Flour mites 😫
- Thread starter Magpie
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Ugh, i know exactly how you feel. When i found them again in her new cage, I broke down. It’s really frustrating, but you can do this!!!
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You best believe it was squished!
No, I don’t have a spare cage.
I’ve seen a couple on the outside this morning- on the black outer frame (squished now) but none in his water dish or on the slate/water bottle and holder which is where they were rife before.
So I’ve certainly knocked them back but not totally rid.
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You mean the black outside frame of the tank? Maybe you could just wipe that outside bit with a cloth with a little bit of dilute vinegar on - nowhere near the hamster itself but it could smell a bit. Probably not too bad if just wiped and on the outside.
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Definitely have the bugs back.
Managed to get hold of a great microscope which takes pictures. Was very difficult to get a picture but managed and have added a photo of the picture (not sure if if can be downloaded)
That’s 6 weeks since the complete gutting and cleaning of the tank plus baking and freezing everything so not sure what I can do other than Learn to live with them and do a full cleanout if they start to get too numerous.
Think they are grain or mould mites maybe? Bane of my life!
Managed to get hold of a great microscope which takes pictures. Was very difficult to get a picture but managed and have added a photo of the picture (not sure if if can be downloaded)
That’s 6 weeks since the complete gutting and cleaning of the tank plus baking and freezing everything so not sure what I can do other than Learn to live with them and do a full cleanout if they start to get too numerous.
Think they are grain or mould mites maybe? Bane of my life!
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So sorry. I screenshotted your photograph and asked AI what it was - and it said some kind of mite 
Not very helpful. It narrowed it down to most likely book lice though, as you thought - due to them liking being near water. However, do you know how many legs they have? If they have 6 legs most likely book lice. If they have 8 legs, some other kind of mite like a grain mite.
Not very helpful. It narrowed it down to most likely book lice though, as you thought - due to them liking being near water. However, do you know how many legs they have? If they have 6 legs most likely book lice. If they have 8 legs, some other kind of mite like a grain mite.
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It’s impossible to say what are legs and what are feeler things.
Don’t suppose it really makes much difference though. They are one or the other and the method is going to be the same either way I guess
Less than ideal though and very frustrating. Can’t be doing this every 6 weeks.
Don’t suppose it really makes much difference though. They are one or the other and the method is going to be the same either way I guess
Less than ideal though and very frustrating. Can’t be doing this every 6 weeks.
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Our renovation project is hopefully going to start in a week or so. I might see if I can get a small temporary cage locally second hand to put him in for a few days at my mums house to keep him away from the dust and the noise. (It’s an external wall that is being knocked through and a steel lintel being put in so will be very noisy and dusty)
I know that will be stressful but think it’s the better option for him? Also know it won’t be ideal size wise or bedding depth wise but will get the bedding as deep as I can and make sure his wheel is in for him and if possible a small temp sand bath using a dish or something
And while he is in that temp cage I can get and sort the bucatstate tank. Again
I know that will be stressful but think it’s the better option for him? Also know it won’t be ideal size wise or bedding depth wise but will get the bedding as deep as I can and make sure his wheel is in for him and if possible a small temp sand bath using a dish or something
And while he is in that temp cage I can get and sort the bucatstate tank. Again
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He would probably take to a temporary cage better at someone else's house than at your house actually. I wouldn't go too small though - did you have something in mind? The maxi duna can be good for a temporary cage, or maybe an 80 x 50 cage.
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Nothing specific in mind- going to see if there is anything local second hand first. It will only be for a day or two while the wall is being knocked down and while
I gut the bucatstate.
I know it won’t be ideal but will make sure he has his wheel and as deep bedding as I can.
I am thinking they have originated outside the tank rather than from anything within it- whether it’s survivors from last time which were missed within the hollow legs/between the frame and Perspex. Or from the homemade wooden table the tank is on. I think this needs to be painted or varnished to seal the wood.
I gut the bucatstate.
I know it won’t be ideal but will make sure he has his wheel and as deep bedding as I can.
I am thinking they have originated outside the tank rather than from anything within it- whether it’s survivors from last time which were missed within the hollow legs/between the frame and Perspex. Or from the homemade wooden table the tank is on. I think this needs to be painted or varnished to seal the wood.
