Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hi ive never kept venomous and was wondering how are some of the ways you can treat mites on something that you cant risk getting bit by.

Don't let yourself get to that point! Quarantine or at least isolate the new animal from the collection to be sure it is parasite free.

I soak new animals in a 5 gallon white bucket with just enough Nolvasan in the bottom to cover the snakes back. This will immediatly drown enough mites if they are present to reveal them in the bottom of the white bucket. Then I will spray the cage they will be in with Provent-a-Mite with the water bowl removed. This can be used on the cage furnishings and substrate. Let the cage sit closed up for 20 mintes. Then allow the cage to air out for 10 minutes before placing the water bowl and the snake back in. This stuff kills the mites when they crawl off the host to lay eggs. I keep them on newspaper with the bare minimum of cage furnishings to allow for easy cleaning. If you have a confirmed mite infestation constant cage cleaning and the use of chemicals will take care of the problem. The thought of my having to treat a large venomous collection for mites makes me shudder!

Rattlesnakes do not usually like to soak and the rattle may separate when it gets wet.
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Tim Cole
www.Designeratrox.com/
www.AustinReptileService.net
www.AustinReptileExpo.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<
Conservation through Education

I agree with Tim. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of treatment. Isolation and initial treatment of all new animals is a MUST. If mites are found, Provent-A-Mite is worth the cost. This stuff works like magic and continues working long after application. It can be ordered at www.pro-products.com.

All great advice. I like Tim's protocol for soaking the snake in a weakened solution of Nolvasan while treating the cage with Provent A Mite. We do the same and the nolvasan will kill bacteria caused by the wounds of small parasites. Prevention is always the key and one way to prevent a mite outbreak is to also do periodic treatments with Provent A Mite just to prevent a flare up (or bringing in a specimen that may have appeared to be clean but actually had mites). Twice a year we do preventative treatments of all animals and their exhibits. Additionally, any new animal goes into a separate quarantine room and is automatically treated.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
Lake Forest, IL

>>I agree with Tim. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of treatment. Isolation and initial treatment of all new animals is a MUST. If mites are found, Provent-A-Mite is worth the cost. This stuff works like magic and continues working long after application. It can be ordered at www.pro-products.com.
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

Well, I am inclined to chime in here.
My opinion is that Provent A Mite is worthless.
I have tested it many times in my zoo collection and in my quarantine facility in my private collection.

Nothing beats Black Knight, and I know it has been taken off the market because of the lawsuit by Provent A Mite.(rumour has it, it's coming back).

However, with Black Knight, you could directly spray the snake with it, with no harmful side effects that I could ascertain.
I have used in on wild caught Lachesis, Bitis, Crotalids, etc., without any consquences or noticible effects.

Provent A Mite's label is confusing, It says NOT to spray a snake directly, etc... BUT you CAN spray Tortoises directly! Whats up with that?

However, according to the AZA ListServ I get, the Equate Brand Roach Spray available from K-Mart, NOT Wal-Mart, has the exact same ingredients as Black Knight.
I haven't seen it yet, or compared the contents, but K-Mart has all but closed down in my hometown, but it is worth investigating.
IMO, NUTTIN' beats Black Knight!

I had a recurring mite infestation on my chondro's, and I swear I could open the door on the exhibit,holding a can on Black Knight in my hand, and I'd swear mites would jump off the chondros's BEFORE I sprayed them! LOL!(of course, this was BEFORE the first treatment of the chondro's with BK!)

Randal Berry

Funny, how different things work for different people.
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Tim Cole
www.Designeratrox.com/
www.AustinReptileService.net
www.AustinReptileExpo.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<
Conservation through Education

I've been using Provent A Mite for year's (we were part of a trial test group when it was first being manufactured) and have experience 100% success with the product; even when treating one of the worst mite infestations I have ever seen. We have been mite free for years but many incoming animals who have mites are treated with POM and the problem is gone in no time. Black Knight, on the other hand, has not proven successful for me (ironic I know) and, in fact, a number of documented cases have shown that the stuff can kill herps as it isn't intended for use on reptiles. So, I'll just say that nothing beats Provent-A-Mite; it is a proven product, 100% effective, safe if used according to the manufacturer's instructions and very easy to use....and they don't pay me a cent to endorse their product (now that I think of it, I don't even get a discount!). Sounds like you may have a beef with Bob Pound at PP rather than the actual product as I am aware of some of the conflicts that have gone on between PP and BK. But, like Tim said, whatever works for each person is all that really matters.

