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I was cleaning my male alterna's cage tonight and when I picked up the paper I noticed two small insects I could not identify. They were very small and tan. The cage is a wooden one in my basement. Does any one have photos of mites? Does it sound like mites? When I picked her up there were no insects on her at all.
Need some help.

How is he acting? Is he restless? Been soaking in his water bowl? Gone off feeding? Mites look like poppy seeds and can be seen crawling around on your snake and around the eyes, anterior chin shield, rostral, subraocular and other places in heavy infested snakes. If in doubt treat your snake, (soak him in luke warm water, mites drown very fast) clean your snakes cage, change all beding and spray with rid a mite. As worked great for me, just follow the diections to the T. Hope this helps.

Scott

If the cage is wood it can make mites harder to get rid of, I would come up with a plastic or glass home with plane newspaper and a plastic hidebox at least long enough to put this issue to rest. If you have other animals I would also check them over closely and be very carefull not let the mites move from cage to cage.... They can be a real pain in the @$$.

Lance
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Herp Conservation Unlimited

To answer your questions re: his activity; he is not acting any different, nor is he soaking in his bowl. His last feeding was six days ago, two pinks. He is due to eat again today.

I worried about wood cages, but they were the materials readily available to me.

Will local pet stores carry what I need to treat him?

I beleive the bugs you are seeing are not mites. My guess is you are seeing them in the substrate but not on the animal. You may even begin to see them in the water dish. I had the same thing when I used mulch substrate in the cages in my basement I always referred to them as wood lice but really do not know what they are. I have had them in my basement long before I kept herps. Other than their tendency to die in the water dish, they are harmless. I have plastic cages and ever since I removed the mulch, I no longer have them in my cages. Elsewhere in the basement is a different story.

Bart

Bart, could be what you are saying. I have not seen them on the animal but in the corner of the cage. I will check again when I get home this evening. Hoping that they are not mites.

I worried about wood cages, but they were the materials readily available to me.

The wood cage should not be an issue except for the time it takes to fight a mite problem. Once things clear up and the cage is cleared out of guest then just move them back. If you do leave them in the wood cage for the fight you can still win, but it may take a little extra time and/or effort.

Will local pet stores carry what I need to treat him?

I would expect so, have not looked in while.. I also know that there are non-petstore remedies, years ago I used cut up no-pest strips in baby food jars with holes in the lid. Not sure what is favored these days though.
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Herp Conservation Unlimited

What I believe you are seeing is what I call " wood mites ", which I saw back when I used wooden cages as well. From what I know, they are completely harmless but are alarming once you find them!!!
That is what I think with the information you have provided.
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Genesis 1:1

Doesn't sound like you have anything to be concerned with. However, in the past we've an outbreak of the notorious black seed mites that can devastate your animals. Equate bedding spray ( Provent-a-Mite, essentially ) from WalMart stopped them COLD. Adults, eggs, the whole works.

All the advice I've seen here is good. I've used the pest strips the most and I don't have mites......period ! I have heard of health problems with reptiles exposed to pest strips for excess doses or time periods, I'm careful with it. I've heard good things about "Provent a Mite" and have used it. One thing I have done with my "high end animals" is microwaved substrate prior to use in the cage. This is easy, safe and kills everything including eggs of any and all "bugs" that might come in substrates. In this day and age ........nobody should have mites.

I "toast' my substrate in the oven on a pan with the high enders. Good advice Coach!
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Todd Hughes

It doesn't work - I would be surprised if it kills mites.

That said, an oven (like in the other post, should work).

And... I agree, in this day & age there should be no mites.

Equate is the same as proventamite & is a fourth the cost.

Cheers,
Max
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"And the rest is all in his head"