ugh, not again... :( mites :(

[Manasha-Bogo]

So my snakes have mites again. I really don't know where these effing mites are coming from. I switched to getting live rats/mice from ben siegals and they don't have mites (I think at least).. could it be the substrate ?

I cleaned out their pvc cage but added the same substrate in again before I noticed the snakes have mites. I treated the snakes themselves before putting them back in there, but not the cage itself. I took all the mites off them I could find spraying and wiping repeatedly, but I just know they are not 100% clean (eggs). What a pain!

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When I say I added the same substrate, I mean the same kind, but it's new substrate from the same bags, the old substrate was tossed and I cleaned the inside of the cage and the dishes and hides thoroughly before putting them back in there.

[mackynz]

I cleaned out their pvc cage but added the same substrate in again before I noticed the snakes have mites. I treated the snakes themselves before putting them back in there, but not the cage itself.

Not sure where they are coming from, unless they didn't all die from last time. Also, it sounds like you have two BP's in one cage...

[jess6905]

Use paper towels or news paper if you can for substrate. Also try to get some prevent a mite. I'm still waiting on my order to get here. Good luck!

[Vasiliki]

How long did you treat the mites for in the previous instance?

What kind of substrate do you have them on, aspen? If so, remove your substrate and go with paper towels during the treatment. That way mites do not hide in the substrate where you can't treat.

What are you using to treat? How many animals?

If you can give us a bit more information, that'd be very helpful.

[Manasha-Bogo]

Yea, maybe so on the substrate.

Let me try answer your questions.... The first time they had mites was back in April. I treated their tank (when they used to live in a tank) with provent a mite, and followed all the instructions such as removing substrate, putting them on paper towels, disinfecting everything, and so on. They had been clear of mites since then.

Then I put them back on their substrate (aspen) when I moved them from the glass tank to the pvc cage. (It's a split PVC cage from animal plastics) They don't live together. Just separately and I sometimes refer to their cages in the singular because it is one big cage with a divider. (48x24x12)

I still have provent-a-mite spray but I was not prepared to use it when I discovered the mites again last night. I have birds and they would need to be moved out of the vicinity before I can use this stuff. It's deadly...

...and I have two ball pythons. they are about 9 months old...

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Also, I treated the tank once with provent a mite. Then I moved them to two plastic tubs with paper towels for a month. They were free of mites there as well. Then I moved them to the pvc cage after that. They have been in the pvc cage since 5/27.

[Kaorte]

Are you positive they are snake mites? The little tiny black specs?

Could possibly be wood mites, which won't harm your snake but are still a nuisance. Either way I would treat again with provent a mite. If you are concerned about your other animals just spray the enclosure outside and let it dry out, then bring it back in.

I recently have my first case of mites and after using PAM they disappeared. They can be tricky little buggers though.

[Homegrownscales]

Mites can and will travel great lengths. They can lay eggs in Tstats, thermometers, wood floors, rack edges any nook and cranny around the cage. They can travel like 50ft in a day to find food. So perhaps the real issue is you didn't treat enough. When I spray preventatively I spray everything, racks, stats, door jams, a line around the room, everything. Never have had an outbreak of mites. If the birds are around your balls I would move them permentantly out of the room for now and treat the whole darn room, and then retreat in 30 days. Mite issues are an issue. For the fact that given the right environment they aren't solely in your snakes cage. Treat, and keep retreating.


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[DooLittle]

Anybody have picture a good picture of what mites actually look like? Maybe on a snake, and on papertowels or in a water dish? I'm curious.

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[Manasha-Bogo]

I'm pretty sure they are reptile mites. Tiny little black specks crawling around