Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have an adult female Diamond Python who has been shedding on average of once a month for about 5 months. Previously, her shed cycle was at approx 3 month intervals.

Her eyes also seem a little puffy. I was not sure if the eyes were from mites so I have been using a spray from Natural Chemistry which is supposed to kill mites instantly.

In addition, she has not been feeding as normal. She is only eating one large rat per month compared to one every week in the past.

Can anyone tell me if they have ever heard and/or experienced the puffy eyes and excessive shedding? And how they overcame this.

Sounds like mites. Any problem with skin will cause snakes to go into shed repeatedly. Burns, cuts, etc, will allso do it. I'd suggest spraying the entire cage with mite spray, cleaning it first. Also spray the substrate. A strong infestation of mites will affect the area around the eyes.
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1.1 Blackheaded pythons
1.1 Woma (Juvie female)
2.1 Aussie Olives
1.1 Timors
1.0 Angolan Juvie
1.1 Savu
1.1 Juvie Bloods
1.1 Juvie Balls
1.1 IJ Carpets
1.1 Coastal Carpets
1.2 Macklotts
1.1 Papuan Olives
1.0 Jungle Carpet
2.2 Scrubs (on breeding loan)
0.1 Jungle/Diamond cross
0.1 child, CB
0.1 wife, WC

Thanks for the info. I have been spraying her and her cage down along with all the areas around her cage (natural chemistry's reptile relief). I have also been soaking her every couple of days. The weird part is that she still seems to be affected even though there are no signs of them anywhere. I just do not get it. I have gone through this routine about three times over the last two weeks, so hopefully the situation will correct itself soon.

Have you ever heard of Permethrin or Pyrethrin? It is an insecticide used on dogs, horses, and such. I am thinking of using it around the exterior of the room. Has anyone used this stuff and/or know if it is safe to be around the reptile's environment but not directly in it?

Before you add more chemicals to the mix...are there mites, or aren't there? You stated that you haven't seen any (but I am guessing that you did at one point...or did you just think mites and start treating?) I will admit that mites can give a sort of puffy look around the eyes (the mites/eggs under the outer edge causes it to lift); but am unsure if this is what you are seeing, or if the eyes themselves look swollen/enlarged. I also don't know that I have ever witnessed significant increases in the shedding cycle related to mites. There are a variety of factors that can contribute to this, but one that is frequently overlooked is increased temperature.

I didn't mean to implicate just mites as the reason for shedding, but there is some correlation when the skin gets affected.

As to pymethrin (sp?), it's the active ingredient in Provent-a-mite, and the Walmart bed lice spray. Seems to have the same effect. I know it can be used in humans for bad cases of skin mites in a cream form. I keep a couple cans just in case of the Walmart stuff......it's cheap and works fine. I had the unfortunate case of a snake coming into my collection (gone now) that brought them with it. Stuff works great.
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1.1 Blackheaded pythons
1.1 Woma (Juvie female)
2.1 Aussie Olives
1.1 Timors
1.0 Angolan Juvie
1.1 Savu
1.1 Juvie Bloods
1.1 Juvie Balls
1.1 IJ Carpets
1.1 Coastal Carpets
1.2 Macklotts
1.1 Papuan Olives
1.0 Jungle Carpet
2.2 Scrubs (on breeding loan)
0.1 Jungle/Diamond cross
0.1 child, CB
0.1 wife, WC

I can't say that what I saw were mites, because I do not truly know what mites look like. I saw at one time small black dot looking bugs in the water bowl. I also had these in a neighboring cage.

I cannot say that anything else has really changed for her. She is kept in a temp controlled envirnment, and her routine has been the same for over a year or so (routine soakings, feeding only F/T meals, vitamins, and such). I figured that it was probably the mites because some articles listed puffy eyes as a symptom.

As for the other chemical, I was going to put it around the outside of the our herp room as a barrier just in case they were coming in from outside. It should not come into direct contact with the animals, unless it can be kicked up and carried via air to their vicinity.

I will be going to Wal-Mart to check out that stuff. Thanks everyone for all the help!

Bo Tischer
RhetIII@aol.com

If they look like poppy seeds, those are adult mites. I know of people who have sprayed directly on the animals w/no ill effects, but I choose not to. Amazing as it seems, those little "buggers" can crawl 50' in an hour, and are drawn to the smell of snakes. Spray the entire cage, including any substrate. Wait an hour, put the animal back in.

Ahh....for the days when you simply hung a Shell no-pest strip in the cage....
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1.1 Blackheaded pythons
1.1 Woma (Juvie female)
2.1 Aussie Olives
1.1 Timors
1.0 Angolan Juvie
1.1 Savu
1.1 Juvie Bloods
1.1 Juvie Balls
1.1 IJ Carpets
1.1 Coastal Carpets
1.2 Macklotts
1.1 Papuan Olives
1.0 Jungle Carpet
2.2 Scrubs (on breeding loan)
0.1 Jungle/Diamond cross
0.1 child, CB
0.1 wife, WC