Wood mites

**millertime89** · 12-03-12, 01:34 PM

I have them in a few of my smaller snake cages at the recommendation of BarelyBreathing. They make cleaning even less of a chore, they eat poop and urates before I find them usually and they don't harm the snake in any way. Anyone else have them?

SpOoKy · 12-03-12, 01:35 PM

Nope, do you just buy them or find them outside. I am interested in adding them to my enclosures.

**millertime89** · 12-03-12, 01:40 PM

Find em outside, small redish brown mites. Really small actually.

For people that have them and want to get rid of them you can get predator mites that will eat only the mites and then die off when there's no more mites to eat. These work well for reptile mites too.

BarelyBreathing · 12-03-12, 02:13 PM

Well as you've mentioned, I do. The brown ones are spring tails, though. Wood mites are white or light gray, but they also do the same thing.

Will0W783 · 12-03-12, 02:27 PM

I have these bizarre flies showing up ever since I bought some mulch at Home Depot. They are tiny like fruit flies, but I'm not sure that they are. The bags of mulch got mold in them so I threw them out, but apparently not before these flies took over the house! They do not seem to bother my snakes, but they seem to be in a few of the cages. Lots of fly paper and thorough disinfection of all the cages got rid of them for a while, but they were elsewhere in the house and are now back in the snake room. UGH

**Pareeeee** · 12-03-12, 02:33 PM

willow - probably fungus gnats. There are ways to get rid of them, try googling it

mykee · 12-03-12, 06:09 PM

Quote:

"They make cleaning even less of a chore, they eat poop and urates "

LOL!

Wood mites, as their names hint at, eat the cellulous in wood.
Period.
Not poop, not pee, nothing but wood.
These posts of complete 100% misinformation are getting more and more common on here.
Bad for everyone.

**millertime89** · 12-03-12, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykee

LOL!

Wood mites, as their names hint at, eat the cellulous in wood.
Period.
Not poop, not pee, nothing but wood.
These posts of complete 100% misinformation are getting more and more common on here.
Bad for everyone.

than what's your explanation oh great snake genius?

**Aaron_S** · 12-03-12, 06:11 PM

Do you mean pill bugs?

These things?

Google Image Result for http://ed101.bu.edu/StudentDoc/current/ED101fa10/kzantay/IMAGES/pillbugs%2520habitat.jpg

**millertime89** · 12-03-12, 06:13 PM

they're definitely not pill bugs.

**millertime89** · 12-03-12, 06:20 PM

I'll take a look at them again when I get home, but they're definitely mites. Smaller than a pin head. Don't think I have any way of photographing them because they're so small.

**Aaron_S** · 12-03-12, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by millertime89

than what's your explanation oh great snake genius?

He said they are wood mites and eat wood. What other explanation do you want?

Maybe do some of your own research? If they are indeed wood mites they simply eat wood. I did some searches.

**millertime89** · 12-03-12, 06:32 PM

As did I, nothing definitive, looks like dust mites is what they would be. Rather than him being a **** about it he could have just said "they're actually dust mites" or whatever he thinks they actually are.

Gungirl · 12-03-12, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by millertime89

As did I, nothing definitive, looks like dust mites is what they would be. Rather than him being a **** about it he could have just said "they're actually dust mites" or whatever he thinks they actually are.

Without seeing them how would he come up with any idea of what they could be? If you had a good picture fine but with no photo he has nothing to go off besides to tell you a fact about the ones you "think" you have.

yes he could have been nicer but we all know that our Mykee doesn't do that.

mykee · 12-03-12, 06:36 PM

YOU called them wood mites Sparky! Hell, your thread is TITLED wood mites.
Wood mites eat wood.
If English is not your first language maybe I can find some good translation software....