Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well after years of bragging about not getting mites and how not to get mites my snakes are infested with them.Not hardcore pet neglect infestation, but mites none the less.I have spent the entire morning and afternoon bathing,cleaning,disenfecting snakes and cages.There are many ways I could have brought these little buggers home with me,on there food,handling other peoples
reps,etc.Im currently pretty digusted with myself.For the next 3 weeks I will be waging a war that I will win, but not without spending countless hours of tedious work I may have been able to
avoid to start with...Paul.

.......Also, I have not yet offered my congratulations. Enjoy!

i also have never had mites,i'm just wondering what you might do different in thr future.i'm fairly new to herps and i'd like all the input i can get.thanks and good luck.

If your going to handle other peoples reptiles it's a good idea not to leave your laundry basket by your enclosures,qauranteen (sp) all new reps for at least 2 months,only use frozen thawed food,never buy reptile bedding from a petstore that has reptiles/bedding/hides in the same location.Last week I handled some mite infested calabar pythons.Today I found 14 adult mites
on one of my boas.

thanks for the valueable information,you mentioned a few things i would not have thought about.

np.

Give Provent-a-mite from proproducts a try.
-Cole

UGH... I feel your pain. I had a similar problem about 6 weeks ago or more. It was my first experience battling mites in 10 of keeping herps. I know it doesn't help but at least you don't feel alone. I thought it was the end of the world for me. I have a major phobia when it comes to bugs/spiders/insects/etc. I was in a horrible panic. I had two new animals in quarantine, one that was in quarantine for 2 weeks and the other that was added the day before I noticed the mites. Funny thing is, the mites were all over the snake that had been in quarantine longer. I think she had mite eggs in between her scales.

I followed a strict plan of action before they could spread to the 30 other snakes in my collection. I immediately moved all other mite-free snakes as far away as possible from my herp room. I then soaked the two snakes with mites in mild soapy water for 1-2 hours which helps to break down the mites exoskeleton. Meanwhile I cleaned and sprayed their cages with Provent-a-Mite and I threw away everything but a water bowl the paper towel substrate. After the Provent-a-Mite dried, I wiped the snakes down with Repti Relief & then placed them
back in their enclosures. I sprayed an entire can of Provent-A-Mite around the entire room and all over shelves and especially the floor, as mites can travel pretty far.

Overall, its a pain but you'll get through it with hard work and dilligence. I also wonder if there is a chance I could've brought a mite egg or two home with me on my shoe from a herp show. I never hold any animals unless I'm serious about buying them and that show I only bought the one snake. Its still a mystery to me but I don't care since I haven't seen a mite in 6 weeks... GOOD LUCK and WIN THE WAR!!!
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www.members.aol.com/northeastsnakes
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0.2 Green Tree Pythons
2.2 Ringed Pythons
2.3 Ball Pythons
1.2 Hog Island Boas
1.1 Argentine Boas
0.1 Solomon Island Ground Boa
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas
7.8 Corns (various morphs)
1.1 N. Pines (Pituophis)
0.0.1 N.Diamondback Terrapin

I use sevin dust 5% and small strips of no pest strips in film containers.

After bathing my snakes and drying them off good i dust the heck out of them with sevin dust 5%.It is cheap and unmerciful with mites.Now i will get flamed for this but I still use the no pest strip in a film container trick.I will leave that in there for a few weeks to catch the straglers.I also spread sevin dust in the enclosures,under,around,carpet,etc.It makes a small mess but it is harmless to humans and snakes.The funny thing that i have noticed about mites is that they would rather
gorge on python or boa blood before they would lower themselves to some skimpy corn.hehehehe thank god..Paul

I have heard that sevin dust 5% works great too. Although it 'sounds' more toxic or harmful than Provent-A-Mite.LoL.

Let's hope we never have to think of it again!
-Jason
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www.members.aol.com/northeastsnakes
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0.2 Green Tree Pythons
2.2 Ringed Pythons
2.3 Ball Pythons
1.2 Hog Island Boas
1.1 Argentine Boas
0.1 Solomon Island Ground Boa
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas
7.8 Corns (various morphs)
1.1 N. Pines (Pituophis)
0.0.1 N.Diamondback Terrapin