Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a haitian curly tail, and as he has matured, the red coloring around his eyes has become more vibrant (as should be). but lately that coloring has gotten darker colored, and (although its hard to get a close look because he is so skittish) if i look closely i seems like there is red between some of his non-red scales near the his eyes. Also his eyelids seem redder than might be normal, and he has trouble keeping his eyes fully opened. he usually has them half shut like he's about to fall asleep. i cant find evidence of mites anywhere else on his body, and i thought it was weird that would appear soley around his eyes. would you say its mites or no?

and most importantly, how do i treat mites just in case?

Well, No one would really know without seeing him ! But if you suspect red mites,

I use reptile relief spray, but being around the eye area, ya CAN'T.

You CAN put some olive oil on a cotton ball, and dab the places you see them. It will smother them. Then they will either fall off or can be taken off.

Mites do like the eye areas, and ear hole areas, under armpits, places where the scales are thinest, easier to suck their blood in those places!

Hope he don't have any, but if he does, that should work, as long as they are the red ones.

The small black crawly ones (snake mites) are HARDER to get rid of.

Good luck, let us know how you make out!
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Eve

i'll give it a try, but it will be difficult. curly tails are very skittish; i'd never be able to pick him up and he's only let me touch him on a few occasions, never near his head tho. Is there another method you can suggest? Maybe something along the lines of a dust i can have him burrow in? (since curly tails burrow at night)

actually i suppose it would be possible to pick him up, but id have to be somewhat forceful, and id want to avoid that if possible.

I suppose you are going to have to grab him. I don't know of any kind of dust to use. The reptile relief, which is for mites and things, is a spray, but you v=can not get it near there eyes.

Thats the problem. The cooking oil, or olive oil works and is not dangerous, on his face.

But you still not sure, he has them right?
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Eve

When you have a lizard that does not tolerate handling.

To check to see if they are mites around eye area, and if so put oil on, WAIT till later in the night, after lights have been off a long time.

He will be cold and you should be able to pick him up and get a good look.

Not to much fight in em when there cold
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Eve

i put olive oil on a cotton ball and dabbed like you said, but nothing seems to have changed; it kinda looks like theyve even spread a little down his neck. is it too early to tell if it worked or not? if the mites dont fall off right away, is it necessary to take them off myself ?( sound like a difficult endeavor) Would a second application be helpful?