Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm new to caring for my ball pythons, I've only had them for a few years and one of them has mites. It's age and sex aren't known because I rescued it from a less than ideal situation. My ball's in a wooden enclosure that and the mites just came on very suddenly. I need to know how to care for them because I'm in a really isolated area with a vet that comes only every 2 weeks and has little herp experience and I am a good few hours away from any petshops that sell anything more herp related than anoles. I've already stripped and sterilized the enclosure and soaked the snake to try and drown them off it. Please, any advice? I need it badly! Thank you.

You might have a hard time ridding the mites from the wooden enclosure. Anything even slightly porous should be discarded as it is likely a reservoir for eggs. You can reduce the numbers by cleaning out the cage very well and giving the snake a dilute soapy bath. I'd recommend ordering Reptile Relief or Prevent a Mite and following the instructions on the bottle. Another route is to use a NIX dilution, but I don't have the concentration you need to use with me. I"m not a fan of using no-pest strips, which is another method you might come across in your research.

Good luck,

Ian

I've had mite scares twice. I bought a boa heavily infected (didnt look...my fault) and a green tree python (lucky he was on paper towel or never would have known). This may not work with the wooden enclosure but invest in a can of prevent-a-mite.. It works miracles on getting rid of them. Also keep soaking the snake

worked for me