Bugs in red foot cage? New mulch maybe?

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Lulumonkey10

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Hello all! This is my first post on here. I recently bought some new mulch for my red foot. It's called cypress mulch. I put it in yesterday. I picked up my tortoise kip and looked at him, and he had these itty bitty little clearish bugs on him, and around his cage. I'm pretty sure they aren't mites. Are these bugs harmful to my tortoise?? Should I change the mulch? I just don't want him go be uncomfortable. Thanks! :)
 

bmt123

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I think they are defiantly due to the new mulch. Is the enclosure inside or outside.
 

BeeBee*BeeLeaves

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A couple of weeks ago I read here that a forum member cleans his substrate by pouring boiling water over it in a bucket and then waiting until it cooled, straining it and reusing. His substrate was 2 years old and that is how he kept it clean. Brilliant! It was, however, the coco coir/coco bark. But it might work with the cypress bug problem you are having. I bought bricks of coco coir at Target in the garden section by the seeds, cheap, like 2.47 each, in case you wanted to get some. (If you are in the USA, of course) I have a little leopard tortoise baby and I love it for substrate. Excellent stuff and since I am following the 3Hs, hot-humid-hydrated methods that this forum has suggested to avoid the pyramiding, it works great. Might be good for your baby ... maybe mix it in with the cypress? Hope this helps a little.
 

kirby2591

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Not sure if the bugs are harmful... however for getting rid of them you can either pour boiling water as mentioned earlier or many people also freeze there substrate before putting into an enclosure... seeing as you already have a problem I would probly scourch them and not run the risk of bugs all over your freezer :)
 

Redstrike

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These small "bugs" are likely proturans, collembolans, or similar soil invertebrates. They are probably harmless and are ubiquitous in most soils and substrates.
 

ElizabethJane

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I think I have the same thing in my enclosure. I have organic topsoil under my coconut coir, and I think that's where mine came from. They are EVERYWHERE in the enclosure. But they don't seem to bother my torts at all.
 

Madkins007

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Itty bitty grey fast bugs are often snow fleas or springtails. Harmless to everything, but in large numbers can weaken some plants. They like the warm, moist substrate and live on the decaying material in there.

Since they are harmless and hard to get rid of (and come back quickly when you do), you may just want to live with them.
 
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