Green Anoles with bugs?

[Gordongecko]

I just purchased three green anoles about three weeks ago and last night I noticed teeny, tiny white "bugs" on the glass. I'm freaking out! Are they mites or are reptile mites red? They don't seem to fly. I have bark substrate along with a bark background and plants and wood pieces. Should I treat them like you treat other reptiles?

Will my leopard gecko get them if the enclosures are close to each other?

I am very meticulous about my animals so this is making me feel creepy.

Thanks for any help.

 

[ReptileMan27]

Sounds like mites to me, they will spread. I would not have your leo in the same room intill you get rid off them. They sell stuff for mites like mite away etc.., you can try that. Also make sure to change and wash out the anole cage good.

 

[Gecko]

They may not be reptile mites . . . . may be from the substrate.

Are mites on the lizards?

Even that cocofiber typically has some worms in it if you let it get wet long enough you can see them reproduce.

 

[Gordongecko]

Gecko, would I be able to see them on the anoles? I don't see anything moving on them although I do see them moving on the glass. They are very, very tiny and white. The only way I even saw them was becasue I was very close to the glass one night and saw a speck move.

The bark background was kind of pricey but I suppose there really wouldn't be a safe way to clean that huh? On another site I saw someone mention a "good" mite that will take care of "bad" mites. Have you ever heard of anything like that? They were talking about a snake so maybe snake mites are different?

I'm really bummed as my vivarium took some time, thought, and money to create and now it sounds like I may have to disassemble it and start over?

How can I be sure this won't happen again though if they are in my bark substrate? HELP!!

Thanks for any ideas.

 

[Gecko]

1. If you really want a vivarium type setup you WILL have bugs. It's a fact. People who say they don't just haven't looked close enough or don't have a good viv.

2. Yes, there are preditory mites that prey on other mites. You white guys may or may not be mites. I've seen white things in wood before some mites others insects. The best way to remove them is to use one of those mite sprays that was suggested (one that disolves exoskeletons versus a poison). Reptile mites typically will be active on lizards at night while they sleep. You should see pockets of them in your lizards armpits and other crevices typically in a real bad infestation. As far as I know the common ones people usually see are red.

Some of the white "bugs" I see are the clean up crew and go for the poop and decomposeing plant matter.

If it's from the wood it probably won't spread unless you have another viv with similiar conditions. If they are reptile mites they are highly spreadable and probably would already be in your other tank. . .

How many are we talking about by the way. Did you see a few or hundreds?

 

[Gordongecko]

I don't see a lot of the white (and they are definitely white) "bugs". I just want to make sure I don't end up with hundreds. I don't really see them on my anole's either. So far just on the glass. I bought Zoo Med reptile bark and have a cork background and have two live plants. I've seen other postings mentioning "sterile" bark but I'm not sure (I don't think it is sterile) if I bought sterile bark. Do you think if I take out the Zoo Med bark, put in sterile bark (if I can find it) and just wipe the inside of the viv with the mite spray that I could reduce them that way? The anoles are VERY fast so I'm not sure how I am going to treat them if I have to handle them.

Also, from your response, it sounds like the bugs may not be bad to have in the viv (as long as they aren't mites)???

I only want to make sure the "bugs" don't take over and then I'm (and the anoles) will be in real trouble. I also am somewhat nervous about my leopard gecko getting these if they are "bad".

Thanks for responding Gecko and sorry for all the questions but I have looked on MANY other sites and can't find any reference as to what I am dealing with.