Red Tail problem - mites hopefully defeated - thin snake

[6StringSamurai]

I bought a red tail on the cheap from a breeder I didn't know very well.

BIG MISTAKE. I knew it wasn't a great idea but it was such a beautiful snake, great temperament. Can't say enough good things about it.

Well, of course, problems arose. After a month or so, mite infestation. Horrified for my other animals, I treated the mites on the snake, treated the cage, soaked everything in the cage in bleach, scrubbed it, on and on.

I had to repeat that twice but it does seem like the mites are finally beaten.

Now, it was pretty bad and the snake has lost some weight. Would it be advisable to maybe feed her twice a week or something to help her get back on her feet?

Poor, beautiful thing.

:cens0r: this pisses me off, I've never had a problem like this in all my years of herping. I'm religious about keeping my herp cages clean

[JLC]

If you haven't already, I would highly reccommend ordering a can of Provent-a-Mite (PAM) to treat the enclosure even before you see another mite. PAM will kill the eggs and all stages of bugs that other cleaning methods can miss. It can also help ensure that none of the nasty little beasties set up shop in any of your other animal enclosures.


As for feeding the snake...If I were in your shoes, I'd stick with a regular, consistent 7-day feeding schedule. A snake takes several days to fully digest its meal...so if you're feeding twice a week, it is constantly in the digestive process, which may put more stress on the animal than you'd think. Unless she's totally emaciated, in which case, I'd want an experienced vet's professional opinion on how best to feed her and get her strong again.

Would love to see pictures!!

[6StringSamurai]

Provent-a-Mite ordered. You can never be too careful with this kind of stuff.

I wouldn't say she's emaciated, but I'll try to borrow a digital camera and get some pics up tonight.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[frankykeno]

I'd stick with a good meal every 7 days and just slowly build her back up plus using that Provent-A-Mite. You don't need those nasty things back again. Also I'd really suggest a fecal float done when she next passes feces. It's not overly expensive and with her poor care in the past and being infested with mites and all that, well a fecal would be my next step to rule out any other issues with her weight. Of course a good going over by an experienced herp vet is never a bad thing. If she came from a breeder, did she come with the mites or did they get into the collection through another snake?

Quarantine is your safest bet when it comes to adding snakes to any collection.

[cassandra]

I'll agree with the regular 7 day feed; slow and steady wins the race here. I tried to feed twice a week after treating my BCC for mites and was rewarded with a regurge, which slowed her recovery down even more (granted, baby BCC are more prone to regurges, but still).

But as always, your absolute best bet would a professional recommendation from a good reptile vet. =)