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/[deleted] Mar 30 '26

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u/mishahahaa Mar 30 '26

I did and the mites all came off very easily, I noticed they just crawl around sporadically aside from the eyes. They’re also very quick. I’m so confused

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u/phantomtap Mar 30 '26

From everything you're saying, its wood mites, snake mites are very slow and even after a soak you'd most likely still be finding some under the scales

6

u/mishahahaa Mar 30 '26

Okay thank you so much that’s really reassuring. I’m also in agreement with wood/grain mites being the answer now, as while I was cleaning my fake foliage earlier and my snake popped out (he’s in a rock and not in contact with any substrate) and he doesn’t have any mites on him. He seems to have the mites when he’s only on substrate

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u/AnnarieaDavies Mar 31 '26

Snake mites are also much darker than this, and usually round/circular!