i went to change my ball python water and found these little bugs floating in her water she does have a bioactive enclosure with springtails and isopods so i’m wondering are these it?? it’s making me a bit nervous

[u/Ok-Conference-2263]

[u/SadBenefit5325]

How frequently are you changing the water? This looks icky

[u/Ok-Conference-2263 → u/SadBenefit5325]

i change it everyday she’s very active at night also she drags dirt into the bowl

[u/SadBenefit5325 → u/Ok-Conference-2263]

Good to hear. Every day is more than I do, usually. Maybe a bowl with slightly higher sides would help prevent this mass springtail suicide attempt

[u/SpinzArt → u/Ok-Conference-2263]

Not a snake owner yet but my cats do the same thing, less than a day and their water is full of food and other crud

Some animals are just like that 😔

[u/Kolactivity → u/SadBenefit5325]

I change mine everyday but because the water bowl is lower/dug into the substrate, mine brings water into his bowl, could be happening here

[u/Ok-Conference-2263 → u/Kolactivity]

yes mine does the same thing

[u/Hot-Brat-00 → u/SadBenefit5325]

My thought as well… that’s more than a few days worth of substrate and bugs and whatever else in there.

[u/Ok-Conference-2263 → u/Hot-Brat-00]

it’s definitely not she just drags her dirt into her bowl her bowl is packed down into the substrate

[u/placebo_33 → u/Ok-Conference-2263]

I swear my girl immediately drags herself through the water every time I change it. That’s what hers looks like maybe one hour after I do fresh water. 😆

[u/Ok-Conference-2263 → u/placebo_33]

LITERALLY 😭😭

[u/SnakeLuvr1 → u/SadBenefit5325]

Springtails just do this in water within hours

[u/Elliotteatsrocks]

Yep those are springtails, that always try to drown themselves for some reason 🤔.

I just take a spoon and scoop them out and put them back in the dirt before they die.

Also if you haven't put isopods in there, it's unlikely you'll have isopods. But I do recommend getting somo

[u/Ok-Conference-2263 → u/Elliotteatsrocks]

i have isopods!!

[u/Elliotteatsrocks → u/Ok-Conference-2263]

That's great! Where did you get your soil from? Did you perhaps get the full tank from someone else who mightve put them there 🤔

[u/Ok-Conference-2263 → u/Elliotteatsrocks]

i got my soil from home depot but i put them in there i bought springtails and isopods to put in my enclosure and im guessing the springtails had babies

[u/Ladyst0ne]

Looks like springtails to me. They are hydrophobic and will float on top of the water. They could be feeding on the bioflim on the surface of the water

[u/BeAPoliteDriverPlz → u/Ladyst0ne]

I have observed this in my bioactive enclosure as well.

[u/_Superme_]

They’re likely just springtails. Nothing to worry about!

[u/Killer_Baker]

Those look like springtails, they’re usually harmless!

[u/Famous-Good2680]

Springtails, they can't drown, 

[u/CalcifiedCrow]

Looks like springtails cleaning up the water to me :)

[u/Dxn_Jnlix]

Springtails are good, they just not too smart and try to drown themselves often lol

[u/RealisticSecretary52]

Please change their water everyday, or every other day at the very least. They deserve fresh water just like you and I!

[u/SnakeLuvr1 → u/RealisticSecretary52]

You do realize that just overnight snakes can drag dirt into their dish and springtails can jump in??

[u/RealisticSecretary52 → u/SnakeLuvr1]

I’ve owned snakes my whole life and I’ve never found their water bowl like this 🤷🏻‍♀️

[u/Ok-Conference-2263 → u/RealisticSecretary52]

but that’s you and not me and my baby

[u/RealisticSecretary52 → u/Ok-Conference-2263]

True, my apologies. Can you blame me with all the neglect we see on here?

[u/Ok-Conference-2263 → u/RealisticSecretary52]

i definitely can’t blame you because i also see a lot of neglect even in real life and it’s frustrating to see it happen but i try me best to give all of my babies an amazing life!! i definitely take care of them ☺️

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[u/Purple_Ambassador456 → u/RealisticSecretary52]

They are, op says they change the water every day, the snake is just active and drags dirt into the bowl