Bugs in water bowl and underneath water bowl but none on snake?

So we at first thought reptile mites, but im not so sure now, what we've done so far is:

Take the snake out of the viv and put in his temporary house, take out everything and sprayed it down with a repitle disinfectant, this as killed the bugs we've found.
We've sprayed the disinfectant inside the tank, again this killed any bugs found, however they were only found under the area where the water bowl was placed.
We've run a wet kitchen towl down the snake and check him all over and not found a single mite or anything.
Not been able to find any of these bugs anywhere else other than around the bowl.

So basically, are these mites or are they something else?
And what else would you recommend we do?
Thanks in advance

They don't look like mites. They look like they have antennae. Can you count the legs? Mites have eight legs. These look like an insect. Maybe springtails?

Nanci said:

They don't look like mites. They look like they have antennae. Can you count the legs? Mites have eight legs. These look like an insect. Maybe springtails?

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can't really see the general look of them anymore, as the viv clean has disolved them

now given mr snake a bath and checked him all over and no mites.

Did you have aspen substrate? If so, they might be back. They won't hurt anything, but you could kill them by freezing or baking the aspen.

I get these as well- My tanks have screen tops, and I have a lamp that sits above the tanks on a shelf.
Now, I noticed these little black bugs around the base of the lamp, where I think they hang out and then die, and then I noticed a couple keep falling into Seamus's tank- but they don't go into Tom's tank, and he's right next to him.
I think because only one tank is actually under the lamp, they just fall in there.
I just cleaned their tanks and only found a couple little black bugs in Seamus's water dish, but not anywhere else.

This happens a couple times a month, so any time I notice a bug in the water bowl, I just rinse it out and clean it and put it back. Nothing negative has seemed to come out of it so far. I'm not sure how to keep them away, it seems to me that they are attracted to my lamp light, so there's not much I can do about that part =/
I think your baby should be alright, as far as I've noticed it doesn't appear to be any kind of infestation on my end, just some bugs following the light and then dying in the bowl lol

I had the viv near some plants for a while. One of my plants had fungus gnats. The gnats would fly into the viv and die in the water. I did nothing but let my plant dry out more between waterings and they went away. I can't tell if that's what you have, but if you see little black gnats buzzing your plants (if you have plants in your house) it could be that. They are completely harmless.

thanks for all the replies

Had a look around the tank and gave mr another look over, didn't see anything but will keep a close eye for a while, hopefully they don't return

See if you can look up "springtails" or get a close-up of these critters.



I had springtails in only one of my tanks for a few months, daily water and substrate changes cleared them up. Nasty little bugs. They have antennae if you look closely.

How do you get rid of these?
I have plants in the same room; none near my snakes tank anymore. All opposite side of room. Fresh bedding is ordered - I swear the stores never carry enough, water is changed daily.
This just started happening a week ago & it's driving me to drink.

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Springtails are good. They are detrivores and used in the Clean Up Crew for bioactive vivariums.

So don't go nuts on cleaning her home then.....
Why do they randomly appear then? In the whole time I've had her - adopted 3/21/19- I've never had them til now? Season change? I've read they prefer spring/summer to fall though; her water bowl is cold side; which is currently 73°. Night drops 65 ish.
I'm just trying to understand them better; Internet (Google) only does so much!
(Pic is her home; she was fed today so she's under the water bowl.... Huge log but yeah bowl.)

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Could have come in on the substrate. You could have touched the plant soil and had some on your fingers. They often live in moss as well. There's many ways they could end up in there. They aren't harmful at all, though.