help mites
- Thread starter leedragon
- Start date
nightanole
Chameleon Enthusiast
99% of the time they are grain mites.
They only live 2-3 weeks.
You just have to break the cycle and not let them lay eggs.
They are not dangerous, but they are very scary looking. ive had them make mounds of themselves and then fall over etc.
So to calm yourself, "reptile mites" are blood colored. Grain mites wont bother the cham, they just eat plant "seeds", they wont even eat bran.
They only live 2-3 weeks.
You just have to break the cycle and not let them lay eggs.
They are not dangerous, but they are very scary looking. ive had them make mounds of themselves and then fall over etc.
So to calm yourself, "reptile mites" are blood colored. Grain mites wont bother the cham, they just eat plant "seeds", they wont even eat bran.
Bazelthechameleon
Avid Member
I had these. What a disaster. They’re grain mites.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
How about neither! Or just give me my roach colony and silkworms instead.I don't know what it is about microscopic tiny bug invaders that freaks me out so much. But they do. I will take a 10 inch spider over these any day.
nightanole
Chameleon Enthusiast
I don't know what it is about microscopic tiny bug invaders that freaks me out so much. But they do. I will take a 10 inch spider over these any day.
Should i start posting "snowball" pics again?
I’m good
Andrew1283
Chameleon Enthusiast
Now I have grain mites in Bert’s enclosure. They seem to be congregating under my plant light. I sprayed and wiped the top screen with alcohol and it looks like I killed most of them. Where the heck did these come from?
nightanole
Chameleon Enthusiast
Normally they hitch a ride on feeders or people food. They lay dormant in the feed, then just add water and instant life.
Andrew1283
Chameleon Enthusiast
Did you mean they hitch a ride on feed or feeders? I guess this is a good reason to boil our oatmeal!
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Nope. There are absolutely no buggies of any kind in oatmeal. Nope nope nope. There are only buggies in those grain foods that I don’t eat, like All Bran cereal, grits, un-frosted shredded wheat and those strange indie cereals that make you poop.
Andrew1283
Chameleon Enthusiast
I want to test this by putting some oatmeal in a sealed glass jar and add cold distilled water. I’ll let you know if anything hatches!
I have been using oats instead of sawdust in my feeder bins and now I regret it. If these things are like sea monkeys that can live on a shelf in a dry powder pack for long periods of time, I’m in big trouble.
I did read freezing or baking the oats will kill whatever mites are in there soooo that’s going to be my next step. Freeze any containers of oats I buy.
I have been using oats instead of sawdust in my feeder bins and now I regret it. If these things are like sea monkeys that can live on a shelf in a dry powder pack for long periods of time, I’m in big trouble.
I did read freezing or baking the oats will kill whatever mites are in there soooo that’s going to be my next step. Freeze any containers of oats I buy.
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elizaann2
Chameleon Enthusiast
It’s just extra protein.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
I did both to my wheat bran supply for my superworms and store it in the freezer.
ChamelaChameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Oh no, I just added Oats to my feeder bin!
Andrew1283
Chameleon Enthusiast
It’s OK they turned out to be spider mites. They probably came on the plants
