Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello,

i have a baby ball python who has a pit of a bug problem.
sometimes i can see very, very tiny little brown bugs - about the size of a period - crawling on him.
he also has small black bugs - about 4 times the size of the brown bugs - under some of his scales.
are these two different bugs? or the same kind at different life stages?
are they mite? ticks? some other kind a parasite?
thanks for your help.

sea

Well unfortunately it seems like you have ticks and mites. This isn't a serious problem unless your snake has had them for a long period of time. There are many different products you can buy to help treat the snake including Black Knight, Reptile Relief, and Provent-a-mite. These are the most common. Everyone has their preference so it really depends on what you think will work the best. Remember, not only do you have to treat the snake but also the tank and all the cage furniture. Sometimes it takes weeks to get rid of them so be patient and follow the directions carefully. Even though it may not be serious yet, you should probably start treating them ASAP.

Good Luck

SA
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Actually I don't think you have ticks. The smaller brown ones are juvenile or "nymphs" of the larger black adult mites. The other poster is correct in selecting a product, but two easy to use products are 'Black Knight' and 'Provent-A-Mite. No-pest Strip is also good but not as easy to use for people new to mites.

Provide a water bowl large enough to soak in, and remember to retreat a few times at about 10-14 day intervals, even if you see NO mites. Once you see the little brown nymphs, it usually indicates that some have left the interior of the cage and these will be the ones to restart a new infestation. Reinfestations can take upwards of a few months before you see mites again so you have to keep a very careful eye out for them.

Get on it, and good luck!
Scott J. Michaels DVM

Make sure you treat the areas surrounding the cage, with each treatment.

thank you very much.
i had to order some treatment that could take up to a week to arrive. in the mean time, i heard that i could keep them at bay by bathing him to drown the mites.

oh,
and if they're just mites, the ones under his scales will just fall out, right? i don't was to go in after them?

Yeah, soaking him will get the mites off of him. But as soon as you put him back into his cage they'll come right back. The big ones should come out, some might be "stuck" until his next shed.

They're kind of like roaches, in the sense that the ones that you see are the small majority of the population. They've nested in any small gaps in the cage or surrounding areas. That's why it's important to treat the area outside the cage, aswell. And like the Doc. said, make sure you retreat every 10-14 days for about two months, even if you don't see any.

Good luck.