White 'thrips'?!

[hetpayne]

I've just fed my juvenile fulicas and have noticed one of them has little white 'thrips' crawling on its shell. They're sort of long and thin rather than round and squat - like white thunder flies.

I'm just going to give him and the others a bath and change their substrate.

Is it possible that these things are harmless? I've never seen anything like it before and I've had these snails with me for about 6 months now (away from other snails)

Any advice appreciated

Heather

[spook]

Could be springtails??..do they jump?
If they are springtails then there pretty harmless and actually help keep the substrate clean.

[hetpayne]

Yes, they do jump! Blimey, thank you, thank you, thank you. I was getting very anxious and worried.

I do seem to remember getting similar things in my plant pots.

Phew. Breathe again Heather

You can tell I'm new to this game can't you. I was particularly upset because these were my 'introduction' to snails (four babies from an unwanted batch of eggs who joined me in October when I came out of hospital). I've watched them grow and grow. And love them to bits

Thanks again
Heather (and the snails) x

[spook]

No Probs!! First time a got them i had a right panic....now i'm not so bothered!

Yes we get them in our plant pots too......they eat the dead leaf matter and stuff,so we let them stay!!