Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What's the best way to kill off mites? I've cleaned all the cages, snakes, hide boxes. Put in new bedding and again they are back. What a pain!

A quick and easy way to be done with 'em for good....Provent-a-mite. Just follow the labeled directions and you're done. BTW...you'll most likely have to order it over the internet because it is often tough to find in stores.

>>What's the best way to kill off mites? I've cleaned all the cages, snakes, hide boxes. Put in new bedding and again they are back. What a pain!

I second the vote on Provent A Mite. Get it, follow the label, done with the bugs. I work in a pet store......animals coming and going and the best thing I have ever used was this.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

Thanks for the advice. Now I can kiss those mites goodby!

Mites survive hot water... As do their eggs. So it's almost like you NEED provent a mite to get rid of them. Get it, it will do wonders.

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Mike
KingPin Reptiles Inc.
www.freewebs.com/mikesnake
www.captivebredforum.com

Certain species seem to be sensitive to Proventamite, hognoses being one of them. There have been several reports on the hognose forum of snakes having harmful, if not fatal, reactions after proventamite was used. Just use caution.
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Jenea

1:1 Tricolor Hognose
0:0:2 Florida Redbelly Snakes
0:1 Gulf Coast Box Turtle
1:1 Red-eared Slider
0:0:1 Green Tree Frog
1:2:2 Mediterranean Geckos
2:0 Cats
1:1 Kids
1:0 Spouse

Definitely be careful with hognose....
For what it's worth.... Wal-Mart sells a product (for killing lice. etc. on bedding) identical to Provent a mite for like $4.
:Mark
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Surrender Dorothy!

www.crimsonking.funtigo.com

The active ingredient in prevent a mite is permitherin (sp?) Look for somthing with that in it...or pay the 20 bucks for a can.

>>Definitely be careful with hognose....
>>For what it's worth.... Wal-Mart sells a product (for killing lice. etc. on bedding) identical to Provent a mite for like $4.
>>:Mark

The product [or similar types] sold by Wal-Mart or other places is NOT the same as Provent-a-Mite. There is a reason Provent-a-Mite is $20 a can. As for the claims of toxicity with Provent-a-Mite, I'd be willing to bet it was improperly used.

For further evidence of why you shouldn't buy a non-herp product for mite treatment, read this:

I just got this email back from Bob at Pro-Products this morning, explaning the difference between a regular permethrin based pesticide and provent a mite. Here is his reply. This is like saying that laundry detergent and hand dishwashing liquid are the same because they are both "soap". Try to soak your snake in powdered laundry detergent and see what the "active & inert" ingredients can cause.

There are different isomers of permethrin which all have different toxicity levels as well as the synergists, surfactants and other inerts, many which are toxic to reptiles that are used in these other products. None of this is or has to be disclosed on the label. Pyrethrins are widely used in many products as they pose no major risk to mammals and birds as a rule, but they are definitely toxic to reptiles. Most of these products also use chemicals such as Piperonyl butoxide, which is a synergist that modifies and increases the toxicity of the active in various ways.

One will find that most formulations use this and/or other synergists as it is much cheaper than the active and creates a more lethal product. Studies have been done, and products are marketed, showing that Piperonyl butoxide as well as other chemicals are definitely toxic to reptiles, regarding the killing of brown tree and other snakes, and improve the formula to do just that. You can do a search on these products used in the South Pacific and Indonesia that use various formulas to KILL snakes. They are packaged in high pressure containers (like a wasp & hornet spray) so you can hit the snake up to 20 feet away. These products can be absolutely lethal to snakes.

Many product labels can appear to be the same or very similar as Provent-a-mite as to the generic active, but they are very different products. There are many other chemicals in these formulas that will never be made public and since the manufacture did not make any claims to the EPA (or on the label) that the product would be safe and effective on reptiles, no such studies or proof would be required. Many of these inerts can be potentially toxic to reptiles and since no tests or studies have ever been performed, no one knows. Since all formulas are proprietary and secret, no one will ever know what is really in the can and will only be sure that the product is OK to use with reptiles if that claim is specifically on the label. This is why it is a federal offense to sell, distribute, offer for sale, promote or use any pesticide for an unlabeled use.

