Bugs

heathertjd · Post by **heathertjd** » Mon May 04, 2009 6:19 pm

After searching, I read the thread on different bugs. http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 82&start=0 I *think* they are booklice. They are teeny tiny white-ish transparent buggies. (BTW, the booklice links are dead in that thread.)

I only saw them because Jack likes to clean the glass LOL. He was stretching way up on the glass and I wanted to get a peek to see if he's really a he or a she. (Best as I can tell, he is indeed a he). In any case, as he was picking EE off the glass, I saw something move. It was like a itty bitty piece of sand that was crawling on the glass. I only saw 2 that I can tell so far. There doesn't appear to be an infestation, so these are harmless, right?

It's been 3 months since I got the crabs and I know I'm due for a cleaning. Pablo doesn't come up during the day and I'm nervous to clean when a crab is down. He's very shy. I'm pretty sure he's recently molted but I don't know for sure. I'm not sure where he goes down. Jack and Henry have positively molted are often out and about and I know where they bury down.

heathertjd · Post by **heathertjd** » Mon May 04, 2009 6:56 pm

Oh and I'm not sure if you all want me to fill this out since I don't think I have mites. However, it can't hurt.

**Were your BUGS from long term owned crabs or new crabs
Owned them for 3ish months

**What kind of substrate were you using when you got them
1/2 of the tank is playsand, the other side is EE
Looks like the bugs are staying predominantly in one area on the EE side.

**what kind of top do you have on your tank
Insulation board with a vent/light hole with a mesh screen on top to prevent escapees.

**What is the main type of food you feed - fresh or commercial-describe if fresh the most type you feed (fruit/veggies/meat etc)
Kibbles from HCA and HHC
Every time I put fresh food in it molds quickly.

**What type of BUG did you see (white/tan/black/red) and descrip if u can
itty bitty teeny tiny white-ish transparent bugs

**What time of year did you get the infestation
Just noticed now, beginning of May

**what room is the tank in (bed/dining etc)
Living room

**is your home normally cool in summer/warm in winter or the opposite (like not all of us have central air that kind of thing)
Typically 65-70 dependent on weather and windows being open.

**is your home normally "buggy" meaning you have lots of other bugs (spiders/centipedes/daddy long legs)
YES, old house

**do you own other pets, if so what kind
Cats

HTH!

Hermit_of_Hermit_Crabs · Post by **Hermit_of_Hermit_Crabs** » Tue May 05, 2009 9:17 am

Sounds like you got Book Lice, which are not harmful to crabs. They tend to feed on uneaten food and like high humidity environments. Jedidiah is the real expert though.

hermiegirl · Post by **hermiegirl** » Tue May 05, 2009 9:35 am

If they look like little white dots moving around, I'd say you're fine. I get those every time I use EE. They're not harmful to the crabs, just a minor nuisance to watch. lol

Hermit_of_Hermit_Crabs · Post by **Hermit_of_Hermit_Crabs** » Tue May 05, 2009 9:51 am

hermiegirl wrote:If they look like little white dots moving around, I'd say you're fine. I get those every time I use EE. They're not harmful to the crabs, just a minor nuisance to watch. lol

The white dots are Book Lice right?

hermiegirl · Post by **hermiegirl** » Tue May 05, 2009 10:04 am

I guess I never id'd them cuz my camera couldn't focus in that tiny. But they never hurt my crabs, just munched on the EE and stray food the crabs would drag off.

Hermit_of_Hermit_Crabs · Post by **Hermit_of_Hermit_Crabs** » Tue May 05, 2009 10:16 am

Sounds like Book Lice to me. Jed has told me in the past that those are harmless to the crabs.

Dog Lips · Post by **Dog Lips** » Tue May 05, 2009 12:03 pm

I wonder.....would dry ice get rid of bugs?

Jedediah · Post by **Jedediah** » Wed May 06, 2009 1:46 am

I don't think so. It would cool them down, but most insects and arachnids can survive that without problems. It also won't destroy any eggs they have laid already.

Dog Lips · Post by **Dog Lips** » Wed May 06, 2009 1:51 pm

Jedediah wrote:I don't think so. It would cool them down, but most insects and arachnids can survive that without problems. It also won't destroy any eggs they have laid already.

hmm....true.

But you go on gecko sites and that's what they do....

Or maybe buy a Carbon Dioxide tank or something. Put some grass seeds or whatever in the tank and you get a win-win......though that's expensive.

heathertjd · Post by **heathertjd** » Wed May 06, 2009 8:51 pm

Thanks everyone. I have still seen only see a few bugs so I'm not going to freak about it. They can coexist as long as they don't take over.

Ryanstein · Post by **Ryanstein** » Fri May 08, 2009 11:54 pm

I've noticed those twice before... they are teeny tiny specks that at first glance seem not to move at all... I've just ignored them, and at most didn't seem to last more than a week