I read with some concern the posts below about the safety of permethrin. Permethrin is in fact quite toxic to reptiles. However, it needs a "route of entry". If you carefully follow the proventamite instructions, you should have no problem. Though permethrin is not easily absorbed through the skin, there are other possible routes of entry. Proventamite instructions clearly state that all vapors should be gone before placing the animal in the cage. Not only is inhalation a route of entry, but permethrin can cause lung damage including cancer. Ingestion is another possible route of entry. If you think that permethrin is harmless to your snake, try putting just a little bit in its water bowl (or allow a permethrin sprayed newspaper or other substrate into the bowl). You will observe firsthand the neurotoxic effects of permethrin. One of my biggest concerns with permethrin is that because animals don't drop over dead folks assume that it is "safe". The truth is that we don't know all of the toxic effects of permethrin on reptiles. We do know of these effects in mammals, and they include: mutagenicity, carcenogenicity, liver disease, immune system suppression, and skin disorders. Oh yea, and reproductive effects, particularly in males (slugs anyone?). If you do have a mite slip through the proper use of permethrin is probably the lesser of two evils, but the key word is "proper". Avoid vapors, keep it out of the water bowl, keep the cage dry, and please don't throw a wet rat on newspaper sprayed with permethrin. In fact, surely the animal can avoid eating for the treatment period.
Permethrin facts.

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