Mites on a Russian tortoise

The_Four_Toed_Edward

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I noticed some mite like bugs in the crevices of the shell of my tortoise. They are really small, clear and brown in color. Their legs remind me of those of ticks. He is a few hours a day in his enclosure a couple times a week. I have been soaking him twice a day since he had some bladder stones.

Do they bother my tortoise? What are they? How do I get rid of them?
 

zovick

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What about you? @zovick
You may not like the idea, but I always used Hotshot No Pest Strips to get rid of unwanted insects, etc. Just hang one over the tortoise's enclosure or cut a piece of it off and put it in a tightly sealed container with holes in it (to allow the vapor to get out), and put that container right in the enclosure with the tortoise. Use of these strips never harmed my tortoises in any way.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019BK8AG/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20
 

The_Four_Toed_Edward

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I have to look if I can find that in Finland. If I can't, are there other brands or methods recommended? (Quick check revealed that amazon won't ship it here)
 

zovick

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Couldn't find anything with the same ingredient, turns out that ingredient has been banned here in the EU since the 90s.
Sorry to hear that. I don't have any other ideas which will kill the bugs outright like the strips, but you might also try Goldsticks which are long tubes coated with adhesive/glue which traps flies and other bugs if they land on the stick. They come with a smelly "attractant" which is put in a little cup hung under the stick.

Not sure if these would attract your insects or not, nor if the non-flying pests could get near the glue to get stuck in it. They also come in 2 foot lengths.

 

PoptartTheTort

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I noticed some mite like bugs in the crevices of the shell of my tortoise. They are really small, clear and brown in color. Their legs remind me of those of ticks. He is a few hours a day in his enclosure a couple times a week. I have been soaking him twice a day since he had some bladder stones.

Do they bother my tortoise? What are they? How do I get rid of them?
Get some reptile spray that kills mites, spray directly on tortoise, do not spray in areas mites could be hiding. If your tortoise left food on the ground of your enclosure, clean it up, and make sure you clean the enclosure at least every week if you don’t have a clean up crew in there. Yes, they do bother your tortoise.
 

Littleredfootbigredheart

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Get some reptile spray that kills mites, spray directly on tortoise, do not spray in areas mites could be hiding. If your tortoise left food on the ground of your enclosure, clean it up, and make sure you clean the enclosure at least every week if you don’t have a clean up crew in there. Yes, they do bother your tortoise.
Id run anything by on here first before spraying the tortoise @The_Four_Toed_Edward just to be safe😊

@PoptartTheTort I see you’re new, welcome to the forum! From a fellow red foot owner🥰
 

Tom

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I noticed some mite like bugs in the crevices of the shell of my tortoise. They are really small, clear and brown in color. Their legs remind me of those of ticks. He is a few hours a day in his enclosure a couple times a week. I have been soaking him twice a day since he had some bladder stones.

Do they bother my tortoise? What are they? How do I get rid of them?
Look at one under a microscope or magnifying glass and count the legs. 8 legs could be a mite, as they are a type of arachnid. 6 legs is an insect and most likely a harmless detrivore.

Outside of the wild, mites on a tortoise is extremely uncommon. Ticks too. Unless you live in Florida. Then anything is possible, if not probable.
 

The_Four_Toed_Edward

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Look at one under a microscope or magnifying glass and count the legs. 8 legs could be a mite, as they are a type of arachnid. 6 legs is an insect and most likely a harmless detrivore.

Outside of the wild, mites on a tortoise is extremely uncommon. Ticks too. Unless you live in Florida. Then anything is possible, if not probable.
Next time I see one I will try to look at it under my siblings children's microscope. I thought that it would be mites since their legs seem to be coming from the front of the bug, like a tick or a mite. But they are so small I can't say for sure how many legs they have.
 

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