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To rid a GTP of mites

rantcaseyisgod Jun 30, 2009 05:39 PM

Unfortunately I have just discovered that my GTP is being plagued and tormented by a whole lot of tiny black mites that will not leave him alone. There are a lot of general questions that I have, such as:

What is the best way to treat for mites? I'm aware that removing everything from the tank for a fine bleach/water solution and/or other disinfectant scrub-down is essential, but what do I need to look for in terms of treatment of the actual snake. Is a trip to the vet necessary or is there a type of medicine/solution used to treat him at home?

Just to satisfy my curiosity - how do snakes acquire these mites? Do they somehow spawn inside of the tank, or are snakes natural carriers and under the right (well, wrong) conditions do these mites appear?

I have a Boa Constrictor housed across the room, and I plan to treat him just as thoroughly as I am my GTP. Both snakes are ready to go into shed - would it be wise to wait until afterwords that I begin treatment?

Thanks
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Adam

"I wish I were wise! I wish I were wise from the heart of me, like my serpent!"

Replies (4)

bluediamondjason Jul 10, 2009 09:58 AM

Okay you have to be really careful about green tree pythons and mites because almost all mite medication dries them out and YOU DO NOT WANT THAT for an animal that thrives in humidity!

The best thing to do is to get a box of NIX lice treatment and mix it in one gallon of distilled water! MIX IT VERY WELL!

First remove the snake and put him in a tub and spray him very heavily with the nix solution, yes you can spray his face as this is going to be very diluted and will not harm the snake. Let him sit in the tub covered in the solution for about an hour! While he is soaking, you scrub everything in his cage from top to bottom! And the outside of the cage too! And about 5 feet around the cage. Mites can travel and it is definitely a must to treat the other snake and his cage too. If you dont see any mites on him, move him to another room quick but treat him first just in case he is just starting to get them!

After the cage has been cleaned to perfection, spray the nix solution on everthing in the cage, only use white paper towels if possible for the substrate as this will be easy to detect mites and if you have live plants its best to throw them out! You can leave the spray on the stuff in the cage even the walls of the tank.

Rinse the snake with a spray bottle of clean water and put him back in the cage.

Treat the snake weekly until you have not seen mites in 21 days! You can also spray the cage floor every other day and it will just help that much more, just be sure to remove the water dish before you do! Keep a close check on the water dish as you will find dead mites in there usually if they are still present.

You can also use the nix solution from then out on on the floor of the cage each time you clean it as preventative measures.

Mites can come from anything and everything outdoors, branches, grass, plants. You can also get them from beddings you buy in stores or bedding you get from garden centers. If you insist on using substrate other than paper towels or newspaper, you can treat the bedding for mites with the nix solution, or if you are using eco earth, you can keep the bricks of it in the freezer for a week before you use them. Or if you are using cypress mulch, get you a foil turkey roasting pan and pop you a big pan of the cypress in the oven at 400 for 40 minutes and that will kill anything!

You may want to google snake mites and read up about them. They can be very hard to get rid of so its important you keep treating the snake and the tank for at least 21 days after the last mite has been seen.

Good luck!

MegF Jul 10, 2009 08:33 PM

With provent a mite I've never had more than one treatment to rid the animal of mites forever. I've only had mites on new animals coming in that are in quarantine and although I treat twice to make sure of no problems, I've never had another incident. I use moss as a substrate, aspen in the cornsnake and false water cobra cages and never had mites in 6 years of keeping....except the two animals I got from someone else and one was from a show.
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BryanD Jul 17, 2009 12:08 PM

Provent a mite is the BOMB... I think proexotics still sells it, every herper should have a can. Read the directions though.
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"Nothing happens in contradiction to nature, only to what we know of it."

rantcaseyisgod Jul 20, 2009 08:42 PM

>>Provent a mite is the BOMB... I think proexotics still sells it, every herper should have a can. Read the directions though.
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>>"Nothing happens in contradiction to nature, only to what we know of it."

>>I totally agree! After one treatment my GTP is rid of mites. Provent-A-Mite is amazing stuff.
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Adam

"I wish I were wise! I wish I were wise from the heart of me, like my serpent!"

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