tiny white bugs in water bowl??

[Ryan Simons]

I have noticed that in my b.smithi's water dish, i keep getting tiny tiny little white bugs swiming about. some of them look like eggs of some sort and just float, but the rest swim and jump.

Anyone know what they are and are they something to worry about?

Also while im on the topic of water bowls / problems, Do i actually need to remove the water bowls and scrub them out and replenish with fresh water Every day? as i just top them up and clean them once a week ~ 2 weeks??

thanks

[Mrs Linda Street]

Hi Ryan, they are mites, it's quite common to get them, I always check water daily and thoroughly clean dishes weekly, unless of course, they use them for a toilet, which a few of mine do , or fill them with substrate.

[Ryan Simons]

lol. I tell you whats odd, my p.regalis has managed to poo on the ceiling of its enclosure :S it must have poo'd upside down!!!

But anyway, are these mites bad? i think they are only in my juvi b.smithi's water bowl oddly... do i need to full cleandown of the enclosure -new substrate and what not?

[wayne balcombe]

Dont be too quick to assume its mite's, i had this problem a while back and thought i had a mite infestation untill i noticed them "jumping" Mites do not jump and I found that it was actually a small colony of springtails in the enclosure.

Mites are tiny round yellowish bugs whereas springtails are white or black and oblong, and they jump by aid of a pair of "prong" like apendages on their abdomens, hence the name "Springtail".

[Ryan Simons]

Ah ha! i think you may be right there wayne! These are white, about 3/4 mm long and oblong. they jump about like fleas.

I understand that these are actually useful at clearing up poop etc ?

[wayne balcombe]

yes ryan these are deffinatly springtails, they lay dormant in some natural substrate's and wake up when warm and moist.

they are indeed a benificial addition to the enclosure as they will feed on moulds, fungus' and leftover food items, they prefer a fairly moist environment so usually wont survive long in a dry enclosure which is why they are congregating in the waterdish.

[michaelmckinney]

Lucky him getting an infestation of mould munchers!!! LOL Anytime I spot white dots in my Haplopelma tanks its always those wee bark mite buggers. Haven't any in ages since my last industrial fang dodging clean out LOL.

[Grant Brown]

Lucky him getting an infestation of mould munchers!!! LOL Anytime I spot white dots in my Haplopelma tanks its always those wee bark mite buggers. Haven't any in ages since my last industrial fang dodging clean out LOL.

Why would bark mites be a problem?

I think I'm going to have to fight the case for beneficial mites sometime with an article...

[michaelmckinney]

Luckily I have never spotted any on the actual T's body, but a few friends have told me when they start partying on their body they can cause problems round the mouthparts and could cause blockages of the booklung slits with their cast skins or congregating around them.

[Stanley A. Schultz]

Hi Ryan, they are mites, it's quite common to get them, I always check water daily and thoroughly clean dishes weekly, unless of course, they use them for a toilet, which a few of mine do , or fill them with substrate.

Probably not. Mites never jump. My guess would be springtails (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springtail) and they're an indication that you may be keeping the cage too damp.

For what it's worth, springtails are considered by some to be desirable cage cohabitants with their tarantulas because the springtails act as scavengers, preventing mite infestations.

I wouldn't worry about them unless your tarantula starts acting strangely, mostly standing on its "tippy-toes" with its abdomen held high in the air. Otherwise, ignore them.

Hope this helps. Best of luck.

[Peter Lacey]

Ryan, I think this subject has been covered within this forum recently. And its a topic that continually pops up in various forums, which is why I asked a zoologist to help with a detailed explanation of the life cycle of mites. Unfortunately I had to resort to putting some posts he had in a couple of forums which I've posted in RFUK under the invert section. Its been stickied and helps to describe why the mites are there and how to remedy the situation or take advantage of it.
Mites often come in with your live food but they can also come in with the tarantula we buy. Mites tend to be nomadic, hitching a ride on tarantula and crickets knowing they'll soon arrive at dead food. There are very few mites likely to attack your tarantula, so few that even the zoologist I spoke of failed to find any, or know of anyone who could correctly identify predatory mites.
What worries most people is the huge numbers these can become in such a short space of time. Mites feed on dead food but so do the likes of springtails (small rice shaped inverts) and woodlice. I keep colonies of springtails and tropical woodlice in all my humid enclosures. They are the dustbin men of the invert world, which also attack fungi and mould and actively reduce the amount of mites by competing for the same food, at a faster speed.
Keep your eye on substrate maintenance, removing uneaten food and fungi and lower your humidity levels and you should see a reduction in mites. If you are experiencing mites in your dry enclosures I suggest you check some of your food items and make sure they're not living in humid conditions where the mites will multiply.
As Stanley Schultz explains in his book "The Tarantula Keepers' Guide" mites require a level of moisture to survive and will die within a short period if they don't have this, whereas tarantula are adept at surviving in drier conditions for much longer. Herein lies your simplest answer - dry your enclosure out, provide a water bowl and you'll soon know where to find them.
Good luck

[Peter Lacey]

I bebieve you'll find the links and some info on mites within this post

http://www.thebts.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=45411&postcount=4

[Drew Acton]

lol. I tell you whats odd, my p.regalis has managed to poo on the ceiling of its enclosure :S it must have poo'd upside down!!!

But anyway, are these mites bad? i think they are only in my juvi b.smithi's water bowl oddly... do i need to full cleandown of the enclosure -new substrate and what not?

my avic dose the same thing its all over the place

[Peter Lacey]

lol both Avicularia and Poecilotheria like to squirt poo. Just make sure you don't have your mouth open while watching them!

[Drew Acton]

haha il keep that in mind when im feeding her.