Small bugs

[lindaisturtling]

I’m not sure if these tiny bugs are mites, fleas, lice, or something else? Are they harmful to my turtle? They stay around his food dish and hop around. They first appeared several months ago. At that time I also had flying gnats and also found an earwig in his habitat. I cleaned it out completely, threw out all his old substrate and scrubbed the tub. I put brand new substrate in which is a mixture of coconut fiber, turtle-safe wood chips, and small rocks. About a week ago these small bugs have reappeared. I’m not sure where they are coming from. My turtle still eats his food every day and doesn’t seem to be bothered by the bugs. I am bothered by them though…

 

[PJay]

I’m not sure if these tiny bugs are mites, fleas, lice, or something else? Are they harmful to my turtle? They stay around his food dish and hop around. They first appeared several months ago. At that time I also had flying gnats and also found an earwig in his habitat. I cleaned it out completely, threw out all his old substrate and scrubbed the tub. I put brand new substrate in which is a mixture of coconut fiber, turtle-safe wood chips, and small rocks. About a week ago these small bugs have reappeared. I’m not sure where they are coming from. My turtle still eats his food every day and doesn’t seem to be bothered by the bugs. I am bothered by them though…

It's hard to tell what they are from the photos but they could be springtails. Springtails come from the environment around us and are quite beneficial to your turtles environment. They will clean up uneaten food and feces and keep things tidy. Many reptile and amphibian hobbyists order them on the internet to add to their enclosures specifically as a clean-up crew. Consider yourself lucky they are occurring naturally. The flying gnats are usually fungus gnats and are harmless, albeit annoying. I really don't like them. I have found that keeping my substrate on the wetter side eliminates fungus gnats post haste. The earwig would definitely be on the menu for most box turtles on the hunt for a snack.