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?
-----
Cheryl Marchek

AKA JM

Check out my website at:

The Red Dragons Den

[ Show Entire Thread ]