Help w/ Substrate bugs

[Tortmomma2]

So I built an indoor enclosure for my tort Tank and used organic soil and coco coir. He does go out during the day and in at night. I noticed today while picking him up to take him out that there were these teenie tiny little bugs...almost like the size of a pin head. They were very light colored and a few were on top of his shell. Should I be worried? Should I be proactive? Is this normal? What should I do? Help friends

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Do you have any store bought moss in there? It sounds like mites. Hopefully, they will pass.

 

[ascott]

https://insects.tamu.edu/extension/publications/html/e214.html

Springtails are very small insects. They range in size from 0.25 to 6 mm. There are hundreds of springtail species in the United States and Canada. Most springtails live in damp environments such as in leaf litter and soil where they eat fungi, algae and other detritus that they find. Springtails get their name from the shape of their abdomen. Part of their abdomen forms a taillike appendage that scientists call the furcula. Most of the time, the furcula is locked under the springtail’s body. When it is released, it causes the insect to jump. Springtails can jump several centimeters at a time.

Many people discover springtails in their home and mistake them for something else. Many people assume these tiny jumping insects are fleas. Unfounded speculation has occurred that they infest human skin, resulting in skin irritation. Springtails are not parasitic on humans and are not known to actively infest living human tissue.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

They could be mites, but I'm gonna go with substrate nats... they won't hurt your tort, they just like dining on leftovers and poop... and they like the moist, humid substrate most torts require. You can get rid of them by baking or boiling your coir, changing it, or as I did, added little pill bugs! They ate them all, I think, because the nats went away, and now I have this thriving pillbug colony in my dirt cleaning up after my russian

 

[Abdulla6169]

I think they are spring tails.

 

[Tortmomma2]

They could be mites, but I'm gonna go with substrate nats... they won't hurt your tort, they just like dining on leftovers and poop... and they like the moist, humid substrate most torts require. You can get rid of them by baking or boiling your coir, changing it, or as I did, added little pill bugs! They ate them all, I think, because the nats went away, and now I have this thriving pillbug colony in my dirt cleaning up after my russian

Where do I get ahold of pill bugs?

 

[ascott]

Where do I get ahold of pill bugs?

Cool damp sheltered areas, like under rocks and debris...just lift rocks slowly...you can collect some and add to the enclosure....

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

I hunted mine down under a bunch of rocks in the shade They are easy to 'take care of' if you have nice, moist areas in the dirt with things to hide under... I had to give it a few tried before my pillbugs 'moved in' and started eating stuff

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I'm currently looking for pill bugs. I think it's been too rainy, but as soon as I see some, they're going into my indoor enclosures. Thanks.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Since a lot of folks order seeds from Carolina Pet Supply, i wanted to point out that they also sell pill bugs

http://www.carolinapetsupply.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=277

Heres the info, though it seems expensive for 30 pill bugs:

Pill bugs 30 count mixed sizes Free Shipping!
$16.95
Pillbugs (Armadillidium Vulgare) are are isopods closely related to crabs and shrimp. They are naturally very high in calcium.

These are reared in clean conditions and fed high calcium greens etc. They are excellent food for any insect eating reptile or amphibian. I use them as a "first food" for hatchling box turtles.

They are also great as a terrarium clean-up crew. They will eat fungus, leftover food, and mites.