>>Well, I am inclined to chime in here.
>>My opinion is that Provent A Mite is worthless.
>>I have tested it many times in my zoo collection and in my quarantine facility in my private collection.
>>
>>Nothing beats Black Knight, and I know it has been taken off the market because of the lawsuit by Provent A Mite.(rumour has it, it's coming back).
>>
>>However, with Black Knight, you could directly spray the snake with it, with no harmful side effects that I could ascertain.
>>I have used in on wild caught Lachesis, Bitis, Crotalids, etc., without any consquences or noticible effects.
>>
>>Provent A Mite's label is confusing, It says NOT to spray a snake directly, etc... BUT you CAN spray Tortoises directly! Whats up with that?
>>
>>However, according to the AZA ListServ I get, the Equate Brand Roach Spray available from K-Mart, NOT Wal-Mart, has the exact same ingredients as Black Knight.
>>I haven't seen it yet, or compared the contents, but K-Mart has all but closed down in my hometown, but it is worth investigating.
>>IMO, NUTTIN' beats Black Knight!
>>
>>I had a recurring mite infestation on my chondro's, and I swear I could open the door on the exhibit,holding a can on Black Knight in my hand, and I'd swear mites would jump off the chondros's BEFORE I sprayed them! LOL!(of course, this was BEFORE the first treatment of the chondro's with BK!)
>>
>>Randal Berry
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

Rob,
Let me make this clear, I don't know Bob Pound, wouldn't know him if he walked up to me at a conference, rang my doorbell, phoned me, etc.
I haven't a clue who he is, never heard of him either. However, I now know who is is because of your post.
If I ever saw him and he asked me what I think of his product, I would tell him that his product sux. Is that clear enough?

I'm happy for you that you participated in the trials of POM.
I am happy that you are statisfied with POM.

I still stand 100% behind my statements.
I have had recurring infestions after using POM.
None, nada, zip, zero with BK. Period.
Please go back and read my original post, I said "IMO, NUTTIN' beats Black Knight!"
Thats all it is, my opinion.

Randal

Randal, you couldn't make yourself any clearer. I'm happy that you have a product that works so well for you. Perhaps those Texas snake mites just have an immunity to POM

>>Rob,
>>Let me make this clear, I don't know Bob Pound, wouldn't know him if he walked up to me at a conference, rang my doorbell, phoned me, etc.
>>I haven't a clue who he is, never heard of him either. However, I now know who is is because of your post.
>>If I ever saw him and he asked me what I think of his product, I would tell him that his product sux. Is that clear enough?
>>
>>I'm happy for you that you participated in the trials of POM.
>>I am happy that you are statisfied with POM.
>>
>>I still stand 100% behind my statements.
>>I have had recurring infestions after using POM.
>>None, nada, zip, zero with BK. Period.
>>Please go back and read my original post, I said "IMO, NUTTIN' beats Black Knight!"
>>Thats all it is, my opinion.
>>
>>Randal
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

They would be Arkansas Snakes! Need I say anymore? LOL

I know people here in Austin that also swear by BK.

Tha Barkers also praise it.
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Tim Cole
www.Designeratrox.com/
www.AustinReptileService.net
www.AustinReptileExpo.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<
Conservation through Education

Equate brand, Bedding spray for lice is the same as provento mite & only costs $4.00 at Wal-mart.
I've sprayed it directly on snakes with no obvious ill effect.
Seems to work great for killing the mites.
As Tim says, treat them in quarantine so that the rest of your collection doesn't get infected.
I liked the Black Knight too - it also worked for flying insects in my herp rooms.
Max
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"I got out of the business because it's almost impossible to do business without breaking a law some place, whether you knowingly do it or not."
Tom Crutchfield

...as with what Randal was saying, I have sprayed NIX directly on Lachesis (and other pitvipers for that matter) with no ill effects.

HOWEVER, I dilute the NIX, 2oz to a quart of water. Works well for me.

MH