Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I don't know how they got there, but i noticed that my male had a few mites on him. Can rats carry them in their fur? I noticed some in the females cage also, so i am takingcare of them all, but the female has breed on and off for the past month, would they stop her from devoloping her ova?

As far as where the mites came from, I can tell you that they did not come from your rats. Mites feed off reptile blood; without it, they die. I wouldn't think they have anything to do with your female and reproducing; some one else may have factual information about that.

Good luck getting rid of the mites. If I may ask, what is your method of getting rid of them?

Jennifer
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www.diapsid.com
www.diapsid.com/forum

rats don't naturally carry a mite parasite that also feeds on reptiles, but they can certainly be the source of mites in your collection.

i think a high number of mite infestations come from folks that bring home live feeders from dirty stores with reptile mite infestatations of their own. the mites are everywhere in the store, and can ride ealong in the fur of the rodent to make it to your home. they can also ride home on YOU after you have handled one of their infested reptiles.

you shouldn't spend one penny in a pet store that has even a single mite. it is dirty, irresponsible, you are supporting that, and you are just asking for trouble : )
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

no, they shouldnt. But i would get rid of them asap, if they are there when she lays and they hatch, youd have 3x as many.

Rats do carry mites

I would recommend using black knight or prevent a mite right away. The mites themselves will not cause your female any trouble breeding, but if she has them for an extended period of time, it can be very stressful on the snake, and this could lead to a bad clutch of eggs. As for rats carring mites, I know rats can get mites, but I believe this to be another species of mites that only lives on mammals, but I could be wrong.
Jason
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treating a gravid or breeding animal with meds or pesticides may certainly interrupt the cycle, or cause enough stress for them to fail or throw bad eggs, but there really isn't a good alternative.

if you let the mites go on, they will cause more stress and grief on their own, and soon you will not only have no breeding, but perhaps no snakes at all. mites multiply exponentailly, you will have a lot more than "a few" within a few weeks time. a lot more : )

read up on mites at our site and vpi.com, and then get it in gear, and get rid of the mites.

best of luck, if you act soon enough, your chances are good.
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles