Substrate infested with mites alert!

SUBSTRATE INFESTED WITH MITES ALERT!
im posting this review everywhere - for ZOO MED FOREST FLOOR
I have bought this for awhile... the last batch (BOUGHT TWO WEEKS AGO) i just bought along with a NEW baby ball python (bought 3 weeks ago)... the last two weeks the new baby refused to eat... i had no idea why so i figured i would put in new substrate when i picked up his hide it was covered in wood mites! the substrate came infested! check all 5 of my other balls tanks to be sure it was the substrate and YUP all of them infested! I just spent the last 3 hours throwing every hide and substrate away, cleaning and spraying mite spray... now my snakes are sitting in their tanks with flowerpots and newspapers and glass and plastic bowls for water until i can afford to buy them all new hides (not made of wood) and try and find a non wood substrate for them.. this MAKES ME SO ANGRY! 3 BAGS OF 24 QT SUBSTRATE WASTED! $$$!! I HOPE MY SNAKES WILL BE OKAY!

Im seriously so angry:mad:...anyone know of any non wood substrates that can be used in tanks?? i do not want to have to worry about another infestation!

Are you sure they’re snake mites? If they came in forest floor then it’s more than likely wood mites.

Wood mites are harmless to snakes and are commonly found in any wood based substrate. They’re pretty annoying and gross but all they do is eat wood. You don’t have to throw your substrate away. Just put it in the freezer for a week to kill mites and eggs and you’re good to go.

While I wouldn't be thrilled to see in infestation of wood mites in my new substrate, they don't harm snakes...snake mites are different. I wouldn't risk exposing
my snakes to any mite killing products designed for snake mites UNLESS you are sure your snakes actually HAVE snake mites. Wood mites are annoying but they're
gone when you toss the substrate & any hides made of wood. New snakes should be kept on layers of white paper towels for the first couple weeks IMO, so that
you can easily see snake mites or blood/mucus in stools, etc.

I think some people bake their wood chips & branches (carefully on a low temp. in oven- 250* for 30-45 minutes or so) to reduce the risk of pests like this.
I do not think that the reason your new snake refused to eat has anything to do with wood mites...there are plenty of insects in the wild too, & snakes would
be oblivious to them unless they affect them as snake mites or ticks do.

There have been posts about people who 'suspect' that the snake mites their snake has came from a few "hitch-hikers" in products bought in a pet store where
the snakes may have mites...that's a whole different thing. Snake mites mostly stay close to their food source (snake blood) but can conceivably hitch-hike
on our clothing or in substrates, I just don't think it's all that common. What's MORE likely is that new snakes come home with a few mites that went un-
noticed until they reproduced (exponentially as they do) & became so numerous on the snake that they could no longer be missed.

If all you have are wood mites, be HAPPY!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by silverbill

Are you sure they’re snake mites? If they came in forest floor then it’s more than likely wood mites.

Wood mites are harmless to snakes and are commonly found in any wood based substrate. They’re pretty annoying and gross but all they do is eat wood. You don’t have to throw your substrate away. Just put it in the freezer for a week to kill mites and eggs and you’re good to go.

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I never said snake mites, as it says in my post wood mites that came in the forest floor bedding.. ITS DISGUSTING and there was so many on my new baby snakes hide its no wonder he wouldnt eat!

they are the white mites... and i threw away EVERYTHING wood and even removed all decor... like i said now there is only flower pots... water bowls and newspaper! the snakes are not happy... they dont have hides... im livid... when i mentioned it to the petco lady today when i went to pick up the mite stuff (natural chemistry) she just said well thats not good.. and did nothing..and i used the mite stuff to spray down the tanks and even tho i threw away the wood, I SPRAYED THAT TOO lol i just got out of the shower.. gross gross gross

You can use clean boxes (like cereal boxes & other food containers) as hides for the time being...your snakes DO need hides so they aren't stressed out.

hmmm good idea... ill do that... cause they are kinda freaking out..

When I've raised baby snakes that out-grow hides so quickly anyway I've often used little (clean) boxes for them & cut a little doorway; if the box is a little
too big, you can crumple a couple paper towels to put inside so the snakes feel snug. When these hides get dirty, toss 'em & make new ones...easy!

If you need to order some hides, Reptile Basics has good ones that aren't expensive & come in many sizes. http://www.reptilebasics.com/hide-boxes

I also put the remaining aspen (for the rodents) and the last 24 qt bag of forest floor that i have left in the freezer.. someone from one of my groups told me to freeze then take out and let it warm up then i can use it without fear of mites.. but said i need to wait awhile before i can re introduce substrate so there wont be re-infestation. Dude I feel so ghetto right now... no hides...no substrate... (they are all out because i just took away the flower pots..they werent hiding in them but underneath them lol)...yes hefty hefty, saltines and two cherrios boxes hahha...the one girl i did have a large hide box for her made of plastic...

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

When I've raised baby snakes that out-grow hides so quickly anyway I've often used little (clean) boxes for them & cut a little doorway; if the box is a little
too big, you can crumple a couple paper towels to put inside so the snakes feel snug. When these hides get dirty, toss 'em & make new ones...easy!

If you need to order some hides, Reptile Basics has good ones that aren't expensive & come in many sizes. http://www.reptilebasics.com/hide-boxes

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yea im going to order some from reptile basics thats the only plastic one i have is the only one i got from them for my female
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