First time mite problem

[TROYG]

Ok so here is the situation.
I have a reptile room downstairs where I keep my collection, about 12 x 24. I recently (2 days ago) bought a friends entire collection with everything he has for breeding and keeping balls. Now I know about keeping new additions seperate from your collection so I set up a 10 tub rack in my bedroom for this pupose. My buddy had already told me about a month ago he had a mite problem, but told me he had it under control. When I got there to pick everything up he told me he ordered PAM but it had not arrived yet. He was treating by agressive cleaning with bleach and hadn't seen any more mites. The snakes were already bagged up and the tubs were being rinsed of bleach when I got there. The PAM is still being delivered from the US and not here yet. Last night when I looked in on the new snakes MITES. And when I looked in on my balls in the reptile room I have 2 snakes coiled in there bowls trying to drown themselves. So today as soon as the drug store opens I am going to get NIX and do my entire collection, long day ahead. I don't know if they hitched a ride on my clothes or not but we are diligent about hand sanitizers with the snakes to avoid this. Now after the long winded opening here are my questions, I am breeding right now and have females ready to drop eggs does any one know if this will effect them in any way? Also I have lizards beardies, blue tongue skink, leopard gecko. Should I treat them as well? And I know I have to spray and clean everything the snakes are in but I picked up 4 truck loads of stuff from my friend, should I clean everything that came? And all the substrate, I have totes full of substrate, coconut and aspen any sujestions on that? I think I will have to get rid of it all and buy new again. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I just spent a pile of money on this so don't think I am being cheap about using NIX no one sells PAM anywhere in Alberta that I can find online.

[swansonbb]

Can't give you breeding advice, but NIX and PAM have the same active ingredient - NIX is just cheaper and easier to come by.

I'd lose the substrate. Move everyone to paper towels - it's easier to see mites & easier to treat with NIX.

[TROYG]

I agree with the paper, all my snakes are on paper already. I was just going to use the substrate for my rats, I have 24 breeding colonies of ASF and 8 grow out tubs. I was just concerned that the mites be in it and transfer back to the snakes again.

[TROYG]

So far 8 out of 31 snakes treated, 3 pregnant females in that group. None of them were very happy about the spray mind you, I am totally expecting to be bitten today, just hoping it is not one of my big girls. Well....onward.

[mattb]

I know with PAM you do not spray the animals directly because it can harm them. You spray the tubs and let it dry then put them in. I am guessing its the same way with NIX. It sounds like from you last post you are spraying the snakes down. Or I am just reading to much into it and they were not happy about being taken out because of the spray.

[TROYG]

With the NIX you spray the snake down as well and make sure you get their vents and whole head. When you use NIX you dilute it with 4 litres of distilled water. There is a huge debate about PAM vs. NIX and there doesn't seem to be a grey area with people, people like one and hate the other. The bonus with NIX for me is that you spray everything including the snake and it kills the mites,larvae and eggs not just the mites like PAM.
All the snakes are done now and racks and tubs just have to spray down walls and floors now. I am going at it very agressive in order to wipe it out fast.

[Kinra]

I know with PAM you do not spray the animals directly because it can harm them. You spray the tubs and let it dry then put them in. I am guessing its the same way with NIX. It sounds like from you last post you are spraying the snakes down. Or I am just reading to much into it and they were not happy about being taken out because of the spray.

X2

When I treat for mites I use a combination treatment that works really well. I treat the snakes for mites by coating them in oil for about 15-20 minutes, while that sits I spray their enclosures and let them dry. Before putting the snake back it gets washed with a little dish soap. This usually kills all the live mites and the tub treatment kills any that hatch after treating. This has been very effective for me in the past.

[SlitherinSisters]

I have Reptile Relief and PAM. You can put reptile relief on the snakes, and most pet stores carry it. When you get the PAM spray the doorway to your snake room and the racks (of course the tubs as well). Do that every 30 days for at least 2 months or until you think the mites are gone.

[JohnNJ]

When you get the PAM spray the doorway to your snake room...

How do you get the mites to use the doorway?

[TROYG]

Well snakes are all fine today, everyone has fresh water and I have looked and seen dead mites but no live ones.