Day Geckos Have Mites!

Breeder · 03-11-04, 07:33 PM

I found some mites in my day geckos cage today. I have no idea where they came from, but I need to know what to do. I took them out and put them in a 20 gallon with paper towels for substrate and just a few little plastic plants for hiding places and a plastic board for a perch underneath the basking light. I didn't see the mites on them, but they could still be there. How do I treat them? Do I need to throw away all the live plants I had in the enclosure? I would really like to keep them if I can. Thanks for your help in advance.

Kyle Barker · 03-11-04, 07:50 PM

Are you sure they are mites? There are usually a few types of small "mite" looking bugs in the dirt and therefor throught the cage. Most are a lighter colour. all of my "tropical" cages have little white bugs in them. if anything, they are good for eating up the dead leaves and crap that fall to the ground. If they are mites chances are you would see them on your lizard(s)...

Bighead · 03-11-04, 07:59 PM

How do you tell if they are harmful or not?

DragnDrop · 03-12-04, 08:56 AM

Mites should be red from the blood they eat. If they aren't red (or dark red almost black), then you might have pinhead crickets that hatched out in the tank, or possibly soil mites, springtails and a host of other mite looking critters. Can you describe them a bit more?

AHLizards · 03-13-04, 02:23 PM

I havent known to many species of gecko that run into mite problems.