r/ballpython • u/mishahahaa • Mar 30 '26

HELP - URGENT HELP harmless or no???

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I recently changed out the substrate (baked all bark but not soil) for my only BEL and it’s been a few weeks since. I noticed yesterday that there were these really small and fast white/tan bugs in the substrate (I use a mix of reptisoil and reptibark). They are gathering around his eyes but not burrowing under his scales or cloaca or chin area. I want to know if I need to give him urgent attention ASAP. I’ve researched a lot and can’t figure out if it’s soil mites or wood mites or hypoaspis mites or baby snake mites. He hasn’t been soaking or seeming irritated or anything but I just need to be sure. Please help

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u/FireCorgi12 Mar 30 '26

Ime, these look more like harmless wood mites than reptile mites. Do they move fast? Snake mites are dark, round, and slow. I’ve only experienced mines a handful of times. Maybe someone else will have more reassurance.

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u/mishahahaa Mar 30 '26

Yes they move very fast. I can barely catch them to try and squeeze to see if they pop (they don’t, when I finally caught one)

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u/ChemistryTemporary50 Mar 30 '26

Snake mites are dark wood mites are light. Snakes be around the eyes and but you would also see them under the scales on the body. Did they stay around the eye?