Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I ordered about $200 worth of frozen rats from a pretty popular supplier. I will not mention any names. When I went to thaw out some rats I noticed about a dozen rodent mites floating on top. I immediately looked through the others bags and they all had them. Obviously the mites are dead but I was wondering if fully rinsed off if they are still feedable. I contacted the company and they flat out told me that they sold high quality rodents and they did not have a problem with rodent mites. I really do not want to waste 200 bucks and throw them away so I really appreciate any opinions on how to solve this problem.

I am going to keep arguing and demanding that something is done but would really like a fall back plan if they will not refund my money!!

Make sure you take pics of the order. Send them to the company you ordered from. Not sure if any problems would arise from the mites though.

EP
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Occupants not paying rent:
1.1.5 balls
2.1.8 corns(candy cane, creamsicle, ghost, 4 normal,
4 anery )
1 pueblan milk
1 everglades rat
1 cal. king
1 gray band king
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
1 fish
1 mouse
3.3 cats

I am going to take pics I told the company I would email them pics and they still denied they had any problems with rodent mites.just stubborn I guess

Have you tried posting on the other site?

EP
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Occupants not paying rent:
1.1.5 balls
2.1.8 corns(candy cane, creamsicle, ghost, 4 normal,
4 anery )
1 pueblan milk
1 everglades rat
1 cal. king
1 gray band king
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
1 fish
1 mouse
3.3 cats

no . not yet dont really care for the other forums

Unless the mites somehow survived the deep freeze I don't think they will be a problem. Rats are still edible. I would keep on the people you got them from though. That stinks.

Quig

I'm sure the rats are fine to feed out~ even if one of the mites somehow survived (which they can't) as I understand it~ they are species specific and will not bother you or your snakes. But I'm a little confused~ how did you determine that whatever your seeing are mites? I ask as I breed rats myself~ and I don't beleive I have ever seen a rodent mite. I've treated for them when I saw evidence on the rats ~ hair loss, excessively itchy, scritchy rats~ but as I understand it the actual mites are so tiny as to only be visible with a skin scraping under a microscope.

Are you sure whatever your seeing is not debris from the bedding that is/was on the rats and in their hair? If the breeder is using a bedding that breaks down very small that could get onto the rats skin and when you soak the rat might wash free. A lot of us use pelletized bedding or alphalpha pellets with the wood shavings to absorb urine and keep the rats dry~ that stuff breaks down into a very fine powder when wet~ could that be what your seeing?
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Cheryl Marchek
AKA JM
Check out my website at:
The Red Dragons Den

First of all as I stated in my first post I know they are dead I am worried about any pathogens that could still be harboring in the frozen mites that could potentially harm my snakes if a few mites are not rinsed off. The actual parasites look similar to a snake mite but smaller and orangish red in color they aren't fleas so I called a local breeder I know and he told me they are rodent mites. I also did a web search and they are more than one type of rodent mites not all are microscopic.There are Ornithonyssus bacoti, Liponyssides sanguineus,and Laelaps echidnina.

I've never seen anything like that~ but then I do my best to avoid parasites in my collections~ so I'm just as pleased to have missed it.

Sorry if my post offended~ I was only asking how you determined they were rodent mites and offering a possible explanation if you were seeing debri in the water.
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Cheryl Marchek
AKA JM
Check out my website at:
The Red Dragons Den

You didnt offend me JM sorry if I came off as though you did. This whole ordeal is just a pain I have contacted the company 4 times and they pretty much are telling me I am a liar.

By the way I like your site JM.

"By the way I like your site JM"

Thanks!!!

Well~ I can see there being upset if they didn't realize they had mites~ would be pretty embarrassing to have to have a customer find something like that for you!

If the ones your seeing are big enough to see with the naked eye, and from the description you gave of them being red in color~ all the breeder has to do is go to his rat area and inspect a white rat to see the evidence. Hopefully some Ivermectin will take care of the problem (my colony came down with mites you could not see with the naked eye after I purchased some supplemental rats from someone else, but Ivermectin took care of it).

If I were you I would call a vet to be sure~ but I suspect those rats are probably still fine for you to use. The mites are dead~ and I *Think* most pathogens die in freezing. If your worried that their freezing may not have gotten low enough to kill everything~ purchase some dry ice and pack it around the rats for a couple hours~ that should bring the temp down far enough to kill anything left!
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Cheryl Marchek
AKA JM
Check out my website at:
The Red Dragons Den

>> The mites are dead~ and I *Think* most pathogens die in freezing. If your worried that their freezing may not have gotten low enough to kill everything~ purchase some dry ice and pack it around the rats for a couple hours~ that should bring the temp down far enough to kill anything left!"

Just wanted to state that this is a huge misconception! Freezing only preserves microscopic pathogens.

In my lab we store all of our live cells line at -80C (colder than dry ice) and they survive for about 5-10 years on average before they need to be revived and frozen again. This is true for most bacteria, protozoans, and fungi. *Most* multicellular parasites are killed by freezing, but almost none of the microbial parasites are affected!

Demand a refund and post on Board of Inquiry. If they refuse to take the shipment back, call your credit card company and explain the situation or just tell them you don't recognize the charge. Then they will take care of it and you will get your money back.

I'll remember that~ as obviously I was one of the ones under the misconception that hard freezing would kill off the "badies"~

Thanks for the info!
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Cheryl Marchek
AKA JM
Check out my website at:
The Red Dragons Den

Lice are very common on rats. If the bugs you are seeing are clear or whitish with red in their bellies, they are most likely lice. They are species specific, and totally harmless to you and whatever you may be feeding the rodents to, either live or dead.

Nicole