# Brownish Mites?



## hexentanz (Sep 18, 2008)

I have a rack of gecko tanks in my bedroom on the dresser. 

In one of the tanks and outside the front of it are these little brownish mites with what seems to be a tinge of red in them. From what I can see in the tank they only hangout in the soil (it is peat,coco fiber and sand), moss and cork bark tubes. They can also be seen on the glass of the tank and in front of it. Oddly this is the only tank they are in.

I am having trouble finding any information on them. Because of this I do not know if they are good or bad mites. :/

I have uploaded a large file to my server of the cork tube covered in mites. If you enlarge the image you can see them around on the cork with the heaviest amount towards the soil.

http://www.maureenwinter.de/mites.jpg **Dial Up Warning - The file is is almost 2MB.


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## MeiKVR6 (Sep 16, 2008)

If there aren't any *on* the geckos - they are most likely not predatory mites. Especially with reptiles - you'll see them attached right before the rear legs in the skin fold. (Luckily I only know this from what I've heard, knock on wood!)

They look to be extremely numerous on that cork - I'd assume if there are THAT many mites - most of which on the soil & cork... You are probably safe from them being predatory. 

That being said - a large population like that may be handy in cleaning up feces... They will almost certainly stress the geckos. I'd remove the geckos and Co2 bomb the tanks.

edit: Touch one... If it jumps it could be a globular springtail. I can't tell for sure by that picture. They are probably mites - but you might be lucky.


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## Jason DeSantis (Feb 2, 2006)

Those are mites for sure. I dont know what kind though. The only ones I remember being brown in color are dust mites but those are to big to be dust mites.
J


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## Jason DeSantis (Feb 2, 2006)

Here you go Google Image Result for http://www.esf.edu/rwls/Research/soilbiodivers/sample.jpg
J


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

I would lean towards decomposing mites, but they could possibly be predatory mites. Either way, I really doubt they would harm your geckos. I've had a similar predatory mite establish itself in a Uroplatus phantasticus viv, and all they did was wipe out the local springtail population.

Just a side note - most of the 'predatory' mites encountered in vivariums, FF cultures, springtail cultures, etc are not predatory in the sense that they will harm the reptile or amphibian that dwells within. More so, they'll eat your invertebrates, such as FFs, springtails, etc . . .


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## sounddrive (Jan 4, 2007)

they definetly look like detris mites. you morethan likely have an abundance of decomp. try changing something alittle like misting ect. that usually helps get rid of them.


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## hexentanz (Sep 18, 2008)

Well I went in and removed the cork tubes. Once turned over I found a ton of woodlice and springs underneath the cork bark tubes. 

With luck they are eating the little buggers. If it still looks bad in a week I will remove the soil and lose quite a few woodlice in the process, but it is better than having the mites possibly piss off any future inhabitant(s) (the tank they are in are for juvies) of the tank.

Co2 bombing the tank is out of the question as I cannot get a hold of dry ice here without a food license. :/


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## hexentanz (Sep 18, 2008)

In the last days they have been turning up dead outside the terrarium. Shortly before this I gave the tank a goooooood misting. I do not know whether this was the cause for them turning up dead, but at the same time I am also noticing all the white mites that were in the tank are gone!


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## RarePlantBroker (Aug 3, 2008)

Maureen, if you can't purchase dry ice, can you purchase/rent a small CO2 tank for a beer keg? You might be able to obtain a 10lb. size tank with a "dip tube" (this will allow liquid CO2 to come out of the valve, not just gas).


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