Mites Killing Springtails

Captive Bread

Captive Bread

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Title says it all. I have been cycling my 20 long terrarium for two months that I would be getting marbled newts in (I don't have them yet but I may have to cancel my reservation from the breeder now). All went very well, plants are happy and springtails + isopods are everywhere but I noticed little yellow mites very recently. I assumed they were soil mites, but this morning I saw one chase down and eat a poor young springtail. It is only reasonable to assume that these mites will spawn out of control and wipe out everything. I don't have very good photos, so the right one is a stock photo of what it kind of looks like up close.

Is there ANYTHING I can do? I have the sinking feeling that I am completely done for...
 

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They are probably grain mites. They commonly show up in vivariums. They are harmless to amphibians, but can be annoying in large numbers. The best way that I know of to minimize their numbers is to let the enclosure dry out for a bit.
 
Herpin Man said:
They are probably grain mites. They commonly show up in vivariums. They are harmless to amphibians, but can be annoying in large numbers. The best way that I know of to minimize their numbers is to let the enclosure dry out for a bit.
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I'm glad they won't harm amphibians, I'm aware that is a common issue with snakes. I'll go a few days without watering the enclosure.

Will they eat all of my springtails completely out of existence, though? And leave me with a decaying glass box of fungus?
 
Snake mites are a different deal altogether.
I have seldom had problems with mites, other than when I gave grain based foods to isopods. I highly doubt that they could eradicate your springtails, but it wouldn’t hurt to have a backup culture.
You might want to look at increasing ventilation in your enclosure. It will help control mites. Marbled newts don’t require anything more than moderate humidity anyway.
 
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