Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was wondering if anyone has ever caught any wild snakes that have a mite infestation? I am going herping this weekend and mostly just going to take pictures but in case I happen to run across a fine looking animal I may have an impluse to add him to my collection. Now I read that mites like to hide in the snakes throat area and behind the snakes eyes. I have never personally seen any WC animals that have had mites at all. I have seen a tick or two but never any mites.I caught a few northern black racers around my house and checked them out and did not see any mites(Of course these guys are pitch black and make mites a lot harder to see! That plus these snakes being super aggressive doesn't help!)

I know that 'snake mites' are an exotic and do not live in the United States. Are there any other types of mites that would infest a snake in the wild? I use to catch a lot of snakes when I was a kid and never had any problems with mites.Granted I was YOUNG and not really looking for them either but I never noticed any on any garter snakes that I would keep.(Mom never use to let me keep anything else besides garters until I was older).

If I do keep any I would be sure to take it to a vet to have a fecal sample,have it sexed and checked for overall good health. Also if I do keep any I wouldn't keep any adults,just yearlings or hatchlings.Again I am not going out to keep any,just take pictures and enjoy a walk in the woods but like I said a nicely colored corn/milk or hatchling black rat snake might make me consider keeping one.

Yes. There are mite type parasites that are native to the U.S. These are not like the non native reptile mites we have to deal with now. I catch some snakes that have them but not many. These guys are not picky about what they feed on like reptile mites. They will feed on anything with blood. They even feed on humans. I have had some on me before. On mammals they will burrow under the skin and suck blood from there. The bite will turn into a red very itchy bump. Around here they are called "Chiggers". Don't worry about them hiding on a snake because they sick out like a sore thumb because they are a bright red-orange color. They are really not a big problem for snakes because when they snake sheds they stay attached to the old skin so they are totally eliminated from the snake after a shed. That's why you don't see them on many snakes. Hope I could help and good luck herping.

Thanks a lot man. I know about chiggers as I have had a few chigger bites before! They only are blood suckers when in a larva stage though correct?

I hope I have some luck herping! It has been raining a lot here in PA and for some reason snakes have been hard to come by. Earlier in the year I was seeing all kind of black racers around my house in the woods but I haven't seen any in weeks. I went back there just for kicks last weekend and all I found were a few redback salamanders,a few skinks and a shell of a box turtle. I am actually hitting a state park this weekend so I know I will see something!

I don't know when they suck blood. I just know that I hate parasites with a passion. Especially those that affect my snakes. It's been raining here alot to but I have caught plenty of snakes. I even caught 2 hatchling Black Rats that you were talking about, and a nice looking red milk today. Good luck herping dude.