YIPES! Mites!

Jackson has mites. Yuck. I thoroughly sprayed his tank and hides with the MiteOff, as well as Jackson himself. It says on the label to wait three days before treating again. I am just so freaked out!
Anywho, I am pretty positive he didnt have them when I got him, and he is my only reptile, so where could he have gotten them? I just want to be careful not to get them again!
Also, it's feeding day... should I just proceed with the feeding or wait till they're gone?
Thanks!

MiteOff does not work and will not eradicate mites fully (It will/might take care of the adult stage but not the other stages which will lead to a re-infestation) what you need to do is purchase Provent A Mite and follow the instruction to a T. http://www.pro-products.com/index.ph...d=53&Itemid=59

Because you did not see mites on him when you got him does not mean 1 wasn't there, all it takes is one to lay it's eggs and 30 days later you have an infestation.

deborah is right, even eggs can travel in with a snake a start and infestation. the fact that you only have one snake to deal with is a blessing. My homespun technique which ive posted before workes grear for me. If not in a shed cycle, give him a warm bath in a contain sized so he that he doesn't have to swim in it, add a squirt of dawn dwl to the water and give him about 30 minutes. meanwhile replace all bedding and give everything else a mild clorox washdown. 7-10 days later do it all again. that second time interval is important because it interrupts the life cycle and eliminates any survivors before they are old enough to lay more egg which are much harder to eliminate and lead to a new infestation. breaking the cycle is the key. once its over, its over. just my opinion, ezra

ezraIII uses a similar way to what I do myself. I go a little farther and make sure the enclosure is isolated from the rest of the room (mites will travel up to 2m away to lay eggs) so I use a tub if the snake is not in one I'll super clean the enclosure and place a no pest strip in the empty one while the snake is in the temporary tub. The tub I place in a second tub filled with diatomaceous earth or water with oil in it (enough oil that there is no water showing) so the mites cannot enter or leave and clean the tub out every 3 days and I mean spotless clean soaked in just off boiling water fully covered.

I don't like using chemical and don't mind some elbow grease. Chemicals can take the place of labour but they also up the risk factor.

Mite eggs can safely survive in the corners of your enclosure, cracks in hides, under scales, etc. The ONLY way to be 100% sure to eliminate your mite problem is Prevent-A-Mite. It lays dorment in your snakes tub and is there waiting as mite eggs hatch. Other methods will work but you have to be very lucky to have the perfect timing to interupt the life cycle of the mite. I use Reptile Relief, pretty much the same as your Mite Off, on the snake itself but treat all tubs, hides, bedding, with Provent-A-Mite. I'm not knocking how others treat mites....just letting you know a sure fire way to eliminate them.

Other methods take lots of work. I work with chemical a lot toxic nasty ones in some cases. I really don't want to add yet another carcinogenic chemical to my life. P_A_M works but it does not mean other methods do not.

Mite eggs cannot survive under 90ºC water for 30 min. It simply is not going to. It takes tons of labour and spotless cleaning of the entire room. Ideally when the snake arrive it is placed in a quarantine area that is isolated from the room. (tub in a tub) so mites cannot hide in the room and cannot survive outside the enclosure tub. It is always chemicals or labour. I hate using carcinogens I know snakes are not really a high risk for cancer by I am.

Is it only sold online? I kinda want it todayish... called a couple pet stores and they don't have it... :(

I beleive it is only available online. But overnight shipping Is wonders.


Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com

I have read in several places (could have sworn I saw a caresheet on this site somewhere about it) that you can treat mites with Nix, which is easily found in any pharmacy (Walmart, etc.). You dilute a bottle in a gallon of distilled water, then use it as a spray. I have never tried it and would suggest you search for information about it before embarking down that path.

You can also search for Reptile Relief. It is another good product.

Edit to post link for Nix Treatment: http://triplemoonsexotic.com/article...ite-treatment/

Nix solution works wonders.

I would recommend it.