"Nix" headlice treatment as mite treatment?

[Peter Williams]

Hi, I just got home from an expo, and I have 5 new ball pythons to house, unfortunately I had no mite treatment ready. One of the breeders I bought from today (Rob Higgins of Outregius Reptiles) told me to buy a bottle of Nix headlice treatment, and mix it with a 4L jug of distilled water. I did this, but I cut down the quantity, 1/4 of the nix bottle to 1L of distilled water. I sprayed it on all the tubs, i sprayed the newspaper substrate, and the walls of the tub. I have yet to put any of my new bps in their tubs, I'm just wondering if it is safe for them? Has anyone ever heard of this treatment? Is it safe/effective?

[JLC]

I don't know what ratios people have used, but I have heard of people using a NIX mixture as a snake mite treatment. Some with success. However...without knowing exactly what you're doing, how much pesticide you're exposing your snakes to and how it might be ingested or absorbed by them...you risk exposing your snake to dangerous levels of pesticides.

Is it an automatic death sentence for snakes? Of course not. But the risk of illness or even death using a "homemade" remedy like that is much higher than if you used a tested and proven-safe method such as Provent-a-Mite.

The level of risk you want to take is up to you.

[Peter Williams]

Rob was very sure of the ratios and he uses the same mixure, I trust him.

[JLC]

Rob was very sure of the ratios and he uses the same mixure, I trust him.

Then you just answered yourself.

[catawhat75]

I know that some people do it and it works out just fine. However I used homemade mite brew and it killed off one and almost killed two more. This brew was made by someone with 40 years of reptile experience.
Here is a link to what happened.
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...highlight=died

I for one will never use a homemade brew again.

[reptile3]

I was told this works just as good as P-A-M

Repel Permanone, use it like you would if you had P-A-M

My Bp had 2 mites when I got him. I was so worried & didn't want to wait, so I bought this stuff at Wal mart in the Sporting Goods Section.

It's been 2 months, mite free, & my bp is doing just fine!!

I guess I did something right!!!

[TanyaL]

I know that some people do it and it works out just fine. However I used homemade mite brew and it killed off one and almost killed two more. This brew was made by someone with 40 years of reptile experience.
Here is a link to what happened.
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...highlight=died

I for one will never use a homemade brew again.

I'm so sorry for your loss! What a horrible thing!

OP - So many people here swear by PAM. Why risk your bp's health for a homemade brew. Spend the $20 and know that you have a treatment that is safe.