10 replies to this topic

[TennesseeAnts]

So this is the third mite invasion in my leopard gecko's mealworm bin and I don't know what to do about it! Help!!!!

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, February 10 2018 - 1:37 PM.

[Penguin]

Even if not all of them are visibly effected, you should put the entire bin in the freezer for a day or two to make sure that all mites are dead, and you could leave them in there as a long lasting food source for the gecko. I don't know what to do if you don't want to kill all of your meal worms.

[TennesseeAnts]

I am fine killing the mealworms as long as my geckos are safe. I think the mealworms carry the mites in from the petco I go to.

[Penguin]

If you think they do, then try to get meal worms from other sources

[gcsnelling]

The mites in the mealworms should not be any danger to your geckos. I would not worry about it.

[dermy]

These sound like grain mites? [there wasn't much information given so I'm just assuming] Grain mites are non-parasitic and usually only infest grain based products and shouldn't harm any reptiles.

[rdurham02]

These sound like grain mites? [there wasn't much information given so I'm just assuming] Grain mites are non-parasitic and usually only infest grain based products and shouldn't harm any reptiles.

I have the same grain mites in my meal worm bin. They haven't harmed or parasitized my ants and are just a mild annoyance. I find once I sieve out the used grain and clean the bin the grain mites decrease in population for a bit.  

[Hunter]

if you are getting grain mites you are not taking care of your worms properly, like taking old food out, changing substrate every 3-4 weeks, ect

Edited by Hunter, December 17 2017 - 7:25 AM.

[TennesseeAnts]

These are little white mites that hang out on the lid and sides of the bin. and how would I take care of the worms properly?  

[TennesseeAnts]

And how do the mites get in..... WAIT, I KNOW!!!!!! They appeared again right after I added new worms to the bin. So I just need to switch providers. When I was getting them from a breeder I never had this problem. When I started getting them from Petco, I started getting mites. 

[dermy]

Yeah if you can I'd go for a supplier "generally" speaking they have higher standards of keeping them too so the larvae are usually healthier too!