Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just recently noticed several mites on my ball python. I immediately took action by cleaning the snake's tank enclosure with soap and water, followed by a wipe down with purell anti-bacteria cleaning wipes. I bathed the snake in a povidone iodine/water solution for several minutes, and it effectively removed all the mites in its body.

However, I want to make sure that I dont get another outbreak of these mites. Im a little worried that the larvae might still be around the tank enclosure. Is there an effective spray I could use to kill the eggs and larvae?

P.S. I also house a Rose Haired Tarantula in the same room that I keep the ball python. Is it possible that the mites were transferred from that enclosure to the snake's enclosure? I use T-Rex Forest Bed Expandable Substrate on each tank enclosure. Is this a safe and reliable substrate?

Thank you in advance for the help..

I don't think a tarant could carry snake mites, and I also don't think mites can come from the bedding stuff you described. But a word of warning- any mite spray used on the snake's cage will also quite effectively kill a tarantula, since they and mites are both arachnids. What you did quite possibly worked, so I'd wait for signs of more mites before taking more drastic steps.

I woke up this morning and saw my bp completely submerged in its waterbowl. Only its head was above water. I have read that this is usually an indication of a snake defending itself against mites and irritation. I checked the waterbowl and the newspaper substrate but no mites. Am I missing something?

doesnt mean the snake has mites or that its irritated, all of my ball pythons regularly soak in their dish. Mites are fairly easy to see.

If all of your BP's soak in thier water when not in shed, you have something seriously wrong with your husbandry. Buy a book.

stupid answer, one more time... kid seems to be a touch "young" in reptile's care, but thinks he knows everything about anything... hé kid, don't buy a book, it's too early for you, buy yourself a brain before! or try steroids...

Once again, you show your intelligence with your mature and well-thought out responses. Therapy is not tembarrassing.

reading your stuff here and there it appears that your behavior in this forum is pretty nasty, and looks like completly immature.
With you, we're not talking about discuss and sharing, but more about one way thinking! Was Mao your father?
Be open, kid, and don't think you're the king! You act more like a child, and I don't think that this is the right way to learn anything. And despite what you're thinking there's always something to learn... instead of beeing so sure about your says, lesson a bit to the others, it's more productive, and even more pleaseful for everybody... Got it? If so, I'm open for a cool dial, "kid" (that's will be your nickname between you and me, mine will be "old thinking"... LOL)

Though I didn't understand half of what you were saying (spellcheck can be your friend) I did get the jist of it. I'll just avoid you, and hopefully, you will extend the same. Thanks for coming out. I'll be the mature one, and end this now. Game over.

I would guess that soaking is probably an indication of the continued presence of mites - although there could be other causes. Mites that haven't gorged on your snake can be very tiny, and there could also be unhatched eggs in the viv or on the snake. I have been battling against mites for weeks and have just used Provent-a-Mite, which seems to have done the trick, but the mite life cycle is such that I am not completely confident yet, and a second application might be needed...

I went so far as to remove the snake, substrate and furniture from my BP's viv and take a vacuum cleaner to the viv to try and make sure there were no mites lodged in cracks or crevices, before disinfecting it - but unless you can get ALL the mites on the snake as well, it's not a cure. That's why I've ended up using a chemical - you treat the substrate and it does for the ones in the substrate and on the snake.

I would also suggest a daily bath in warm water - if there are any mites on the snake one or two usually float off and drown; and check your snake's water dish for them as well.

My last tip: use the forum search facility, keepers of all species suffer from mites and there are loads of good posts about mites, chemicals and the mite life cycle...
Pro Products make and sell Provent-a-Mite

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1 x normal corn - "Slinky" | 1 x normal ball python - "Humbug"

a little low cost tip :
if the size of your bp is not too large, bath him into oil (olive or cooking will be ok) during 5-10 minutes , obviously with the head out.
As mites can't survive into oil (but can stay alive a long time in water!) , they will fall even if they're very little ones.
If you see some dark little "things" swimming, that means you were still having mites.
bad point : it works fine, but after that you'll have to clean the snake.

The above post is not a good iedea, oil? How 1994! If you have mites, try one of the tried and tested mite products out there, Provent-a-Mite, Black Knight, or Nix. Please don't bathe your BP in oil, unless you're going to sautee him afterwards..........

"kid" MyKee is still stupid!
I haven't said that using a specific product should not be done, I've given a tip to discover if there are still little mites on.
But "kid" is so stupid that he don't even understand what we're talking about, because he don't pay attention to any idea a touch different of his own thinks...
A "5 years old" mental attitude, as always...

Wow, you need therapy, or a victim. Seems I am him. Again, it's over; I quit, though you don't win. Let's see who's the "mature" one from here on out....................