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Mites-URGENT!
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by Kahlest on November 20, 2002
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Hey,
I've never had a problem with mites in my snakes, and I've had snakes for nearly 9 years now (I know this isn't long to some of you, but i'm only 17.) At any rate, my buddy corn snake started acting kind of defensive, and, now that I think of it, has shed more often than usual. I always poke around in the mulch when I clean, and every couple months (i know it should be more often-it will now) I do a complete tank revamp with all new stuff. Its been about time for a revamp for awhile now, and this morning when I woke up i found that he had thrown up his last meal. It is interesting because he had already pooped like three times, and it'd been 5 or 6 days since he'd eaten. When I cleaned the throwup out, I noticed mini bug-like things run out from under the throwup and into the mulch. I examined the snake and can't see any mites, but there are some little specks on the water bowl that could just as easily be mulch specks...
At any rate, what should I do? I keep both my snakes in my room, separated by about six feet or so. The floor is carpet. There is an air return duct about six feet above the snake, so I figure they could be hiding anywhere. Are these actually mites? What sprays, etc. work? Will bleach kill them?
Sorry for my excessively long message to convey a simple thing, but I was really scared about these mites, since they're in such a hard place to get rid of them.
Thanks
~Kahlest
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RE: Mites-URGENT!
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Anonymous post on November 20, 2002
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it doesn't sound like mites but maybe internal parasites. the best thing is to get your animals to a good herp vet soon. the vet will probably administer panacur or flagyl followed by an additional dose in 2 weeks. i had a horrible bout with mites last december, none of my snakes ever got sick and there was no doubt about finding the little creatures, they were everywhere. black knight roach kiler is the best thing for mites i've found, if the liitle bugs under the regurgitation were mites you need to go through a very long process to fully rid yourself of them. it can take up to 1 1/2-2 months because the larvae don't seek blood meals for quite some time. vpi.com has a great explanation about everything associated with mites and treatment. good luck.
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RE: Mites-URGENT!
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by Kahlest on November 20, 2002
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Is there much chance that the little buggers I saw aren't mites? The only thing I remember is that they skittered quickly, like ticks, and one looked a bit reddish.
I have doubt about the internal parasites (hopefully). Would they be running about? Also, the regurgitation may be because the mouse I fed him was on the upper limit in terms of size, but he did wait along time to regurgitate it. And I can't really see anything that I would call mites on him.
Thanks,
~Kahlest
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one treatment
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by Chris_Harper on November 20, 2002
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Remove snake from cage. Treat all old substrate with mite poison and remove to an area that will not allow the mites to migrate back to your snake room. Treat cage heavily with a permethrin based mite killer. Let it sit for a day or two. Treat snake in a seperate area with something like prevent-a-mite (read directions). Leave it long enough to kill the mites, then move it to a third clean container. Treat it again for a day and move it back to the 2nd container AFTER YOU HAVE CLEANED IT THOROUGHLY. Treat it again. By now, your snake should be free of mites, and the cage it normally stays in should also be free of mites. Keep in mind, mites hide easily in cracks and crevices, so soak them thoroughly when treating a cage. You can also use a higher strength to treat the cage when the snake is not in it. Be sure to rinse it and air it out thoroughly before putting the snake back in it.
When you set the new cage back up, mix some cigarette tobacco in with your substrate. The nicotine kills the mites and won't hurt the snake.
The life cycle of most mites is 3 to 4 weeks. So it may be necessary to keep an eye out for mites and treat as needed during this time.
Be sure to check all of your cages and treat the floor of your snake room as well when you discover a mite infestation. (concrete or tile floors are best for snake rooms)
Melissa Kaplan has a page of mite treatment with different information. She makes some good points about mite poisons and their potential effects on reptiles. Caution should be used when treating reptiles with poisons. http://www.anapsid.org/mites.html
By combining these methods, you will bring your mite problem under control.
Chris Harper
webmaster@venomousreptiles.org
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RE: Mites- and Oil
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by Hotherps on November 21, 2002
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Most of our snakes come directly from the wild, so we have never had any mite problems with wild stock. The time to start worrying is when snakes have spent time in other people’s collections (the larger the collection the greater the risk).
I make it a habit to treat any new snakes that are suspect…… very simply I place the snake into a small a container (with clear lid) as possible, then pour in sunflower/vegetable oil (yes the oil you cook with) until the snake is completely covered. Make sure the lid is secure then gently rock the container back and forth. Any mites will suffocate due to the oil clogging up their airways (mites breath through the side of their bodies). The snake can easily hold it’s breath for a few minutes and won’t come to any harm even if it swallows some oil. You will soon see the mites float to the surface. Then all you need to do is place the snake into a dustbin part filled with old rags so it can dry off. The oil can be sieved and re-used. I have use this method on quite a number of different venomous snakes…works very well.
Paul D. Rowley
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RE: Mites-URGENT!
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by rattlesnakeremover on December 5, 2002
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If it is Mites the best thing I have found to treat the enclosure w/ the snake in it is 5% seven dust. Mix a good dusting with the substrate in the enclosure. Take the snake out while mixing the dust in the enclosure. If it is mites they will be no longer after one week. The best way to tell if it is mites is look at the snakes belly scales on its neck, If you see dark tiny spots under the scales it is mites. You will also notice white spots on the top of your snakes.
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RE: Mites-URGENT!
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by hotherps2003 on October 18, 2003
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For gods sake please no one use oil to get rid of mites......
http://www.proexotics.com/FAQ_answers_get_rid_of_mites.html
there is a very detailed lesson on getting rid of mites.
and the product to use (Black Knight) can be purchased from
http://www.proexotics.com/supplies.html
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