Good news! My mom got me substrate and a bunch of fake plants fo christmas. I told her of my dilemma with the mites and she told me about the substrate and gave it to me early so i could clean up Frenchy's cage. Christmas luck! so everythings all set now. It took 1 1/2 - 2 hours to get all the old substrate out, let the fake plants and water bowl and feeding bowl sit in boiling water, dispose of the sticks, rinse the live plants with cool water, rinse down the cage with boiling water, wipe it up with paper towels, add new substrate, replant the live plants, and add in the new fake plants (after boiling them too since theyd been in the store). Its cluttered and leafy and green and now mite free and Frenchy seems quite happy! he has more hiding spots now. He likes being cluttered with leaves, it makes him feel safe! i rinsed off Frenchy too in case there were mites on him. Now hes gone back to sleep, after doing some looking around.