangerous. Rehousing 80 slings will take days. They are all in different size container store containers and the slings vary in size from .5 inch to 2.5 inches. 

I do keep all the containers very humid above 80%. The cabinet is probably 60% atleast just from having all the containers in there. Its heated with heat tape at roughly 85 degrees at most times. I use vermiculite and sphagnum peat moss mixture, and cork bark.

I'm open to suggestions and theories.


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## Nicole (Sep 17, 2010)

Sounds like wood/dirt/scavenger mites to me.  They're extremely common and harmless in my experience.  I've had them here and there throughout the years in herp and invert cages and never had any problems with them harming the inhabitants.  I have read claims here though that in large numbers they can clog book lungs, start chomping on the spiders, etc., but I'm not sure I buy it.

I'm sure you'll get some "ZOMG MITES KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!11!!" responses, but if it were me, I'd just make sure the enclosures were clean of leftover food, etc., and let them dry out until they are gone.  Adding ispods or springtails can help too because they'll compete with the mites for whatever detritus is left in the cages.


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