Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hi im new to this forum but no so new to snakes ive got a few!!
and have been collecting for over a year now but in this time mites have never been a issue so thought id learn more about this sooooo
anyone know the best way to get rid of mites????i noticed my albino
has mites i used this stuff called MITE OFF and dont seem to do much
anyone got any recomendations on a good med to use that is readily available from pet stores.

we rub virgin olive oil on the snakes,and take all the accesories out and cook them at 325 in the oven. then bleach out the tanks

That may work but only on a limited basis. Mites leave their host to lay eggs which usually means somewhere away from the snake. In time, you'll get a reinfestation which is very frustrating (same reason why soaking a snake only has limited success). Olive oil is certainly a cheap and safe method but I having used it in the past, it never completely got rid of the problem. Instead, here's a much more effective and easier method:
- Get a can of Provent-A-Mite from Pro Products. Follow the instructions to their recommendations.
- In addition to treating the snake/cage, I would also recommend spraying around the base of the cage and even along the baseboards of the room. Repeat every 20-30 days for several treatments and you'll have no more mites to worry about. This is by far and away the best product on the market and it makes getting rid of mites very easy. The cans aren't cheap but definitely worth their price.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center

>>we rub virgin olive oil on the snakes,and take all the accesories out and cook them at 325 in the oven. then bleach out the tanks
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

don't listen to that idiot-use olive oil and leave it on paper for a while

Like the title states I seriously hope that that post was made in complete sarcasm. If it was not then you should really reconsider your choice of hobbies for Rob Carmichael is probably one of the most knowledgable and experienced herpers we get in this room. If it was sarcasm then you need to work on your skills because the whole point of a sarcastic remark is that everybody can readily identify it at that. Yours does not portray that so I do not know where you stand. Todd

Todd, you are 100% correct. I actually pulled away from the forums in hopes of getting away from the real idiots...looks like they haven't gone away. If the person's post was meant to be comedic sarcasm, h/she might be well advised to learn the fine art of sarcasm. Todd, thanks for the nice words though.

>>Like the title states I seriously hope that that post was made in complete sarcasm. If it was not then you should really reconsider your choice of hobbies for Rob Carmichael is probably one of the most knowledgable and experienced herpers we get in this room. If it was sarcasm then you need to work on your skills because the whole point of a sarcastic remark is that everybody can readily identify it at that. Yours does not portray that so I do not know where you stand. Todd
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

Rob,
I can understand the hiatus, a fella can only take so much. However, try not to let the few affect the many. In other words, there are more people that listen to, and need, your input than there are those that short-change themselves.

Hang in there!
HH
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It is said that 1 out of every 4 people are mentally unbalanced. Think of your 3 closest friends, if they're normal, then it's you.

Welcome to the forum, afflux!

I've never used the olive oil treatment but have done the similar, soaking, and using a 10% bleach/90% water solution to clean the cage. It works, but it takes some work.

You have to clean the cage every 7 - 10 days for the next few weeks in order to break the mites' lifecycle. You have to use paper for substrate during that time.

Its been a couple of years since I've had a mite problem and I believe that Provent-a-mite hadn't been out very long at the time but I've read many good things about it since then. I will definitely give it a try the next time. Its a lot less work, plus, the sooner you get rid of the mites, the sooner your snake will feel better.

You can place a pan of water large enough for your snake to get completely into & it will usually soak itself, drowning the mites on it, while you're waiting for the Provent-a-mite to be delivered. Be careful not to give any mites a ride to another one of your snake's cages. Dealing with one infestation is bad enough.

Best wishes!
HH
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It is said that 1 out of every 4 people are mentally unbalanced. Think of your 3 closest friends, if they're normal, then it's you.

thanks guys im on it but i have a more serious problem now witch i will post a new topic on

Much simpler to use than the other treatments, and its worked every time for me.

Just make sure you have good ventilation, and let the fumes totally disperse before you put your animals or water bowls back in the enclosure.

Good as a precautionary measure also.