# Teeny Tiny white bugs in substrate... Bad or not a problem?



## HorseCaak (Aug 2, 2009)

I have seen tiny little white bugs crawling around in the substrate. Probably the only reason they are visible is because the power sun illuminates them and they stand out on the dark substrate. There aren't a ton of these things. Just randomly will spot 1 or 2 when i stir the substrate around. Anyone experience the same thing? Are they bad or nothing to worry about? I've never seen them crawling on my tegu yet either. It is a 5wk or so varnyard baby.


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## AWD247 (Aug 2, 2009)

Personally, I would just remove the substrate & probably not even use whatever you have left if any, clean your enclosure real good, let it dry, check your GU really really good, im anal about anything like that. LOL
New fresh subsrate :fc goodluck


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## lazyjr52 (Aug 2, 2009)

AWD247 said:


> Personally, I would just remove the substrate & probably not even use whatever you have left if any, clean your enclosure real good, let it dry, check your GU really really good, im anal about anything like that. LOL
> New fresh subsrate :fc goodluck



This is what I had to do with the cypress mulch that I originaly used in my 8 foot cage. So I switched to aspen because its a lot cheaper and doesnt wheigh too much so I can order big bags and the shipping cost is next to nothing.


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## PuffDragon (Aug 2, 2009)

If they are white and jumping they are probably Springtails and will not harm your tegu. They feed on the wet mulch and the only way to get rid of them is an entire enclosure cleaning or let the wood dry out completely for weeks (but that's not good for your tegu). 

When they are black and crawling, that's no good.


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## Richard21 (Aug 2, 2009)

I had the same thing but the little guys in there flyed! They got me pretty upset because I saw them on my tegu. Cleaned and changed all substrate.


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## jd61285 (Aug 2, 2009)

PuffDragon what are the little black bugs you are talking about?


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## PuffDragon (Aug 2, 2009)

Usually mites.


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## wyattroa (Aug 23, 2009)

sorry to bring back to life a dead post.. but i have the same problem.. mine are little black bugs the size of a nat and they fly..it almost reminds me exactly of a nat.. but i cant be too sure. can you bake the cyprss mulch and if so what temp?
robert


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## wyattroa (Aug 23, 2009)

sorry to bring back to life a dead post.. but i have the same problem.. mine are little black bugs the size of a nat and they fly..it almost reminds me exactly of a nat.. but i cant be too sure. can you bake the cyprss mulch and if so what temp?
robert


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## HorseCaak (Sep 26, 2009)

Thanks guys. I forgot about this post. They must be springtails. They are tiny and white and mostly in the wetter areas. I changed enclosures recently with brand new orchid bark and they were there immediately. Must be in the bags of substrate. They are never on my tegu though. Not that I can notice anyway.


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## BOOZER (Sep 26, 2009)

ok i am having the same prob. at the bottom of substrate(eucalyptus mulch). there are a few hundred in parts, 'bout the size of the tip of a needle, literally. and some tiny beetle/like f-n bugs. WHAT THE HE!! ARE THESE?!! :rant gonna get rid of all sub and use newspaper till i buy something else. --anybody got any idea what i am looking at?? :mad :fc


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## wyattroa (Sep 26, 2009)

no idea.. i think i have a gnat type in mine.. im currently baking all the eco earth in my oven.. god bless my wife.. she actually likes the smell.. reminds her of a bond fire..lol
robert


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## BOOZER (Sep 26, 2009)

haha yeah i have a 6 ft cage and it sux to get rid of so much!! but mine are more like pinhead beetles---???
p.s. god bless yo wife hahaha


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## BOOZER (Sep 27, 2009)

any clue??-- changed substrate but still curious.


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## simon021 (Sep 27, 2009)

I find those tiny jumping white bugs in his water every damn day. Just appeared about a week ago. I have some eco earth coming to replace all the mulch since i've found tiny little pieces in his stools. I had them a long time ago when I had my columbian, but have never seen them since with the new argentine. I always wondered what they were and where they came from, but I've never seen them on the tegu.


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## wyattroa (Sep 27, 2009)

i just got done today baking all of my eco earth, my basking stone, stone water dish.... using a bleach mix and water i washed down my entire enclosure and move it to another room!... way too much work.
robert


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## HorseCaak (Nov 30, 2009)

wyattroa said:


> i just got done today baking all of my eco earth, my basking stone, stone water dish.... using a bleach mix and water i washed down my entire enclosure and move it to another room!... way too much work.
> robert



So it's been 2 months since all that work you put forth to rid of those little bugs. ANy return of them? Is your Tegu awake or hibernating? I haven't noticed any in mine but that's because my girl is hibernating and I don't have the lights on. I probably just don't notice them with the lights off. Who knows...

-Cheers
;-)


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## wyattroa (Nov 30, 2009)

Well, I have not seen one bug in the enclosure. I think i would flip out if i did. The only thing i have seen in there is a spider that I killed. My girl is now down and have been for about a month now.
robert


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## Beazer (Nov 30, 2009)

Well, if they are white and tiny they are likely to be phorid fly larva (aka maggots) or springtails. Springtails are VERY tiny (though great for dart frogs) and the species can live in slightly moist to incredibly damp conditions with little oxygen and they breed like rabbits on viagra. Phorid flies are those tiny little brown gnats about the size of D. melanogaster fruit flies and they are notorious for breeding in substrates. From my understanding, if given the oppertunity they have this lil hook that they use to deposit eggs in a vulnerable spot in the fire ants armor and the fire ant is the only species of ant they lay eggs in, though will frequently lay in substrate. Take a good gander at them and get an idea of what they are. Its rather interesting. I wouldnt recommend bleaching substrate. Only bake it or boil it. Good luck.


-Jon DeLong


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## HorseCaak (Nov 30, 2009)

Beazer said:


> Well, if they are white and tiny they are likely to be phorid fly larva (aka maggots) or springtails. Springtails are VERY tiny (though great for dart frogs) and the species can live in slightly moist to incredibly damp conditions with little oxygen and they breed like rabbits on viagra. Phorid flies are those tiny little brown gnats about the size of D. melanogaster fruit flies and they are notorious for breeding in substrates. From my understanding, if given the oppertunity they have this lil hook that they use to deposit eggs in a vulnerable spot in the fire ants armor and the fire ant is the only species of ant they lay eggs in, though will frequently lay in substrate. Take a good gander at them and get an idea of what they are. Its rather interesting. I wouldnt recommend bleaching substrate. Only bake it or boil it. Good luck.
> 
> 
> -Jon DeLong



I'm predy sure mine are springtails. They are extremely tiny and tend to be in the moist areas and seen mostly when I dig down to the bottom where their may be a wet spot or two. THey are definitely not maggots. They probably come from the substrate that I purchase which is already moist. They don't seem to hurt any so I don't worry about them.


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## 4Horse (Feb 23, 2010)

I just noticed the same tiny white bugs crawling everywhere! They are crawling on my tegu also when she comes out to bask. I freaked out, because I though they were mites! They crawl pretty fast. I bought some new substrate and am going to clean her entire enclosure in the morning if she comes out of her hide. So because they are tiny and are round-shaped and white, they're not mites correct?


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