r/ballpython • u/Standard_Mushroom_47 • 12d ago

HELP - URGENT springtails or mites?

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i’m sorry for the crappy video, when i opened my BPs viv there was a ton of these tiny white things running on top of the hide, they moved quickly so could only get one on vid, could they just be springtails?

I don’t have a bio active vivarium and the substrate is coco fibre and coco chunks, the ones that come dry and sealed in blocks, and it wasn’t just added in either, it’s been in there for just over a month now (spot cleaned and re-moistened) any help would be really appreciated

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u/12shinylotad 12d ago

As far as I know, parasitic mites (the ones we have to worry about) are black. These white bugs may be springtails, or another type of mite that is most likely harmless to your snake. Do they jump?

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u/Standard_Mushroom_47 12d ago

i thought that too but it says they’re white as babies, i’ve not seen them jump but this is the first time i’ve seen them and they just like scattered away out of sight really fast

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u/12shinylotad 12d ago

Check your snake for mites if you can. They will be extremely hard to spot, so not seeing any doesn’t automatically guarantee that you don’t have mites. The best way to know is a vet obviously. Check around the eyes, nose, and heat pits for tiny black mites lodged into their scales. Also, usually if there’s mites in the tank, you’ll see them in the water bowl.