Tarantula prey item w/ unidentified "bugs" (what are these?)

sweetypie · Mar 20, 2014

These little guys are on the roaches.
What can they be identified as?
I hope they are not too bad.

My Tarantula room is mite free as well as the dubia roach box.
I snagged some large roaches recently, and they came along w/ the roaches.

Thanks for any help.

VIDEO of movement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQJaYSscn2I&feature=youtu.be

catfishrod69 · Mar 20, 2014

Thats a type of mite, man. My guess would be a scavenger though.

sweetypie · Mar 20, 2014

catfishrod69 said:
Thats a type of mite, man. My guess would be a scavenger though.

They have a body like a tick, but what do I know?!?!

http://www.aldf.com/TickParalysis.shtml

vespers · Mar 20, 2014

Mites and ticks are closely related.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acari

sweetypie · Mar 20, 2014

Added here (below), is a 2nd quick video of the mites/ticks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkAOHnh5-eU

catfishrod69 · Mar 20, 2014

Yep those are absolutely mites man. I received some Dynastes granti a year ago that were wild caught. They had large scavenger mites on them as well. I just used a Q-tip and some petroleum jelly to remove them. More than likely you wont have any problems with those mites. But look at my link here....http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?245232-Mites-on-tarantulas&highlight=H.+incei+mites

Curious jay · Mar 20, 2014

From the vid I'd say scavenger mites too, as they aren't attached to the roach and feeding off it as a host, looks like they're cleaning particles from the hard to reach areas.

kean · Mar 20, 2014

those are ticks, like the ones found on dogs and cats.. they usually thrive on soil then transfer to a dog or cat's fur and serve it as host.. these are external parasites.. btw those are also small arachnids so it would not harm your T's.. they only cling on to mammals and sometimes birds and reptiles and feed off the blood.. but it's better not to have them with your roaches or inside your home.. cause they also cling on to humans at times..

oops i did not see the videos, but from first look i really thought it was a tick.. haven't seen those kind of mites before.. just the ones that are so tiny you wouldn't even see any legs on them..

Tongue Flicker · Mar 21, 2014

mite or a tick.. i wouldn't let it suck some blood to be sure it is a tick though. kill it!!

sweetypie · Mar 22, 2014

I recieved a message from someone "in the know"...
See below.

They have beneficial symbiotic relationship. The mite cleans the roach and if separated from that particular roach , it will search for the same roach and will starve to death if it does not find that roach. That means, not only is it not a parasite but it can not live on another animal. Here's a site that explains it. If only people could be as loyal to
each other as these guys are to their roach.

http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/roachmite.htm

Rest assured, they are the opposite of dangerous. If you want to get rid of them , you can wash them off in warm water. Your hissers might be miffed at you for getting rid
of their little buddies. They have been studied extensively and can not live separated from the roach they were born on.

Tarantula prey item w/ unidentified "bugs" (what are these?)

sweetypie

Arachnoknight

catfishrod69

Arachnoemperor

sweetypie

Arachnoknight

vespers

Arachnodemon

sweetypie

Arachnoknight

catfishrod69

Arachnoemperor

Curious jay

Arachnodemon

kean

Arachnoknight

Tongue Flicker

Arachnobaron

sweetypie

Arachnoknight