Mini-Smelly Beetles Over-running Vivs

For the past couple of months I have had a few small reddish beetles in my vivariums. I'd never seen any more than 2-3 dead ones in the water bowls.

But during feeding night last night, my two 10-gallon tanks were over-run with the boogers! Crawling all over everything in sight by the hundreds!

They look like mini meal worm beetles, only a couple of millimeters in length and reddish colored. When you squish them, they smell strongly of antiseptic...yeah I know sounds weird, but I can't place the smell. Closest I can come is antiseptic soap used in the hospital. Definately distasteful as my beardie tried one the other day, and promptly spit it out and rubbed his open mouth around on the sides of his tank.

Has anyone had a problem with these before or know what they are? I've looked around in my insect books and can't find an identification for them. They also seem to be drilling holes in my wood decorations, as there are piles of wood dust under them and neat holes drilled everywhere.

They're mostly confined to the aquariums where they can't climb the glass all that well, and they don't fly so hot either. But a few have made it out and into other vivs. But it mostly seems to be concentrated to two vivs.

Any suggestions for eradicating them? I'll try and get a good picture with size reference and attach it at a later date. I've moved the two yearling snakes from those enclosures elsewhere. I was thinking of spraying Raid in there with all of the cage furniture and substrate and placeing a wet towel over the screen lid to trap in the vapors. Any harm in that?

These things have a mob mentality. :crying:

Hey

I have same problem. I have this littler buggers in my Ball Python viv. Its the only glass viv I have. I have had them for about a week now and I have checke all my snakes (including the ball python) and none of the snake have these things on them. I haven't tryed squashing them yet thought, I will later. I will also get some pics of them soon. They sound like wood lice to me. I havn't tryed to get rid of them yet. Im not sure how to.

Alex

do you use newspaper for substrate or shelters? I ask becasue it could be paper mites, it doesnt sounds like you have a typical "snake" mite problem. What kind of substrate are you using? Check the substrate itself. I have seen it in pine and even aspen if its not from a good clean source.

I have been using a new product called reptile relief by Natural Chemistry. I dont have a problem but I treat any new animal before they come into my room. Just to be on the safe side. It seems like its a decent product. Best of luck.

lol it wont be woodlice mate they're the ugly lil grey/brown things you get in woods etc that roll into a ball and are just icky *doesn't like little bugs like that*

Rach

As for substrate, I use Kaytee Shredded Aspen. I have never had a problem with it before now. And looking in the bags I have I do not see anything in there other than wood.

These are not mites. Mites are 8 legged fluid sucking creatures, these have 6 legs, 2 antannae, hard-wing cases and wings....clearly beetles.

I guess I'll just have to look around or take a few individuals to a entomologist at a local university to identify them.

As for "wood lice", those are actually crustaceans.

just an idea...... I don't know much about them but could it be termites? I mean, you said they were boring holes in your wood, right?

Adam