Red Mites On Pinkies - Question

[Gail]

I just brought home four pinkies from a store I deal with all the time and where I have never had any problems. They just got this shipment of mice / pinkies in yesterday. So I give one to each of my horned frogs and as I go to pick out another for one of my T's I see this bright reddish mite crawling on it!!! I panicked, since I'd already given my frogs theirs and they were in the process of swallowing them. I checked the two pinkies that were left and they were covered with tiny tiny baby red mites and some adult red mites. I couldn't see the tiny ones without a 3x magnifier. I immediately threw them into the freezer, scrubbed myself with heavy duty soap and wiped off everything I had touched in the spider room with rubbing alcohol. I spent 20 minutes with a magnifier and a flashlight examining the horned frogs and their substrate where the pinkies had crawled but I don't see anything. Has anyone else ever seen mites like this that infest mammals? Will they infest my T's and frogs if any managed to crawl off of the pinkies while the frogs were eating them or if any tiny tiny one's crawled out of the deli cup while it was sitting there? I work so hard to keep pest off of my spiders and frogs and I am in a panic right now. YUK - I am itching all over!!

Gail

 

[savian]

I don't know alot about them but the best I can say is that only time will tell if any got into the substrate. Keep an eye on the water dish or any water sources because that will be there main to hang out. Make sure you get any waste out. I wouldn't go getting yourself worked up until your sure that you have a problem. Your T's don't need the stress and nether do you. Hope this helped a little.

 

[ArachnoJoost]

Hey Gail,
I've never had this kind of mites, but I do know that they are blood-feeders (is that the right word??). I think (but don't know for sure) that they prey on mammalian blood, so you'll probably have no problems with your frogs or tarantulas. The good thing about them is that they are easier to spot. A lot of 'probably's', but I hope it helps.
greetz,
Joost

 

[King_Looey]

Move your frogs and tarantulas to a different container for a while, and dry the tanks. Mites cannot live in bone dry tanks.

 

[Gail]

Joost, I think you may be right about them only being blood suckers. When I checked the two remaining pinkies closely you could see that they were all bitten up. So I am breathing easier about the tarantulas but still a little worried with the frogs. I see no signs of the nasty things though, and any that were on the pinkies I fed to the frogs were probably eatten along with the pinkies so I hopefully don't have to worry too much.

Thanks everyone for your help and moral support during my time of panic

Gail