Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, I've have had a mite problem in my collection for the past MONTH or so. Reptile relief doesn't work! I've bought bottle after bottle of it and it seems to kill some of them each time but they always come back!! I don't know what to do. I have 15 or more snakes infected and more at risk. I don't know how much longer they can tolerate these litle bastards. I realy need any advice that you can give me on how to stop them once and for all!

Thanks,

Andy Rice

This stuff really works well most of the time. If you've got a really bad case it might take two applications, but not most of the time. I had a bad bout with them recently from some rescues that came infested. Took a while, but I *think* I've finally gotten all the little blood-sucking children-of-unmarried-parents.

www.pro-products.com is the place to get it..no, I don't work for Bob, either...
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Bonnie Keller
VA Reptile Rescue
www.vareptilerescue.org

I was told this by a guy I talked to once, and I tried it and it seems to help. Soak them in a bath or Dawn dish soap. Then after they have soaked for a bit, take them out, dry them off and rub them down with baby oil.

I would still order the pro-vent-a-mite stuff, but you can do this while you wait for it to get there. And its also a decent and inexpensive way to help keep them off your other snakes before they get infested.

I also use mite dust in my cages. I dont know for a fact if it works or not, but it says it does, and I havent had any since I started doing these things.

Good luck
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1.0 Albino Green Burm
0.2 Normal Burm
1.1 Java Retic

I frequent a petshop that specializes in herps. They are constantly taking in animals. They quarantine them ahead of time because most seem to have mites.
They have been using the garden dust Sevin. While dangerous, it does work. It is basically the same dust as the chemical used to dust dogs and cats for fleas and ticks...carbaryl.
I myself use Black Knight. I am down to an and a half. This stuff is highly effective. One treatment has done the trick for me!
However, because of some legal mumbo jumbo, it cant be sold anymore.
I checked the chemical, it is a different one than pro vent a mite.
Someone also told me, that you can buy a head lice spray in WalMart, for under $5 a can, that is identical to Black Knight.
I cant remember the name of the product though.
Is pro vent a mite used the same way as black knight?
Spray the snake right in the enclosure? I treated my enclosures twice...one time three weeks apart. And I have not seen another mite since.
Maybe with some searching you might find black knight, but I doubt if anyone would part with their supply.
It is also pretty darn effective on ants and household pests...except in-laws.

I've always heard not to use provent-a-mite because it gives snakes chemical burns. I used to use black knight too, I loved it. I had ONE mite outbreak in two years and after treating with black knight one time and it was over. So, if I get some provent-a-mite, do I fog the cage with it the same way I did with my black knight? thanks alot for your help guys,

Andy Rice

My best advice is to go and visit Dave and Tracy Barkers website (vpi.com) and read there article entitled The War on Mites. It is the best written and most thorough article on the subject that I have ever read. I would recommend pro-vent-a-mite. You must ensure that you clean the entire room that your snakes are in and any items you have in there cages. I would strongly suggest using newspaper for the next few months as a substrate. Wood chips are perfect breeding grounds for mites. Hope this helps a little. Todd