I was feeding my frog & I noticed tiny little grains of sand moving in my substrate... They weren't big at all, barely noticeable to the eye, but it was white & slowly crawling through the substrate. I know most bugs are okay for hermit crab tanks, but I am just wondering if the same applies to frogs? Are these bugs harmful to them where they have such sensitive skin/love to burrow frequently?
(I love being a reptile owner with all my heart, but bugs make my SKIN CRAWL, so I'm just making sure that these tiny bugs aren't going to do harm before I start panicking, LOL.)
I think the rule of thumb is as long as the bugs aren't crawling all over your frog, they should be okay? I once had gnats get in my frogs tank and the pre-gnat bugs were hanging out in the substrate, but weren't bothering my frog. I still opted to give her tank a good scrub since, you know...I didn't want all the bugs in there, lol. Just keep your eyes peeled and make sure they aren't spending time on your frog since that may be indicative of them feeding on him. Otherwise, don't sweat too much.
The slow movement and white color makes me think that they may be a type of oribatid mite, especially if they're round. They're often found in compost bins and feed on decaying plant matter and other organic debris. If they run away when disturbed or spring into the air they're likely springtails, which also feed on decaying organic matter and are desirable in bioactive terrariums. Either way, they're unlikely to be dangerous to your frog at all. I would keep a close eye for population spikes and continue to make sure they aren't bothering the frog by crawling on his face and whatnot.
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