Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, if any of you have been reading the forums in the last week you'll have seen my problem with mites. I ended up having to take the snake in to get a shot. He's doing much better. But I was told by the vet that the area that I live in almost never has mites, and that she's heard that the Petco in the area has sold substrate with problems like this before. I informed Exo-Terra that I bought their product from Petco and it was the source of the mites. They asked if I still had the substrate and package that it came in. After I told them no, they told me their was nothing they could do, and that it can't be determined that it was the substrate that caused it. But Petco has called me to see what they could do to help. In the future, I don't plan on using any Exo-Terra products if that is how they treat their customers. Thought you guys should kno as well.

Matt

I ended up having to take my JCP to the vet for a shot too, after all else failed. Weeks would go by after washing, cooking, and treating everything, including the snake, and then they would re-appear. Anyway, I don't use the product anymore at all.

For everyone that has a reptile that has mites:

These are the processes I used for a speedy recovery

1. Clean the cages entirely of everything
2. Soak all the the vines, branches etc. in a bleach diluted bath, or use it in a spray bottle and soak the entire cage.
3. If your reptile has bad bites (like mine) bath him in a bath of Bedidine, its a diluted version of Iodine.
4. Bomb the room of the reptile (with them out of it of course) with a Flea, Tick, Mite killer. I used Adams Brand.
5. Wash everything in the room that isn't tied down.
6. Sprinkle Nature Zone Mite guard in the bottom of the cage
7. Cover the Mite Guard with Eco Earth Compressed Coconut fiber expandle substrate.
8. Spray down the cage, branches, rocks, hindingplaces, etc. with Natural Chemistry De Flea. It does not contain any chemicals which may harm your reptile.
9. Spray down your reptile with the same De Flea spray. BUT DO NOT SPRAY THEIR HEAD.
10. Last but not least, get your reptile to a vet to get "the Shot". Its a anti parisite shot that basicly repelies the paristes. Its actually used in cows and farm animals, so the vet will have to dilute it for the specific weight of your reptile.

In about 3-4 days I had the problem licked.
Here is a web site that can help you learn more about your enemy.

www.anapsid.org/mites.html

I have found that many commercial bark substrates contain mites if the substrate is not heat treated. Most of them are not as heat treating removes the bark's humidity/moisture retaining properties. I use a lot of Repti-Bark and was getting regular mite infestations. I started sparaying a small amount of Provent A Mite inside each new bag and sealing it up for a day. have not had mites for years.

Concerning the treatment for mites, I swear by Provent A Mite.
Bill

I agree 100% with Bill. It is what i was going to say. I have seen mites appear from supposedly "heat-treated" bark. I always use Preovent-a-Mite on all mulch/bark substrates before I place an animal on it. I never have any problems with mites.

Joe
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2.2 Solomen Island ground boas
0.1 Solomen Island tree boa
1.0 green tree python
1.0 jungle carpet python
1.0 coastal carpet python
1.0 Boa constrictor imperator
0.1 Borneo short-tailed (blood) python
0.0.1 CB Florida banded water snake

This is a common problem, but is not usually related to the product from the manufacture, but rather the product becomes infested with mites while in the local pet shop. I think in this case, you are being unfair to the manufacture as I doubt any mites where shipped in the bag. Mites & ticks are commonly found in pet stores as they are constantly getting in animals from different wholesalers that also have mite & tick problems. Mites that infest the animals quickly leave the cage after feeding and harbor in various locations in the room or building. Since most pet stores keep the dry goods for reptiles in the immediate vicinity of the reptiles, mites harbor in the dry goods as well (not that they can't find them across the room also). Mites can remain dormant for many months, depending on temperature, and will become active when conditions are ideal, so can stay alive in the bag of bedding or other product for an extended period of time before you put it into your cage. Most beddings are a perfect location for mites to harbor in and the bags usually have samll holes to release any buildup of water vapor allowing the mites entry.

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