mite introduction...

How are mites introduced to a snake? Do they just pop out of no where? or do they necessarily need to be exposed to another snake that has mites.

I'm just curious as to if any sort of exposure can lead to my BP getting mites. I guess my question is poorly worded, but I'm just trying to find out if you can get mites any way if your tank/snake never had it before and it was captively bred.

Well, mites can't just 'pop up' they have to come from somewhere.. but you can inadvertently bring home mites from a pet store or anywhere else that houses infested snakes.

If I go to a pet store that has snakes, I don't handle mine until after I've changed my clothes, washed my hands, and preferably had a shower. Mites are no fun.

I had a freind who got them from the live rodents he got from a pet store. Apparently they had a bad mite problem and it got on the rodents (they must have been close to the reptiles). So now he only buys frozen thawed and never had the problem again.

Interesting enough wild BP's in Africa don't get mites, they are from Asia. Poor guys gotta travel here to get them.

For an in depth loook a snake mites, VPI has a great article.

http://vpi.com/publications/the_life...of_snake_mites


I hope I am allowed to post that link.