White bugs???

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by lady_bug87

No..
They don't. Pretty sure wood mites eat wood.

And by pretty sure I mean that I have researched this out the bum (haha) and have found no evidence of Coprophagia among mites of any variety

Are springtails considered mites? To my limited knowledge as I normally don't care for bio-active, is that dart frog keepers use them to feed the really small frogs and they sustain themselves when placed in a proper set up.

[lady_bug87]

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

Are springtails considered mites? To my limited knowledge as I normally don't care for bio-active, is that dart frog keepers use them to feed the really small frogs and they sustain themselves when placed in a proper set up.

That is a really good question. I actually don't have an answer to that. From what I understand, Coprophagia exists because there is leftover nutrients in the feces. So that's what they're technically eating.

If we follow the logic that reptilian digestion is incredibly advanced, snake poop isn't a real good food source. Usually these insects prefer herbivore feces since they arguably have the least effective digestive systems leaving a lot for the bugs.

I would imagine the springtails get most of their nutrients from dying plant matter.

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by lady_bug87

That is a really good question. I actually don't have an answer to that. From what I understand, Coprophagia exists because there is leftover nutrients in the feces. So that's what they're technically eating.

If we follow the logic that reptilian digestion is incredibly advanced, snake poop isn't a real good food source. Usually these insects prefer herbivore feces since they arguably have the least effective digestive systems leaving a lot for the bugs.

I would imagine the springtails get most of their nutrients from dying plant matter.

I would agree on the diet of springtails. I figured if someone was making a self sustaining enclosure then there would be live plants involved and it would create the necessary lifecycle.

Also, if there was any feces to eat it would be dart frog sized and that's mighty small to even notice.

[Pirarucu]

Originally Posted by lady_bug87

That is a really good question. I actually don't have an answer to that. From what I understand, Coprophagia exists because there is leftover nutrients in the feces. So that's what they're technically eating.

If we follow the logic that reptilian digestion is incredibly advanced, snake poop isn't a real good food source. Usually these insects prefer herbivore feces since they arguably have the least effective digestive systems leaving a lot for the bugs.

I would imagine the springtails get most of their nutrients from dying plant matter.

Well, that just means that snake feces would not support as large a population as herbivore feces, not that the bugs would ignore the snake feces... Life will exist wherever it can possibly eke out a living, not exclusively in ideal places...

[Toothless]

From what I gather, springtails are hexapods and not related to mites. They are found mostly in leaf litter and decaying materials. Apparently having a good supply of springtails means your soil is healthy and not polluted. I know for a fact the ones in my cage can break down a big hunk of sav poo in under a day.

[Starbuck]

plus 5 points to toothless
springtails are not mites; mites are more closely related to ticks and spiders than to hexapods/other insects.
both mites and springtails are mainly detritivores... BUT there are SOME high-profile mite species which live as obligate parasites, and cause us all sorts of trouble.
I am unaware of any springtails/related bugs which are parasitic/detrimental to humans or animals.

[jhinton6932]

Originally Posted by lady_bug87

No..
They don't. Pretty sure wood mites eat wood.

And by pretty sure I mean that I have researched this out the bum (haha) and have found no evidence of Coprophagia among mites of any variety

i was referring to springtails. little white looking ant type things.

if its not them something breaks down the smaller piles of lizard crap. the sav's is a lot bigger so it doesnt just vanish i have to actually remove it

[lady_bug87]

Originally Posted by jhinton6932

i was referring to springtails. little white looking ant type things.

if its not them something breaks down the smaller piles of lizard crap. the sav's is a lot bigger so it doesnt just vanish i have to actually remove it

Fecal matter isn't part of the natural springtail diet. Though they will eat what's available, they need a food source separate to the poop in order to thrive. Chances are the springtails are more interested in the plant particulates in the soil. If the monitor ingests dirt when he eats, those particulates are present in the feces which is what the springtails are attracted to.

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by lady_bug87

Fecal matter isn't part of the natural springtail diet. Though they will eat what's available, they need a food source separate to the poop in order to thrive. Chances are the springtails are more interested in the plant particulates in the soil. If the monitor ingests dirt when he eats, those particulates are present in the feces which is what the springtails are attracted to.

I sure am glad we have our resident mite expert.

[lady_bug87]

Originally Posted by Toothless

From what I gather, springtails are hexapods and not related to mites. They are found mostly in leaf litter and decaying materials. Apparently having a good supply of springtails means your soil is healthy and not polluted. I know for a fact the ones in my cage can break down a big hunk of sav poo in under a day.

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

I sure am glad we have our resident mite expert.

Hey look I bolded the part where you were wrong. I also marked the date on the calendar.

And that's no way to talk to the boss. So sssshhhhh