Reptile & Amphibian Forums

How do you tell if a snake has brought mites into your collection? What are the tell-tale signs? do i treat them just in case or what? This guy was supposed to be a reputable breeder. guess not. Do i file a rip off claim with kingsnake or what? I need suggestions please help Jason K

Mites will look like pepper flakes in the water bowl. The affected snake will soak continuously. Sometimes hard to tell with BRB's as they like to soak anyway. Check for drowned bugs in the water bowl and when soaking, manipulate the scales uder the lower jaw and look for the little dark buggers hiding under and in-between the scales.

If you do find them, I've heard a lot about provent-a-mite. I have not had mites in a looooooooong time 15 years I believe and there were not all the products we now have.
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Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB)
2.7 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (adult breeders)
2.5 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (sub-adult from 2004)
4.8 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (sub-adult from 2005)
2.1 Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 Het for Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)
1.0 BCI albino het stripe
1.0 BCI salmon hypo
0.1 BCI ghost

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

BTW, a WC most likely would have had mites. Question is were they 100% erradicated?

I say this because you were thinking the other female you have (the aggressive one) might be a WC, not the CBB as advertised.

Wait a minute, was it advertised as a CB or CBB, there is a difference, CBB was bred in captivity, could be from WC parents, but typically from CB/CBB stock. CB can be interpreted as a WC gravid female giving birth in captivity. Done quite a lot in the BP trade.
-----
Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB)
2.7 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (adult breeders)
2.5 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (sub-adult from 2004)
4.8 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (sub-adult from 2005)
2.1 Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 Het for Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)
1.0 BCI albino het stripe
1.0 BCI salmon hypo
0.1 BCI ghost

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

The aggresive one is the one i am concerned about. She doesn't really soak a whole lot. I got 2 on the same day from 2 different people. Both are female. I quarantined them togther and treated them both for mites with Reptile Relief. It is supposed to be some new pyrethine alternative and less harmful to snakes. The female in question rely doesn't moved around a whole lot. She likes to hide under the waterbowl not in it. The other female seems fine. No aggression, eats like a champ and has beautiful colors. both were in shed when i got them. The female i am concerned about was advertised as a 2003 cb female holdback. He also sells baby brazilians and has pictures of his supposed breeders. He refuses to return my calls. Rays Reptilia is who i bought them from. The box said Snake Depot so who knows what is going on. I just don't want anyone else to suffer the same stress i have for the last two weeks thanks Jason K

I've never done business with your seller so can't comment on them. I can comment about the box, we all receive in snakes in boxes and sometimes the boxes get re-used. Also, some people have friends with a business they use for shipping so there are valid reasons for the box having another name on it.

Does seem a bit odd that a "cb 2003 holdback" would be so dark. Not that one could not darken up but why would it be kept so long if it was not brightly colored? They can darken but not overnight.
-----
Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB)
2.7 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (adult breeders)
2.5 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (sub-adult from 2004)
4.8 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (sub-adult from 2005)
2.1 Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 Het for Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)
1.0 BCI albino het stripe
1.0 BCI salmon hypo
0.1 BCI ghost

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Jason,
....Many big names in the reptile business have mites in their collections. Many of them do lots of wheeling and dealing and little or no breeding. Anyone who is serious about breeding and successful at it does not tolerate mites in their collection. Mites used to be a serious problem for nearly everyone who kept snakes. I have been using permethrin which is the active ingredient in Provent-a-mite for about 15 years. I spray a very little bit anytime I get snakes in from someone else or bring snakes that did not sell home from a show. A can of Provent-a-mite actually lasts me several years at this level of use and I have not seen a mite in my collection in many years. This product is IMO the only satisfactory product for mite control. Reptile Relief does not contain any poison. It will kill some mites but will not kill all of them and does not kill the eggs and so they will come back strong a few weeks after treatment. Get some Provent-a-mite, follow the label directions and keep the snake in a super clean cage with only paper for substrate until you get rid of the mites.
Good luck,
Jeff

>>The aggresive one is the one i am concerned about. She doesn't really soak a whole lot. I got 2 on the same day from 2 different people. Both are female. I quarantined them togther and treated them both for mites with Reptile Relief. It is supposed to be some new pyrethine alternative and less harmful to snakes. The female in question rely doesn't moved around a whole lot. She likes to hide under the waterbowl not in it. The other female seems fine. No aggression, eats like a champ and has beautiful colors. both were in shed when i got them. The female i am concerned about was advertised as a 2003 cb female holdback. He also sells baby brazilians and has pictures of his supposed breeders. He refuses to return my calls. Rays Reptilia is who i bought them from. The box said Snake Depot so who knows what is going on. I just don't want anyone else to suffer the same stress i have for the last two weeks thanks Jason K