Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Monday im hoping to get 2 corns ive seen them already and i'm pretty sure they don't have any ticks but im going to give them a full inspection on monday before i take them home for any other problems but i'm sure they probably have mites so i want to give them an oil bath before i take them in to my house to try and kill any mites so i wont have to deal with that problem later on.

Also do the mites that attack snakes also go after cats, because some one told me that there was a cold blooded and warm blooded mite.

Thanks for any help.

Yes, there is something called "Snake Oil" that you can use to rub on them to kill the mites...however, I think it's better for the snake if you put a piece of a flea collar on the lid of your cage for a few days and then repeat in a week. You can also use one designed for birds; it looks like a metal disc on a twist-tie. Did you actually see a mite or two?? They look like black and/or red dots tucked into the scales...If you don't see any, don't medicate. There's no reason to add poison to your snakes environment if there aren't any mites present.

I don't think "snake" mites will bother cats either but ask around a bit more on that.

is the flea collar supposed to attract the mites?

Sorry about the mistake

Yes, I do. It's an inexpensive mite killer. If the snake is heavily infested, put a piece of the flea collar on the screen lid and lay a piece of newspaper over the top for more intense "fumigation." If the snake is mildly infested, just laying it on top will do. Only leave it like that for 24 to 48 hours though. Repeat the treatment after a week to get any hatched eggs.

Mites, and most parasites, are host specific. You're not going to get mites from birds, nor can bird mites attack snakes, nor can cat mites attack you and vice versa, etc.

Mites especially have mouth parts and attachment appendages very particular to their species (cat mites attach to fur and have fur gripping arms, they're lost on snakes with no fur).

-13mur 6

If the snakes do not have mites (and most of them do not) then you should not treat them. Oil can cause problems with a snake's skin and eventually lead to shedding difficulties and possibly death. Flea collars add toxic elements (poison) to the snake's environment. A baby snake weighs much less than a dog and chances are that you will be exposing your animals to dangerous levels of toxins. It has been found that No Pest Strips and other popular methods for ridding snakes of parasites is belived to cause kidney damage which eventually kills the snake.

Be smart. Only buy from breeders with good reputations, quarantine new acquisitions for at least 60 days and only use proven methods (Provent A Mite) to cure invested reptiles. Do not treat reptiles that do not need treatment.

Tim

Third Eye

Oh, goodness, no!!! Don't bathe in oil, and DON'T put a flea collar in or near the cage - especially with young snakes!!

Best way to get rid of mites: Proventamite It's $20, but you'll have enough for oodles of cages, and use it as a preventative to keep any more from coming in later. Go to the Pro-products website to order it. www.pro-products.com It'll take you 5 minutes to get rid of the mites, and is not toxic to the snakes (read the directions carefully!)

--Bonnie (no, I don't work for them)