Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello there,

I had purchased an MBK quite a while ago, and have been through the ringer with her. I purchased her from a small petstore, knowing the owner for over 15 years. I purchased my very first snake from him, and thus started my obsession.

The first issue I had was approximately two weeks after getting her, I noticed small little critters crawling on her. Mites, of course. I did the over-protective mama thing, and started freaking out, and calling any vet that would answer the phone.

I received numerous remedies over the phone and in person, and one alarmed me a little. A Petland employee had told me that they used an Iodine/water dilution on ALL of their snakes as all of them come in with mites. This alarmed me quite a bit, as I had thought that Iodine would be harmful to a reptile of any sort.

I ended up using a Nix/water dilution, which worked wonderfully with no ill effects to my snake, and cleared the mites in one treatment, but I continued to treat her 5 times after that just to be sure, over the span of two weeks. (On the shelf remedies were not available at the time, and ordering in from a vet clinic was simply an outrageous price that I just couldn't afford, on top of vet bills)

But what my inquiry is, is an Iodine/water solution safe for reptiles? Has anyone else ever heard, or used something like this before, or any other sort of remedy that seemed to work?

I don't know if the Iodine solution is OK or not but as toxic as it can be, I would stay away from it. I have found BK-II Mite Spray to be excellent. Follow the directions and you shouldn't have any problems. It is a lot easier to use than the Nix/mix. You can get it from Pro-Exotics or the Bean Farm. Both are listed in the Supplier section on Kingsnake.com.

Shalom,

Pat Glazener-Cooney

The betadine(povidone-iodine)water solution is used to treat the open wounds on the snake caused by the mites, not to kill the mites. i treated my snake with it about a week ago, along with mineral oil to suffocate any mites on her. and then some mite spray, that kills em.

Put the snake in a temporary container (IE gladware with some holes poked in it, lid taped on).

Throw away any cage furniture that can not be cleaned in a bleach water solution (I think 1 part bleach 10 parts water by volume)

Clean the enclosure thoroughly with the bleach solution.

Not a bad idea to take a shower after cleaning everything before setting the tank back up.

Set the tank back up.

Then - spray reptile relief on a paper towel and wipe the entire snake down EXCEPT for the eyes. Make sure to get the neck and underside of chin. Put reptile back in enclosure and throw away temporary enclosure.

I've only received a reptile with mites twice in the last few years, that worked perfectly for me.

If you are really paranoid and it is legal in your state, by a can of prevent-a-mite.

Spray the enclosure before adding the water dish and let it sit for ten minutes before adding water dish and the snake.
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Arrrggg!
It's like Shalom, but for pirates.
- iCarly

that can is called Provent-A-Mite

Prevent-A-Mite is different from reptile relief.

Reptile relief kills mites on contact by dehydrating them (which is why you wet a paper towel with the stuff and avoid the snakes eyes)

Prevent-A-Mite is the stuff you spray in an enclosure, is more toxic, and illegal in some states.
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Arrrggg!
It's like Shalom, but for pirates.
- iCarly

I was misspelling provent-a-mite as prevent-a-mite
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Arrrggg!
It's like Shalom, but for pirates.
- iCarly

When I had mites years back I would move the snake from the ten gallon tank and put the tank in a 20 gal tank filled with water. Keep it there for a day or so to drown the mites and after treating the snake I would then but it back in the tank. This method is chemical free except for any stuff i might use directly on the snake
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Doug L

I use "Provent-a-mite" spray. You spray it on the empty cage after cleaning and let it dry. Replace with new bedding and the snake (after soaking snake in water for 10 minutes and drying snake) and mites disappear. Very safe.

Put your snake in pure(nomal ) water because (They (snakes)will start to drink when soaked(Quite Often) and rince and do MITE removal by strocking it under running water .Then make lice shampoo and give em a bath and soak in a plastic box(or not over nite) and in the morning they are free of mites and return it to a clean cage..
bada bing ....