# Cleaner bugs in tank?



## Buddytheboxie (Mar 3, 2017)

Hi so I noticed in my box turtle's enclosure that there are tons of tiny little bugs that I still can't get rid of (I have tried everything). I am planning on doing another deep clean of the tank tomorrow (throw out all dirt soak everything vacuum tank) however these bugs keep coming back. Am I able to put Rollie pollys/ pill bugs in his enclosure to help clean out those tiny evil things? Would Buddy(my turtle) eat them? If he does eat one would it hurt him? Those are my biggest questions. 

I am also planning on starting a superworm colony so I was going to put the cleaner crew in with the superworms anyway. 
Any help would be appreciated!


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## Kapidolo Farms (Mar 3, 2017)

rolly pollies are an okay food item for any turtle or tortoise that might eat them. It also give the turtle or tortoises a hobby, looking for more. They don't however seem to be effective at keeping yet other 'bugs' out. 

Super worms are likely to eat 'cleaner crew bugs'.


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## Buddytheboxie (Mar 3, 2017)

Will said:


> rolly pollies are an okay food item for any turtle or tortoise that might eat them. It also give the turtle or tortoises a hobby, looking for more. They don't however seem to be effective at keeping yet other 'bugs' out.
> 
> Super worms are likely to eat 'cleaner crew bugs'.


Then I am doomed lol I have no idea how to keep these bugs out :/


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## Stuart S. (Mar 3, 2017)

I've been dealing with the same thing in my enclosure, very frustrating but from everything I've learned on here...they're harmless but almost impossible to get rid of, they come from your substrate. I still dig out all I can find though!


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## Buddytheboxie (Mar 3, 2017)

Stuart S. said:


> I've been dealing with the same thing in my enclosure, very frustrating but from everything I've learned on here...they're harmless but almost impossible to get rid of, they come from your substrate. I still dig out all I can find though!


They are so annoying I feel bad because I see them crawling on my baby!!! He doesn't seem bothered by them though. I will try and clean out his tank when I buy new dirt


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## Kapidolo Farms (Mar 4, 2017)

I think the mirco-biome of any tortoise in the wild includes small cleaner bugs. When I have found box turtles in the wild in New Jersey they often had many small bugs on them crawling about.

Gopher tortoises share their burrows with dozens of species of insects that are 'decomposers' as I imagine will be found in most any burrow of any burrowing animal. Leaf litter tortoises sorta plow through the leaf litter as much as walk on top of it. That plowing stirs things up so they can find things big enough to eat, but it also stirs up all those much smaller cleaner bugs.

I know it can be sorta creepy to see all that. There is much and growing evidence that suggest it is more healthy than not.


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## dmmj (Mar 4, 2017)

most people who have this problem cook or freeze the substrate to kill any insects or larvae in it before using


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## Buddytheboxie (Mar 4, 2017)

Will said:


> I think the mirco-biome of any tortoise in the wild includes small cleaner bugs. When I have found box turtles in the wild in New Jersey they often had many small bugs on them crawling about.
> 
> Gopher tortoises share their burrows with dozens of species of insects that are 'decomposers' as I imagine will be found in most any burrow of any burrowing animal. Leaf litter tortoises sorta plow through the leaf litter as much as walk on top of it. That plowing stirs things up so they can find things big enough to eat, but it also stirs up all those much smaller cleaner bugs.
> 
> I know it can be sorta creepy to see all that. There is much and growing evidence that suggest it is more healthy than not.



I guess I could see it as healthy and as a good thing. I still have to clean his tank so I will be a touch more open to them next time lol


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## Pearly (Mar 4, 2017)

I have had my substrate in for almost 2 yrs. mine is a bioactive type. Started with earthworms that my babies didn't want to eat so i just let them out and they's lived there multiplying ever since. Then last summer wanted to add colony of pillbugs but strangely for the first time in 20 yrs of gardening in my yard there were no pillbugs. We did fing 4 adults and 2 little babied over period of few wks though and moved them into the "closed chamber". Bfr pillbugs I had noticed numerous little tiny soil centipedes and one of the members here explained that those were ok to have, I don't see them so much now anymore. And over time with planting new plants that i've fug up from my garden some tiny little snails must have hitched a rode bcs one day I haf noticed tiny slimy trail on the moss, and been seeing teeny tiny snails ever since growing in numbers bit never increasing in sizes. I know my babies love to eat them. Have also seen them hunt down pill bugs. All this long intro to my post to provide background to my post: i also get those tiny little flying bugs at times, but they disappear as soon as they show up, not sure if it's pillbugs or centipedes, or torts that get them or they die off and the new eggs don't like something in the tank environment enough to hatch. I wouldn't worry about those too much as long as they dont get out of the enclosure


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## KevinGG (Mar 4, 2017)

Wait until you find out what's living in your stomach... Agree with everyone. My boxies live in substrate with pill bugs, earthworms, and all of the smaller bugs you talk about with no problems. They'll live with those and more when they go outside in a few weeks.


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## Oogway the russian tort (Mar 4, 2017)

cleaner bugs are impossible to get rid of so I just leave them alone and let them clean up oogways poop them won't harm your tortoise and he won't eat them as springtails and isopods are very tiny and Im pretty sure he won't be able to see it


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## lisa127 (Mar 4, 2017)

I have problems with bugs if I use cypress mulch. Now I only use peat moss and long fibred sphagnum and have zero bugs.


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## Buddytheboxie (Mar 4, 2017)

Thank you everyone! Yeah so far I have him on coco dirt mixed with mulch. I might switch him over to moss so it can hold humidity and moisture better. Once I switch him over I will debate on getting a pill bug crew in there. If the ground stays moist I will add some night crawlers into his enclosure to stay, however as of right now his dirt gets to try for a worm to survive (I spray his tank twice a day and even dump water in it, it does not stay moist). Thank you again!


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## Crazy Tortoise (Mar 4, 2017)

There like little house maids for your boxie


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