Question about Provent-a-Mite and paper substrate...

We just switched our BP's over to packing paper as a substrate in anticipation of getting our new Animal Plastics enclosure finished. However, with the new tank, we were planning on using PAM for the first time.

On the PAM directions, it says to let it dry completely, so as not to be harmful for the snakes. If water got onto the paper after it dried, could that reactivate the chemicals and cause it to be harmful to snakes again? Just a hypothetical situation that my boyfriend thought up and wanted an answer to before we accidentally did something wrong.

No if it's dry it's dry. Snakes will spill water either if its five minutes after its completely dry or 5 days, it doesn't matter.

Do you actually have a mite problem? PAM is dangerous stuff that in my opinion shouldn't be used as a preventative measure. It can even be dangerous to people. There are other products that aren't as dangerous and some that are safe enough to apply directly to a BP. These safer chemicals are what I would use as a preventative measure... the atomic bomb that is PAM simply isn't necessary and is just too risky.

But if a snake actually has mites PAM is the first thing that I would use. You have to determine when the good outweighs the bad.

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

Do you actually have a mite problem? PAM is dangerous stuff that in my opinion shouldn't be used as a preventative measure. It can even be dangerous to people. There are other products that aren't as dangerous and some that are safe enough to apply directly to a BP. These safer chemicals are what I would use as a preventative measure... the atomic bomb that is PAM simply isn't necessary and is just too risky.

But if a snake actually has mites PAM is the first thing that I would use. You have to determine when the good outweighs the bad.

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I usually agree with you, but I have to say I don't on this topic. Mites are one of last things you want to deal with, that being said I now treat all my tubs with Pam before a snake goes in. The best defense for mites is a good offense.

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Originally Posted by Rob

I usually agree with you, but I have to say I on this topic. Mites are one of last things you want to deal with, that being said I now treat all my tubs with Pam before a snake goes in. The best defense for mites is a good offense.

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But the other mite killers work too and are so much safer. I agree that nothing beats PAM if you actually have mites but it is so dangerous that I just can't justify the risk if there aren't any mites.

No mites, but seeing as this is the big shift from our temporary holdings to our new T-8, ( well the switch will happen on Tuesday). So I planned on treating tonight where I can leave the T-8 outside to air out and dry. I figured being able to give a 48 hour dry period was a good chance at some preventative treatment.

Not to mention that we've picked up two different snakes from two different expos, and one from Petsmart; we're already really lucky that we haven't had a problem before we got the PAM in, because that was probably pushing our luck. And I'm not sure how quick we'd see mites appear, so I guess we might not even be out of the woods yet.

I promise you that the T8 didn't come with mites lol...

Once again there are much safer chemicals that will be more than adequate as a preventative measure. I mean the active ingredient in PAM has been linked to causing cancer... not the stuff I want to be around unless it is necessary.

If you have mites you will know fairly quickly.

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

Once again there are much safer chemicals that will be more than adequate as a preventative measure. I mean the active ingredient in PAM has been linked to causing cancer... not the stuff I want to be around unless it is necessary.

If you have mites you will know fairly quickly.

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What then would you recommend? I'm dealing with a mite outbreak at the moment as in I am cleaning tubs and soaking one of my females as I type this. :rage: I have a confirmed outbreak of the nasty little blood suckers and am treating everything with P.A.M. In the future, as a preventative measure as I would very much like to avoid having to deal with the little vampires ever again, what treatments or products do you recommend for prevention rather than for an actual infestation?

On a side note, I quarantine all of my animals for at least 90 days and haven't added anything new recently. However, I don't pre-treat the tubs with P.A.M. as I have also read up on the chemical compounds and their potential risks and would like to keep the two eyes I currently have without growing three or four additional! So, that said, what's a good way to avoid having a repeat of this in the future? Not buying anymore snakes isn't an option if anyone would even dare to suggest that, lol! Thanks in advance! :gj:

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Originally Posted by youbeyouibei

What then would you recommend? I'm dealing with a mite outbreak at the moment as in I am cleaning tubs and soaking one of my females as I type this. :rage: I have a confirmed outbreak of the nasty little blood suckers and am treating everything with P.A.M. In the future, as a preventative measure as I would very much like to avoid having to deal with the little vampires ever again, what treatments or products do you recommend for prevention rather than for an actual infestation?

On a side note, I quarantine all of my animals for at least 90 days and haven't added anything new recently. However, I don't pre-treat the tubs with P.A.M. as I have also read up on the chemical compounds and their potential risks and would like to keep the two eyes I currently have without growing three or four additional! So, that said, what's a good way to avoid having a repeat of this in the future? Not buying anymore snakes isn't an option if anyone would even dare to suggest that, lol! Thanks in advance! :gj:

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For a confirmed outbreak of mites I would use PAM as nothing works as well.

As a preventative measure I would use this:

http://www.reptilebasics.com/reptile-relief-8-oz.