Larvae in the substrate..

[infernalis]

Today while feeding the 2 male garters that live over the TV stand I noticed the wood chips move!:eek:

So being the good caregiver, while the snakes were out eating their meal, I tore down the whole cage.. I dumped the repti bark out on my lawn.

Then I scrubbed down the cage, boiled the hide and water bowl and then put it all back together.

Not really certain, but they looked like small grubs, I did some looking on the net and the closest thing I could find looked like this.

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/files/images/corn-rootworm-larvae_0.jpg

[Freebody]

are they tiny like 1/16 of an inch tops? i get them in my geckos food all the time. and in my roaches food. i think mine are fruit fly larva or somthing. not sure, i should do a search.

[infernalis]

Nah, these were huge, beetle larvae.

When I picked one up with the hemostats it looked to be about 8-9 mm long.

Still way too creepy to share a home with my snakes.

[presspirate]

I hate slimy crawly things...Would your snakes eat them you think?

[shaunyboy]

they look like maggot like caterpillars

gross little dudes they are.....!!!

as above would your garters eat them mate ?

cheers shaun

[infernalis]

Nope... Insects and larvae are not part of their diet.

Once I get them taking rodents, I stick with it.

All I can think of is that some beetle or large fly had laid eggs in some poop soiled substrate and they hatched.

[Feebo]

I might have been tempted to hatch one and see what it was. You might even be able to stop it happening again if you know what laid the eggs.... :) I think I went out with the one on the top left there at some point, although it could have been her sister.... lol :)

[infernalis]

In retrospect, I would have. But these two snakes are the oldest ones in my collection and kinda special.

It's sorta weird, 70+ expensive morphs and the two normals I caught in the yard years ago hold a special place, so I (maybe overreacted) got that cage changed down and scoured quickly.

[Feebo]

Understandable.... Yeah I have special ones too, one of the most special is a Cornsnake named after Steve Irwin and one a Royal I`ve spent months and hundreds of pounds nursing (fine now) The rest I really don`t want to get attached to in that way if I can help it...

[infernalis]

I know, all the breeding and working with runts & non feeders has calloused me somewhat...

Every season I lose a few more, some snakes are pets and others are specimens.

I have watched Dorothy cry rivers over snakes, she had to quit helping me with the hard cases, she'd get a case of "underdog attachment syndrome" and then have her hopes crushed.

[Feebo]

Yeah it`s difficult isn`t it. I really try to stay a little detached but as with you, some end up special anyway for various reasons....