Paracites!!!

[jonathanmerrill86]

I was cleaning my leo's cages this morning and in my oldest and most precious leopard gecko's cage was about 20+ little bugs that look like pin head sized crickets or roaches but they weren't the last time I cleaned the cage was 2 days ago and they weren't there.Has anybody expierienced this or know what they are? Please have good news cause as far as I know Leo's get worms not things that look like that :main_huh:

 

[roger]

I was cleaning my leo's cages this morning and in my oldest and most precious leopard gecko's cage was about 20+ little bugs that look like pin head sized crickets or roaches but they weren't the last time I cleaned the cage was 2 days ago and they weren't there.Has anybody expierienced this or know what they are? Please have good news cause as far as I know Leo's get worms not things that look like that :main_huh:

Mites

 

[jonathanmerrill86]

Thats what I was thinking but I've had a couple snakes that got mites and these look completely different do they get a different kind of mite

 

[BrilliantEraser]

Pictures would help, but first thought for me was mites as well.

 

[merlin_008]

Do they jump? Could they be baby crickets. I have hatched baby crickets somehow in a moist hide.

 

[jonathanmerrill86]

Do they jump? Could they be baby crickets. I have hatched baby crickets somehow in a moist hide.

That actually sounds pretty plausible thanks to everyone who shared there thoughts I'm taking a fecal sample in on monday so Im gonna cross my fingers and hope there baby crickets.

 

[LZRDGRL]

Don't worry, if you can see them with your eyes, they're not parasites, because you would see those under a good microscope. I would guess they are cricket babies. They hatch especially in wood bark; I've had this happen and changed to clay ball substrate (hydroton) instead. There, they don't hatch anymore. What substrate do you have? I've never had crickets hatch on paper towels. They seem to like only special substrate (or it depends on how many dark hiding places they have available).

It's not too bad to hatch crickets -- if they grow up, you'd have extra food :main_laugh: But you might not want jumpy things in your nice cage, so I would just clean out the whole cage, change the substrate, and prepare for a cricket-baby free environment. I've also had mealworms multiply in my wood bark substrate last year. They don't do that on tiles or paper towels (I guess because they don't stand a chance, because they get eaten before they can mate).

To my knowledge, leos don't get mites (??). Parasites (pinworms, giardia, flagellates...) would be in their intestinal tract and in their feces, and they aren't visible with the eye. You would know your gecko is parasite-infested if he had runny stool. Since that's not the case, it will be some babies of food items, most likely!

Chrissy

 

[jonathanmerrill86]

Yeah I have a humid hide with moss in there

 

[M_surinamensis]

Don't worry, if you can see them with your eyes, they're not parasites

There are plenty of parasitic organisms that can be seen with the naked eye.

I would guess they are cricket babies.

Not nearly as common as fly larvae or a few species of mite- including non-parasitic soil or wood mites.

To my knowledge, leos don't get mites (??).

Leopard geckos can be preyed upon by a few types of blood-sucking mites, if they are exposed to them. Snake mites will sometimes feed on other reptiles if they come into contact with them and the red mites often found in the timpanum of african imports (agamas and plated lizards commonly) wouldn't hesitate to feed on a leo.

Parasites (pinworms, giardia, flagellates...) would be in their intestinal tract and in their feces, and they aren't visible with the eye.

Some most certainly are.

You would know your gecko is parasite-infested if he had runny stool.

That is potentially a symptom of intestinal parasite but it is not the only one, nor is it conclusive without additional symptoms or testing.

You clearly do not have a very comprehensive grasp of parasitology or reptile health and should probably not attempt to help people when the subject comes up. You're going to do more harm than good with your misinformation.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Don't worry, if you can see them with your eyes, they're not parasites, because you would see those under a good microscope. I would guess they are cricket babies. They hatch especially in wood bark; I've had this happen and changed to clay ball substrate (hydroton) instead. There, they don't hatch anymore. What substrate do you have? I've never had crickets hatch on paper towels. They seem to like only special substrate (or it depends on how many dark hiding places they have available).

It's not too bad to hatch crickets -- if they grow up, you'd have extra food :main_laugh: But you might not want jumpy things in your nice cage, so I would just clean out the whole cage, change the substrate, and prepare for a cricket-baby free environment. I've also had mealworms multiply in my wood bark substrate last year. They don't do that on tiles or paper towels (I guess because they don't stand a chance, because they get eaten before they can mate).

To my knowledge, leos don't get mites (??). Parasites (pinworms, giardia, flagellates...) would be in their intestinal tract and in their feces, and they aren't visible with the eye. You would know your gecko is parasite-infested if he had runny stool. Since that's not the case, it will be some babies of food items, most likely!

Chrissy

Mealworms do not mate to reproduce. They pupate, turn to beetles which will mate, lay eggs, then hatch.

If you are interested in learning about mites and parasites, the book "Understanding Reptile Parasites," by Roger Klingenberg is real good. The 2nd edition is better and has more photos.

 

[BrilliantEraser]

Yes, please pick up a book on parasitology before you begin offering your incorrect opinion to others. I realize you are trying to be helpful, but you could certainly cause much more harm than good.