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I don't know what the stuff is called but I have done a total tank cleansings using Reptile Relief several times with no luck. I'm willing to try the shot from the vet at this point.

>>I don't know what the stuff is called but I have done a total tank cleansings using Reptile Relief several times with no luck. I'm willing to try the shot from the vet at this point.

Ivermectin, even precisely dosed can be very dangerous to certain animals. (it is what is in heartworm meds that kills collies....) and some snake species are more susceptible than others. My vet won't use it on snakes.
If it were me I would order a can of Provent a Mite from Pro Products and be done with it. Follow the instructions exactly and you will be mite free. Reptile Relief is worthless IMO. We had it in a pet shop I worked in and I never even saw it lower the population of mites.
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

Save yourself some $$$$...go to Walmart and buy their aerosol "lice treatment" it has the EXACT same ingredient and concentration as Provent a mite for about $5 a can. Everyone who keeps snakes deals with mites or ticks somewhere along the line. Unless you are using freedom breeder style caging (all plastic/metal) and a mite-unfriendly substrate (newspaper) there is a good chance of recurrence (only takes one female mite and some hidden eggs), so my best advice to you is to use the spray on the cage each time you clean it...eventually you will have a clean collection.

Good luck!

My snake is in a aquarium with newspaper substrate. How should I use this product if I get it and can I spray it directly on the snake ?

Sorry, I did not catch the size of the animal in question. Provent a mite instructions indicate that it is ok to spray directly on large adults. That said, no, it is not necessary to spray it on the animal, just the cage & substrate (just a few seconds to "fog" the cage) then let it set 5-10 minutes and put the snake back it.

Soaking the snake in water will help rid it off any mites on it's body. Do NOT put the water bowl back into the treated cage for about 24 hours.

Insects and fish are most susceptible to these types of chemicals, but in large enough doses, it can cause neurological impairment in reptiles (this has never occurred to anyone I know, but it is possible).

The key is to retreat every time you clean. Female mites can travel quite a distance and lay eggs on anything wooden or in carpet and they can pop up again later.

Good luck,

K. Royer

>>My snake is in a aquarium with newspaper substrate. How should I use this product if I get it and can I spray it directly on the snake ?

Royer can you please contact me ?
I sent you a message awhile back and never heard a word back.

Thanks...

This is like saying that laundry detergent and hand dishwashing liquid are the same because they are both "soap". Try to soak your snake in powdered laundry detergent and see what the "active & inert" igredients can cause. There are different isomers of permethrin which all have different toxictiy levels as well as the synergists, surfactants and other inerts, many which are toxic to reptiles that are used in these other products. None of this is or has to be disclosed on the label. These products have never been clinically tested on reptiles and are not the same formula as Provent-a-mite. Also many of these products are designed to break down quickly, which will expose the mites and ticks to a sub-lethal dose, which can lead to(and has with other species of ectoparasites)creating a resistant strain of ectoparasites that would be difficult if not impossible to eradicate!
Call these companies and ask if their product is safe to use on reptiles and to put it in writing and see what response you get. Many people have learned the hard way that these products are not the same formula as Provent-a-mite. Often, these products can cause chronic long term problems, so one never associates the demise of the animal with a mite treatment done previously.
Provent-a-mite is a patented product with a unique formula and it is the only product that has been extensively tested and approved by the EPA for use with reptiles.

Bob @ Pro Products
Pro Products