Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello there! I have been keeping snakes for about 12 years, I used aspyn for bedding when I was younger, but ended up getting my first case of mites about 6 years ago. I switched to newspaper then and havent switched back to aspyn for fear of mites again. But newspaper is rather ugly, and I have to change the entire cage everytime one of the snakes uses the bathroom lol I was wondering if I switched back to aspyn treated with prevent-o-mite if it would be okay? I would spot clean the cages daily and replace the entire aspyn monthly I also bleach bi-monthly. I also treat my snakes monthly with a spray frm my local vet, he said it wouldnt hurt them to keep them treated as a way to prevent mites. Anyways would switching to the aspyn treated with prevent-o-mite be okay? Or would I catch mites again? :/

Unless you are getting the aspen bedding from a place that also has reptiles and mites are getting into the bags(which I have definitely heard of in the past), the aspen itself shouldn't have anything to do with mites whatsoever, providing your animals don't have any AT ALL!. If you get ALL mites killed and totally under control, the aspen is fine to use once again.

I would strongly urge you to read the directions word for word on the pesticide though. I'm pretty sure it is best used on bedding after it has dried thoroughly first (I think), but I haven't had a mite problem myself in decades so it is difficult to remember. There are WAAY more products out there now days, and some work far better and safer than others I have heard.

I think there is a product at Wal-Mart that you can get that is the EXACT same chemical for FAR cheaper and you get WAY more product as well. I just can't remember what it is specifically called. Ask "Joecop" over on the kingsnake forum, or go to the boa forum and ask about it.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

I havent had mites in a long time so I should be good Yeah I did get the bedding from a shop that had reptiles, I'll check into getting it elseware
Alright I'll ask around I already have a can of the prevent-o-mite that my friend gave me so I'll prolly end up useing it anyway, but yeah you gotta let the bedding air dry for 8 to 10 hours I belive
Thanks for the info

The product from Walmart is Equate Bedding Spray used to treat human lice and is identical to Provent-A-Mite minus reptile instructions. When you buy it be sure to scratch you head furiously-that really freaks out the cashier-lol. Just like PAM, Equate is never to be sprayed on a snake but on substrate and it must dry thoroughly. Years back when I used bark for substrate I got mites all the time. I started treating every new bag of bark with Equate and no more mites.

I still recommend newspaper for substrate. It is the cleanest and best substrate, especially when feeding. If you don't like the looks of newspaper take a look at indented craft paper or unprinted newspaper rolls. Bill
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...three years ago it was just another snake cult...
The Retic is King.
Anacondas-the other Dark Side.
Afrocks-the dark side of the Dark Side.

What everyone else said. Just wanted to re-iterate that if you use a pesticide like Equate or Provent a Mite on aspen, make sure it is 100% dry before you put an animal on the substrate. Like a whole day. Certain types of snakes are very sensitive, especially very small snakes or babies.

My snakes have never gotten mites from a substrate but I do understand that mites can hitch a ride on a bag of substrate if the bag was in a store where mites abound. The lifespan of a mite is not very long, so simply storing bags of substrate in a garage or somewhere for a month or so well away from the snakes will take care of the problem. Mites can't reproduce w/o snake blood to eat.
Also, buying bags online can help as well.