Mites & Other problems

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Originally Posted by KayleighBrown

Is it possible it's just from rubbing?

I always watch my snakes when I feed them, and They've never been bitten by any one of their meals. I am a very paranoid mom.

Kaa did not have this problem the last time he was fed, otherwise I would of posted about this sooner.

As for the PAM stuff, do I have to order it online or can I buy it at a store somewhere? I don't know if Petco has it, and I don't believe ReptileWorld has it either, as they are the only two stores with Reptile stuff in my local area.

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Yes it's possible that it's from rubbing. One year I had several hatchlings come up with identical wounds that looked a lot like that one. Turned out that they were rubbing their heads in a certain place on the lid of a tub I was using. Changed to a different tub and the wounds went away and were unnoticeable after several sheds. I don't know about this mite off product as I've never used it, there are a number of mite remedies out there that aren't worth the bottle they come in. I personally use Provent-a-mite or other Permethrin based products. PAM is good because it stays in the environment for a long time and kills mites as they hatch so you aren't re-infested. Spray the enclosure down good and let it dry completely before putting your snake back in.

I've personally used Provent-a-mite when I had an outbreak of the little buggers and I still treat all my cages once a month just to be safe. They can be hard to get rid of. Also read about using the stuff for humans called Nix for hair mites. There are guides online that tell you how to water it down and use it. You can get PAM directly from http://pro-products.com/ they were the cheapest when I was shopping and they even have a sale going on right now. Have not heard good things about Mite Off. Good luck! =)

Also personally have used betadine to keep reptile wounds disinfected! Good stuff. Neosporine WITHOUT the pain relievers is also a good choice. He may always have a little mark but it should go away over time with shedding.

I had purchased Triple Antibiotic Ointment by Dr. Sheffields. It doesn't have any pain killers and it was cheaper, but here's the thing. It and the regular brand of Neosporin has Neomycin Sulfate in it, isn't that ingrediant bad for snakes?

Should I have my husband get Polysporin instead?

Personally I prefer bacitracin. Yes neosporin is nice but for me and my brats its bacitracin all the way. I also completely agree with the PAM treatment. It works great to get rid of the little buggers. I tried the Nix solution and it didn't work for me. So I am now a firm believer in PAM. It will take a little bit to get rid of them but it can be done. Good luck and I hope everything turns out great.

Looks like he's rubbing on something, possibly trying to escape.

Buy Provent a Mite. Seriously. It's the best. Don't even bother messing around with other crap while the infestation potentially gets worse.

Treat ALL incoming snake's enclosures with Provent a Mite, too and you won't have to worry about it anymore.

PAM hands down, and you can use it in sync with Reptile Relief/Spray by Natural Chemistry. Reptile Relief is safe to spray on the snake just avoid the head. Once it's dry it loses it's effectiveness though. PAM you can treat the enclosure(remove water bowl first) and use following the instructions on the can. It takes about 15 minutes for the PAM to dry(fumes are the dangerous part) and then it bonds to the surface which it's sprayed. Mites can walk up to 11 inches per minute if I'm not mistaken so while you may be dealing with the ones in his tank there is still going to be some in the room and wandering around for another host. So you have to be proactive with your approach. Treat your snake, then treat the enclosure and the lips/base/sides of the tubs. You can also treat the area around the rack and since mites can climb I treat the cords to the thermostat that plug into the wall. Then when you have an animal in QT you treat the openings on it's enclosure as well. PAM lasts for 30 days but they've said that sometimes it'll last 60 and longer. I wouldn't risk it and I'd do it every 30 days for a minimum of 3 months, due to eggs and stuff. Mites in the perfect conditions can live up to 40 days.

PAM was designed for snake mites and while other stuff like RID and Nix have permethrin it's not the same chemical. I'll give you the link below.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...=1#post2195777