The EPA enforces this, as using a pesticide indiscriminately for a non tested use can have deleterious effects on the site, host and environment and they do not want any such problems to develop. These products have never been clinically tested on reptiles and are not the same formula as Provent-a-mite. Also many of these products are designed to break down quickly, which will expose the mites and ticks to a sub-lethal dose, which can lead to(and has with other species of ectoparasites)creating a resistant strain of ectoparasites that would be difficult if not impossible to eradicate!

Call these companies and ask if their product is safe to use on reptiles, and to put it in writing and see what response you get. Many people have learned the hard way that these products are not the same formula as Provent-a-mite. Often, these products can cause chronic long term problems, so one never associates the demise of the animal with a mite treatment done previously as well as outright death of the reptile. Provent-a-mite is the only product approved by the EPA and the USDA, specifically for use with reptiles (no other product can say this).

Provent-a-mite is approved for the uses stated on our label for which such an approval would not have been granted without submitting the required efficacy and toxicity studies. The EPA requires very detailed studies done by a specific set of protocols in order to register a formula for a specific use. These studies must follow certain guidelines and conform to such certifications as GLP (good laboratory practices) or equivalent. We spent 6 years and several tests/studies before we received EPA approval for our product to be used specifically on reptiles. This was after the approximately 10 years we spent developing the formula. We had to show that Provent-a-mite didn't hurt the reptile, had efficacy results per our claims and did not pose any risk or environmental hazards when used per the directions as set forth in our submittal.

Most of our studies, like any other company, contain proprietary information, so will never be released to the public. However, there are a few completed, non proprietary studies that either have been published or will be soon. What follows is an excerpt from a paper that will be published in the near future in a recognized scientific journal. Until it is published, we can't provide any additional information. "...However, it was realized that different formulations of acaricides contain different ingredients in addition to the active compound, some of which might be toxic to reptiles. For example, Piperonyl butoxide, added to some formulations as a synergist, has been associated with snake mortality. Therefore, commercially available permethrin formulations were examined and only one, a patented formulation containing 0.5% permethrin called Provent-a-miteT(Pro Products, Mahopac, New York), was found which had been prepared specifically for use on reptiles and which had been marketed in the United States for several years as an acaricide for control of mites and ticks that feed on reptiles. The clinical effects of application of Provent-a-miteT were studied on three species of reptiles by direct application to African spurred tortoises (Geochelone sulcata) and by application to the bedding of rosy boas (Lichanura trivirgata) and green iguanas (Iguana iguana), using on each occasion 10 times the recommended dosage every fifth day for a total of six applications. Despite the excessive doses of acaricides applied, no evidence of toxic reactions related to treatment with the permethrin formulation was found in any of the three species of reptiles treated, suggesting that Provent-a-miteT is a safe product to use as an acaricide for control of ticks on tortoises, snakes and lizards..."

People are always making claims about various pesticides and state they are OK to use with reptiles when they have no knowledge as to what chemicals are even in the formula. Even with a product that lists the same "generic" active, the active can be a different isomer and the remainder of the formula will always be a mystery. Just because one does not see any negative outward effects after using an off labeled product, certainly doesn't mean that it is not causing chronic health problems to the animal over the long term or creating other problems, such as the potential for resistant mites and other environmental damage.

No Pest strips were once considered safe (and some people still hang on to this theory), but after many years of our reptiles being guinea pigs, it was found that they are harmful, both acutely and chronically. Some of our leading vets, including Douglas Mader as well as several zoos have confirmed this. Unless the product has been specifically tested and approved for use by the USEPA, no one can state whether or not it can be harmful to a reptile. Bob@ Pro Products
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Matt Campbell

Big animals, little animals, plants - right down to the sea itself. We need them, not just for their own sake, but because all this has to be here for everybody forever. Only one thing is certain: if we are to preserve our environment and save this priceless wildlife we need much, much more knowledge.
Harry Butler from 'In the Wild With Harry Butler' 1977

Funny..the active and inactive ingredients are exactly the same......and the same %
:Mark
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Surrender Dorothy!

www.crimsonking.funtigo.com

And be extra careful with any hatchlings or yearlings as well!!!
Brian

>>What's the best way to kill off mites? I've cleaned all the cages, snakes, hide boxes. Put in new bedding and again they are back. What a pain!
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RATS
1.0 Corn snake "Warpath"(KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Reaper and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Great plains rat snake "Reign Fire" (TX locale)
1.0 Grey rat snake "Punisher" (White oak phase)(Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Yellow rat snake "Wolverine" (Dwight Good stock)

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian