Aagh!! Parasites?!?

[RedSidedSPR]

I was feeding my garter yesterday when I saw this little, light-brown-with-dark-horizontal-stripes- bug crawling (surprisingly fast) across his basking rock. I killed it and started looking for more. Found another, and what I think was a third, but couldn't catch it.
NOT COOL!! What was it, how do I get rid them, and keep them from coming back? I'm cleaning his tank TODAY.
Everything in his tank is store-bought/fake. Nothing from outdoors. I've had him for almost a year now, and haven't ever seen any other living thing in there other than his food.
The bug was light brown (tan), with horizontal stipes, round, tick-sized, and fast. NOT flat. Hump-backed. My first thought was: Mite, but everything I've read says theyre really small. I can't find anything online.
All I know is I DONT WANT THEM IN THERE!

[guidofatherof5]

Moving fast doesn't sound like a mite.
You might try this. Take a white, wet paper towel. Hold your snakes with the towel and let them crawl through it. Wraping it around them as they crawl.
If you have mites you'll see small black moving dots. Try to smash and smear them on the paper towel. Mites leave a blood stain. Red to almost black in color.
Check the water dish for dead mites.
Have your snakes been soaking much?
The best product I've ever seen is Provent-A-Mite.
Pro-Products | Provent-a-Mite (http://www.pro-products.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53&Itemid=59)

[RedSidedSPR]

Thanks.
Ok, first When I said 'fast' I meant, faster than I expected. Not slow, but not fast either.
He hasn't been soaking any more than usuall. Hardly ever.
And like I said, It's bigger than I mite. Mites are tiny right? Sometimes microscopic?
They're about the size of a tick. NOT BLACK. Light brown with dark stripes. I'm pretty sure they aren't mites... Otherwise I'd do like you say ASAP, But I really don't think they're mites.
Nothing on the snake yet...as far as I can tell..

[drache]

I wouldn't say microscopic - they're definitely visible to the bare eye
ticks come in different sizes, but I think even the small ones are slightly bigger than mites

[guidofatherof5]

An adult mite gorged with blood is no bigger than a sharpened pencil dot on paper.
They are slow moving. Newborn mites can't be seen with the naked eye.
Mites don't have stripes. Not sure what you've got there. May be harmless, may not.
I don't allow any bugs in with my snakes.
Provent-A-Mite will get rid of all insects.
Do you have any wood in the enclosure. Maybe a branch or log?

[RedSidedSPR]

Than it's NOT a mite. Mine is much bigger than your description. Big enough to see detail.
I DO have a big chunk of "mopani wood", but it's store-bought, and was soaked in hot water and soap for hours (why not? better safe than sorry) before putting it in the cage.
Where can I find Prevent-A-Mite? Would Petsmart have it? I hate those chain pet stores but it's the ONLY local pet store I have. That's where I got the wood.
I don't know what it is, but like you, I don't want any bugs in there..
I've been looking for some picture of somthing that looks like what I saw, but no luck.
It looks like some kinda bug that bites. One of those bugs you wouldn't want on you.

[RedSidedSPR]

The only bug I can find that looks anything like it, is the Bed Bug. But I really didnt get a good look at the ones I found, just killed 'em, so I'm not jumping to conclusions. I dont think it's the same thing I have, but I thought I'd mention it.

[guidofatherof5]

I buy my Provent-A-Mite direct from the company. Think it's on sale right now.
Not sure if it's sold anywhere else.
Great product just follow the direction closely.
In its liquid form it is toxic and will kill reptiles. Once dried it's safe, much safer.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

It sure doesn't sound like a parasite! The only external parasites of snakes that i know of are mites and ticks. Ticks do not scurry about the cage... could you catch one and take a picture of it? It's probably just something that got into the cage, or came in the wood. Even soaking the wood does not always kill bugs inside of it. Don't be too worried, you would much rather have some random bugs than mites! Mites are the biggest pain in the neck EVER.

[Mommy2many]

Bake your wood in the oven for a few hours. That'll kill anything leftover from the soaking.

Picture of buggy would be helpfull.

[RedSidedSPR]

I've been trying to find one so I can get a picture, but I can't find any more.
All I know is, it bites. It bit me. So I DONT want it in there. I washed his whole tank (it was time anyway) and all the decor. New bedding and everything. If I find one I'll get a picture. I'm not that worried abut it (now that I know it's not mites or whatever) I just want it out.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

could it be an assassin bug?

[kibakiba]

An assassin bug wouldn't surprise me. They do seem to like to bite. My boyfriend had one in his bathroom that disguised itself as a giant dust buggy(bunny)... ;) It tried to attack him when he tried to put it outside.

[RedSidedSPR]

I don't think so. Mine was more rounded off like a tick, but with longer legs.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I will never forget telling my boyfriend's family about assassin bugs. Because they thought I was totally insane! I was like... did you ever hear of an assassin bug? Certain species like to bite and take a blood meal... especially around your lips! And they were like oh come on Shannon... an assassin bug??? UNTIL: one day, an assassin bug ended up in their house. It kept peeking down at us from the ceiling fan and if you would move, it would cleverly swing around the fan more so that you couldn't really see it. Good eyesight on that little bugger! And it was totally a see!? I told you so! I told you they were real! moment...

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Here is a photo of an assassin bug preparing to take a blood meal from my arm... don't ask..... :rolleyes:

note that there are MANY different species of assassin bug... and that the young'uns look a little different from the adults. The nymphs do not have wings yet. I only though assassin bug because they are very willing to bite you anyway even if you have just disturbed them. I could have poked this little guy and he would have continued what he was doing. Not shy at all!

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/aSnakeLovinBabe/0012.jpg

[infernalis]

A couple years ago I posted on here all worried about these little bugs, Turned out to be common thrips, also called storm flies.

Although many people are grossed out by insects, at least if it's not harmful to your snakes, you have that much less to worry about.

[kibakiba]

Well, if they bite I'd say get them out fast. If a bug wasn't scared of biting me, it sure wouldn't be scared of biting my snakes.

[guidofatherof5]

The best of all situations would be you don't ever need Provent-A-Mite.

[RedSidedSPR]

I don't know if I'll get Prevent-a-mite, Since I'm pretty sure theyre gone, and since they arent that big a threat.....

But, Shannon, I think it could be a kind of assassin bug. I didnt get a good look at the bug, but some of the pictures of assassin bugs look similar...

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I don't know if I'll get Prevent-a-mite, Since I'm pretty sure theyre gone, and since they arent that big a threat.....

But, Shannon, I think it could be a kind of assassin bug. I didnt get a good look at the bug, but some of the pictures of assassin bugs look similar...

Yea! the nymphs are often rounded off a bit... they are such interesting bugs

[RedSidedSPR]

they are such interesting bugs

I agree. Still don't want them in with my snake.

[d_virginiana]

I think I know what you're talking about. I get those occasionally around my house (I noticed you're from NC, so we probably have the same pests) and I don't know what they're called but they're not parasites. Is your snake cage heated? Cause they seem to enjoy warm places.

[RedSidedSPR]

Yeah, he's cage heated. Don't worry I got it figured out. In case you didn't notice, this thread is pretty old...
But if there's anything you want to say feel free, just making sure you know I got it under control. I would like to know what they were, though.
I'm in Raleigh. So, if that helps...

[d_virginiana]

lol, my computer has been messing up and yesterday it just started displaying all forum-type page set ups out of order (I noticed this when I read a post on another site and a date from like three years ago was displayed as most recent). Haha, sorry about that.

[RedSidedSPR]

No problem. Just lettin' you know. Feel free to say anything you want though, but really this thread is over. But it's still here for whoever.