Should I just accept that mites are in my reptile/animal room if they aren't harmful, and just stop fighting them so much?
Hi!
At the time of writing this post, I seem to have about 3 different species of mites in my reptile room.
It all started about 2 years ago when I brought home a pack of mealworms from an expo and put them on my gecko's somewhat humid tank, near feeder bins. grain mites exploded from it and I spent many months fighting them.
Now, Every now and then I spot tiny mites either on the water dishes or on the lids of plastic tubs and temp tubs for my reptiles and tarantulas.
They're not predatory mites (though there used to be a predatory mite species too, one I added myself against the original grain mites.)
They seem to be grain, soil and/or mould mites. They don't seem to bother any of my animals, especially since they're so tiny. (Tiny white dots)
Their population isn't anywhere near the type of mite explosion I had with the original grain mites. These ones just occasionally show up, or stick to water dishes.
I've also now started finding them on the plastic lids of the tubs where the only source of moisture is a small water dish or container with some moist soil in it. They've somehow found it despite all the dry aspen.
I've tried everything to get rid of them at first, cleared and replaced everything in many enclosures. But they still came back.
Since they're not a species of harmful mite to my animals,
Should I just accept that they live in the room too and occasionally show up on water dishes or humid hides? And just smash them or rinse water dishes whenever I see them on them?
They don't seem to explode in numbers right now and I've also added a bunch of springtails anywhere I can.
My main concern however, is that I was planning on getting my dream reptile species that requires very high humidity (80%+) A perfect environment for the mites - and I'm worried about them exploding in numbers.
I wouldn't even mind them that much if not for the fact they can come out of the enclosures. (I still remember that moment when the original grain mites showed up. I entered the room and found my entire wardrobe covered on the outside with mites climbing it, from the feeder bins and mealworm containers...)
I'm worried about the possibility of population explosion / an infestation, but at the same time nothing I've done ever got rid of them and I keep reading that ultimately it's inevitable that mites show up. They're not a harmful or parasitic species.
And I don't want to continue stressing out my animals by moving them to temporary tubs to clear out and/or spray chemicals in their tanks to kill mites. (* Chemicals as in things like alcohol or enclosure disinfectants)
I'd appreciate some outside views/opinions on this. If anyone's had experience with mites I'd really appreciate that information too.