Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Last Sunday I was given a free ball python. The owner is military and family wanted it to go to a good home. I noticed the tank was dirty and it was in the water dish. Should have said thanks and gone on. Anyway to make a long story short, I have snake mites. The first ever in 15-16 years. I thought no problem...get a no pest strip and in no time pest free. I've been all over and no one carries them anymore. Got any suggestions???

Mike B

Don't use the no pest strips...I used to use them as well but they can be very dangerous...may even kill the BP, even years later after it's use. I know there are several products available. The one that I used recently is called "reptile relief". It is great because you can spray it right on the snake and the enclosure. Many reptile suppliers are carrying it. If you can't find it on the web, there are other products. Look at the forum for reptile related products right on kingsnake. You should be able to find something that will work without endangering the snake.

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>>Last Sunday I was given a free ball python. The owner is military and family wanted it to go to a good home. I noticed the tank was dirty and it was in the water dish. Should have said thanks and gone on. Anyway to make a long story short, I have snake mites. The first ever in 15-16 years. I thought no problem...get a no pest strip and in no time pest free. I've been all over and no one carries them anymore. Got any suggestions???
>>
>>Mike B

Hi:

I am very much in the Military and way into snakes. If you want another military family to take care of it, I will be more than willing! I am @ the Home of Air Force One, Andrews Air Force Base. It is a base with EXtreme security!

Good luck to you. From one military family to another.

here is a pic:

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Longtang. I like snakes and rats.

,

Reptile Relief, Black Knight, No Pest Strips, Provent-A-Mite or any of those, that, coincidently sell for $20 . Go to your pharmacy and ask the Pharmacist for Nix, it is a lice treatment for humans (probably $7 or so in the States, I'm from Canada). Throw out everything from the box except for the bottle. Dilute half the bottle in two or three gallons of luke-warm water, and toss in your BP. Let him swim. Keep him in there for 10, 15 mins. or so. Use the other half of the bottle and dilute it in an atomizer (spray bottle) and use that solution to soak down every inch of his environment. Clean it down, and throw your BP back in. You may have to do this twice, I never have. Once has always been enough for me. This product will work, and you have no real threat of killing your BP with the treatment. With the money you save, you can buy me a 'Thank You' card. Good luck.

Nix is over the counter here in the US... it's got the same active ingredient as Provent-a-mite.

It's on the shelf... like at Walmart... so you don't have to ask the pharmacist... although you could if you like.

Uhh..............ok?......................

My time is worth more than saving the $13....Provent-a-mite, you just take the snake out, spray the stuff in, wait until the fumes are gone and put your snake back in. Voila!

To me, having to mix a solution, bathe my snake, take everything out of the enclosure, clean it, etc, just aint worth it. Especially when you can't be 100% positive that it isn't too strong, too weak, or whatever. Then, if you have to do it again, you have to buy more Nix, another $7.

Spend the $20, it will last you a long time and it is much much easier, and you KNOW it is made for reptiles.

My .02

Vic

Vic, do you own stock in Provent-a-Mite? Geez!! Anyways, there is no chance of harming your snake with Nix. Wouldn't you feel more comfortable with a product that you can actually SPRAY DIRECTLY ON your snake than use something that you have to REMOVE YOUR SNAKE FROM IT'S ENVIRONMENT while you use it. Either way, common sense or not, go ahead and waste your money, possibly endanger your animal. I'll stick with Nix.

No, I don't own stock. I just don't feel like $13 is that big of deal. It sounds like you get 1 applications worth in a bottle of Nix. I gurantee you that 1 can of 'the other stuff that costs $20', will give you more than 10 applications worth.

You said, 'Dilute half the bottle in two or three gallons of luke-warm water, and toss in your BP. Let him swim. Keep him in there for 10, 15 mins. or so. Use the other half of the bottle and dilute it in an atomizer (spray bottle) and use that solution to soak down every inch of his environment. Clean it down, and throw your BP back in. You may have to do this twice, I never have. Once has always been enough for me. This product will work, and you have no real threat of killing your BP with the treatment. With the money you save, you can buy me a 'Thank You' card. Good luck.'

So, you take your snake out and let him swim for 15 minutes, I take mine out to feed and spray the stuff in. Less than 10 minutes later he is back in and I am done. You'll still be watching him swim around (or holding him in the water is more like it). Then, you still have to clean his tank. Gettin the idea yet? Then you say you may have to do this twice, perhaps not. Well, now you are up to $14. Okay, so my time is worth more than yours, time is definitely worth more than $6. Big deal. You must own stock in Nix....and like wasting your time, all in the name of a few bucks.

Cheers,
Vic

Vic, IF you were to spray Provent-a-Mite in the enclosure and, as you said; put him back in 10 minutes later, YOU WOULD HAVE A DEAD BALL PYTHON. I don't know where you buy your Provent-a-Mite, but where I get mine (yes, I have used it, I speak from knowledge, can you say the same?) the Caresheet CLEARLY states that you should wait an hour to replace your BP after spraying. SO, this has me thinking, you have either never used Provent-a-Mite, or your knowingly,neglectfully put your BP at risk of death. For what$20. So now you have $20 less in your wallet, AND a dead BP. Also, I DID MENTION that Nix is a two-pronged approach, not only killing the mites in the environment, but ALSO ON THE SNAKE. I DARE you to spray P-a-M on your snake.

Whatever. My BP isn't dead. My BP doesn't have mites. I have used it, it worked.
Don't get too bent out of shape. Different strokes for different folks. You're cheap and I'm not. You use something for humans, I use something for reptiles. I don't know or care about what type of experience you have, you don't know or care what experience I have.
BTW - it doesn't say to leave the snake out for an hour, it says wait until the fumes are gone. Even says you can use a fan to blow the fumes out. It is a two pronged approach also, as when the snake crawls around the viv, the mites on the snake are taken care of. Maybe you should actually read the can before you spout off. Even if I do put the snake in another container for an hour, who cares, it's still easier, and you're only saving a few bucks. Maybe you already have a supply of Nix around for yourself.
I think it is funny that you are trying to imply that I am some kind of animal abuser.

This has gotten way out of control. I believe the ORIGINAL reason we started this was to help out someone who had mites. I'm sure they resolved their problem. I did not expect this to get to the point that it has. I conceed. I say po-tay-to, you say to-tah-to.

I agree. No hard feelings.

I appreciate it.

Mike B