Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So I've been treating my baby BP for his mites almost everyday since I found he had them (thursday). It's been a week, and yesterday I didn't do the regular treatment (a soak while cleaning out the cage, then spraying him with reptile relief. I clean the cage thoroughly, with a very mild diluted bleach mixture, and then rinse it. The snake soaks for about 30 minutes, then I add a little dishsoap and he soaks for about another 10. I change his paper towels and hidespots every day). Today the mites were back again in decent numbers.

So how long is this probably going to take to get rid of? I figure if the mites aren't gone when my parents get home (sunday or monday), I'm going to go out and get some Ivomec to mix with some water and try that out. It seems like that has a higher potential for working. If I can find enough spare change around, maybe I'll get some so I can try it today. I don't want him going much longer like this, because he hasn't eaten in 3 weeks already.

One treatment of spraying the cage with provent and letting it dry will take care of your problem. Follow the can directions carefully, and be sure the cage airs out before putting the snake back in.

Good luck,

Christy

Its SO MUCH better than Reptile Relief.

Do yourself a favor :

http://www.pro-products.com/miteandtemp.html

Reptile Relief is crap to be honest with you.

Also, even after the mites are dead, their eggs sometimes survive and you will have a second wave after they hatch.

Alan

Nix is used for head lice and is sold in drugstores. The mites are not only in your cage, but also the surrounding area. Put about as much nix as you might use to wash your hair in a spray bottle and spray inside and outside the cage. I have never heard of anyone having a problem. If you want, use provent a mite inside, but the nix is cheap and will do the job outside the cage. If you don't spray outside the cage and create a barrier you'll never get them all.

Nix is pretty toxic to BPs, even in dilute solution you could potentially kill a snake if you are not careful. This is not the advice I would give to someone caring for their first snake.
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when life hands you lemons, make super lemons, bumblebees, etc...

It takes about two months to be completely rid of mites, no matter what form of treatment you use. This is because mites have several live cycles from egg to adult and only one or two of these age stages actually feed on your snake, the rest are either wondering around or hiding. Adults drop off your snake and find a nice dark tight crevice to lay their eggs. These eggs are very resilient so are mostly unaffected by chemical treatments.

Using prevent a mite works really well dealing with any mites that wonder back into the cage. I suggest washing the cage completely, throw away all cage furnature that is wooden (or bake wooden items in the oven at 250F for a few hours to kill mites and eggs that may be in them). Spray cage and let dry, if your cage is wood, spend particular attention to all the joints and cracks. Let cage dry completely, then put in new substrate, clean water and the snake back in. Repeat entire process again in about 2-4 weeks. SHould only have to do entire process 2-4 times before you are completely mite free.

For any new animals coming in, use the PAM treatment in their new home as well (or if the snake came with the cage, clean out entire cage etc as above, then treat with PAM). THis helps new additions that may have mites from infesting your collection again.
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PHLdyPayne

Another thing u can use to get rid of mites is the original yelllow listerine and waster solution...ur going to want to mix it so that it has a slight yellow tint to it. the animal can be soaked in this and the enclosure can be cleaned with it!
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1.0 Boa
1.1.1 Corn Snake
2.3 Bearded Dragon
0.1 Ball Python
2.2 Leopard Gecko
0.0.1 Marbled Gecko
1.0 Crested Gecko
1.0 Russian Tortoise
0.0.2 Fire Belly Toad
1.0 White's Tree Frog
0.0.1 Pacman
0.0.1 Sudan Plated Lizard
0.1 Banana Cali. King
0.0.2 Egyptian Toads
0.0.1 Bullfrog Tadpole
1.0 Saharan Sand Boa
2.1 Canine
1.0 Dwarf Hamster

I'm going to have to echo rwoodyer's caution above - you really don't want to pour alcohol (Listerine is 27% alcohol) onto a snake (or soak him in it) it can cause burns and skin irritation.

Don't skip on something like your snakes health - buy the appropriate products and do it right the first time.
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Tosha

"Nihil facimus sed id bene facimus"

6.42.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and gang)
1.0.0 Angolan Python (Anakin Skywalker)
0.0.1 Green Tree Python (Verdi)
0.1.0 Bredls Python (Smurfette)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Desert Tortoise (Pope John Paul aka JP )
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.0 frogs rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.1 Lizard of unknown origin