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Well here goes nothing. Going to embark on another major clean now.
We don’t have an oven at the moment (it was on the wall which is being cleared for demolition) so I need to take all the wooden bits to my friend round the corner to bake!
Am going to take the bucatstate frame apart this time to get into the gaps and hollows and remove the table it sits on and get it sealed/painted. The tank will just need to sit on the floor until the table is dry again.
I feel like they are originating outside of the tank rather than from anything within it… but then again it could have started from something in the tank in the first place and been a few survivors that I missed within gaps when I did the last clean. Million dollar question!
Really hope I can crack it this time round.
We don’t have an oven at the moment (it was on the wall which is being cleared for demolition) so I need to take all the wooden bits to my friend round the corner to bake!
Am going to take the bucatstate frame apart this time to get into the gaps and hollows and remove the table it sits on and get it sealed/painted. The tank will just need to sit on the floor until the table is dry again.
I feel like they are originating outside of the tank rather than from anything within it… but then again it could have started from something in the tank in the first place and been a few survivors that I missed within gaps when I did the last clean. Million dollar question!
Really hope I can crack it this time round.
- Messages
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- Reaction score
- 402
- Points
- 98
Well that’s him back in the tank.
What a marathon!
The legs/frame were full of bugs so hopefully this will have done it. I remembered to put some food back in to replace his hoard this time (which was huge but all spread out!)
I just put in 3 teaspoons in different spots where it looked like a lot of food so hopefully he will find them and not be too stressed.
What a marathon!
The legs/frame were full of bugs so hopefully this will have done it. I remembered to put some food back in to replace his hoard this time (which was huge but all spread out!)
I just put in 3 teaspoons in different spots where it looked like a lot of food so hopefully he will find them and not be too stressed.
- Messages
- 287
- Reaction score
- 402
- Points
- 98
It’s looking a bit sparse at the moment but will have to do until all his things and new sprays for coverage have been frozen for a week!
The table it normally sits on has now been painted. Once it’s dry we will varnish/lacquer it to seal it and make it wipable. Once that’s done we will be able to get the tank up off the floor.
The table it normally sits on has now been painted. Once it’s dry we will varnish/lacquer it to seal it and make it wipable. Once that’s done we will be able to get the tank up off the floor.
- Messages
- 287
- Reaction score
- 402
- Points
- 98
When I emptied the bucatstate yesterday I put all the sprays and gnaws into ziplock backs for freezing.
I’m just going to make room and out then in the freezer now but think I might leave them frozen for 2 weeks? There are definitely bugs in there as I can see them inside the bags…
But there is a Part of me thinking maybe just Chuck them and start again?!
I’m just going to make room and out then in the freezer now but think I might leave them frozen for 2 weeks? There are definitely bugs in there as I can see them inside the bags…
But there is a Part of me thinking maybe just Chuck them and start again?!
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Well done 
So are the legs hollow? That is worth knowing about for future reference. If that's the case, it's almost as difficult to disinfect as a Savic Plaza cage - although the difficult bit on the plaza is disinfecting all the bars ensuring full coverage. I tended to spray them but then rub over with a very soapy sponge inside and out so the soap went round every bit of all the bars and then rinse it off. At least the perspex is easier to disinfect on a Bucatstate.
As for the sprays - You maybe could chuck them and start again. Just in case there are eggs that survive freezing. I'm doing that with the food at the moment. I refroze the food, but have ordered new food and am just getting two spoonfuls of the old food a day out of the freezer until the new food is ready. And keeping my fingers crossed!
So are the legs hollow? That is worth knowing about for future reference. If that's the case, it's almost as difficult to disinfect as a Savic Plaza cage - although the difficult bit on the plaza is disinfecting all the bars ensuring full coverage. I tended to spray them but then rub over with a very soapy sponge inside and out so the soap went round every bit of all the bars and then rinse it off. At least the perspex is easier to disinfect on a Bucatstate.As for the sprays - You maybe could chuck them and start again. Just in case there are eggs that survive freezing. I'm doing that with the food at the moment. I refroze the food, but have ordered new food and am just getting two spoonfuls of the old food a day out of the freezer until the new food is ready. And keeping my fingers crossed!