Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hey my ball python has a few mites ive seen on it, even though ive only seen them once i want to get them out and off. ive heard from a couple people to use nix 50/50 with water but could it hurt the snake? and also how do you disenfect the cage? do you use nix on the cage aswell?

...The main problem with Nix is that it is used topically and doesn't treat the environment. Part of mite treatment is to ALWAYS have water available, enough to fully submerge in. A topically-treated snake WILL soak, get the NIX in the water, drink, then get the active ingredient internally, and toxicity may result.
In your situation, with only a FEW mites after VERY CAREFUL examination, I'd recommend an overnight soak in lukewarm water (ie, use a heat pad under the container and check temp FREQUENTLY) while you CLOROX the cage completely. Throw out all cage material (hides, substrate) in sealed plastic bag. Use a 1:10 dilution and disinfect inside and out completely. This is easy to do with aquariums, rubbermaids, and the like but difficult to nearly impossible with custom wood cages, etc. Set the snake up the next day and then Sherlock Holmes for more mites over the next 6-8 weeks. Also, remember to disinfect whatever the cage was sitting on. If you caught the mites before they had a chance to reproduce you very likely will have nipped it in the bud. Scott J. Michaels DVM

Go to VPI.com, and find the article about getting rid of mites. This is not to be taken lightly, if you have any other snakes, watch them VERY closely for mites. When I first started herping, I didn't follow all the quarantine rules, and as a result I got a mite infestation. To compound the problem, I had no idea what to do, and ended up losing snakes. When experts say quarantine, they mean it. If an expert says that you need to something, then you should do it no mattr ho strange it is. Just make sure that you are actually speaking to an expert. I hate to sound preachy, but mites are way worse than any other parasites I can think of. They will kill your snake, and they will kill it fast if left unchecked.

I have used and continue to use Nix as an effective treatment for mites on my BP's. It is effective topically, on the snake, as well as for the enclosure. I have used it with GREAT SUCCESS, and , if you need, can provide you with a link via e-mail to many, many other snakes owners who will say exactly what I have. I have use the 'other' products, and I find Nix to be way less toxic, and equally as effective. And if you like the money in your pocket, MUCH cheaper. I personally, stay away from the 'other' products because I have heard many horror stories regarding them. Please e-mail me for more information.

The proper dilution of Nix is 1 bottle of Nix to 1 Gallon of water. Spray on the snake and cage a couple times a week for a couple weeks.

Good Luck,
Corey

Jeez, I feel like a broken record....

I got mites a while back, and found the FAQ on ProExotics, did some research, and decided to go with their Black Knight product. It took a couple of weeks and a lot of hard work and constant vigilance, but IT WORKED!

I truly believe that their strategy of "you truly need to overreact to the situation to deal with it completely and effectively" is the best way to go. Just like with fleas, flies, or ants, if you don't attack the problem from EVERY angle, it will reoccur with a vengeance. Arthropods have no concept of "taking a hint", so you have to ERADICATE them.

To quote the FAQ:

"You have to go all the way with your treatment, breaking down an entire wall, a whole room, or even an entire collection, because if you don’t, if you clean five cages well, but miss that sixth cage with fresh mite eggs (due to hatch in a couple of weeks), you are risking the entire collection becoming infected, and for a large breeder, that can mean hundreds or thousands of mite infested snakes.

"Reptile mites are tiny creatures, but they are active, and they can travel up to 48 feet in an hour. That is a long way, and can cross a LOT of cages. When I insist on being extremely thorough with our attack, it isn’t a joke, and it isn’t fun, it is a serious response to a potentially disastrous situation."

Overreacting to arthropod infestation is a strategy that has always worked well for me. I keep my desk at work scrupulously clean and spray the perimiter with RAID. So, when the ANTS invade, my desk is not overrun like my cubicle neighbors who leave food crumbs around as enticements for the nasty buggers. My fellow cube-jockeys tease me because I'm constantly cleaning my desk, but the teasing goes the other way when those Argentine invaders take over the office (as they do every summer), and my desk is an island of insect-free serenity.

I occasinally snake-sit for friends, but I don't want to risk infection. Guests to my zoo stay in a separate room, and I wash my hands between handling them and my residents/inmates. I learned this from talking to other keepers, who quarantine new arrivals until they're sure that no problems exist. Better safe than sorry.

No, I am not an employee of ProExotics, just a very happy (and mite-free!) customer.

!Pitr

 
FAQ: Get Rid of Mites

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2.0 Ball Pythons
2.0 Bettas
1.1 Pekingeses
1.4 Rats (for breeding)
1.0 Mouse (for scenting rat pinkies)