Why are there so many mite outbreaks lately??

I don't really understand this.. Maybe it's because I've only dealt with them once years ago on one snake. Ever since then I take measures to prevent it from ever happening again. I rarely ever go to expos and if I do I use hand sanitizer if I touch anything, I don't go in my snake room that day after getting home, and my clothes and body are immediately washed afterward.. Plus I never buy anything unless I know the person well or have researched them and their BOI. Not to mention strict quarantine in a different room...

Ive never seen so many mite outbreaks in such a short period of time and it worries me that people are becoming careless. Breeders are becoming careless by selling infested stock, and buyers are buying just anything from anywhere just because they have to take any snake they can get.

I also see a lot of bedding excuses.. Here's my take on that. Snake mites are species specific and will die if they have no snake to feed on within a short period of time. They also have a short life span and breeding cycle of only a few weeks. Yes the eggs of certain insects can go dormant until the proper conditions exist but does anyone know for certain if this can happen with snake mites?

I've personally experimented with every type of bedding and substrate available through the years on and off. I've never seen anything other than wood mites come in on certain types of cypress.

What is everyone else's take on the mite outbreaks lately? Doesn't it seem a bit out of hand? I'd like to hear honest opinions and views from veterans also since I know -some- of the newer generation of keepers don't believe it to be as serious as we do.

Im someone newer to balls, however I take advice from a buddy whose been breeding a while. When I got snakes from NARBC I used black knight sprayed the tubs, added bedding and then miste it. Haven't had an issue luckly.

Ive noticed this as well. I'm guessing theres alot of new inexperienced owners not doing proper quarantines or taking precautions when handling other's snakes.

Yeah now that you mention it, its come up a lot lately. Im going through it myself atm for the first time. Its my fault, i should have known better than to buy from an unknown source.

I practice very strict quarantine and still received snakes with mites. My boyfriend bought me the snakes for Christmas, and about a week later I noticed the mites. They spread like wildfire in the week that it took the PAM to arrive. I agree that I definitely should have been better prepared and had PAM on hand, but like most people, you never expect it to happen to you. I assume the recent string of outbreaks has a lot to do with how quickly this hobby is growing. Mites spread like wildfire anyways, and even if someone picks up a single mite/egg from another breeder or store you're screwed. It can take a little while to actually notice mites on them or in the enclosure, so they send out snakes that they don't know have mites or eggs, and it's just a vicious cycle.

It's scary. I have been reading so many mite threads. Haven't noticed if they seem to be geographically close, or if they are all over. I have never *knock on wood* had mites. But from all the threads I have seen, out of pure paranoia ordered a can of pam- just in case. I can't stand it if my dog or cat has A flea on them! Nasty little bugs don't belong on any of my babies!

Hey now, I'm one of those with a current mite problem. I take preventative measures against mites, my newest is in quarantine and has been pre-treated for mites, and I haven't even been to a pet store in a month and a half. My newer snake isn't even the one with mites, it's the one I've had for a while. (I really don't know where they came from...) I just treated my entire rack not even a month ago when I received it, even though there's only one snake in it.
I'm not especially experienced in ball pythons, but I think I'm really anything but careless. I try really hard to do everything right, and stuff happens sometimes that sucks... like mites, for example.
I have noticed that there has been a lot of reports of mites on here, though... It's just that whats so awesome about forums is that you can ask specific questions that fit your exact issue and get an educated answer for it.

At this point there should be a "I have mites!" sticky thread.

Something we see with outbreaks in people is that when more people come forward and say they have it it makes it look more prevalent, even though the transmission rate may be unchanged. So, just because we see a spike in people talking about it, does not mean there is a spike in incidents. Just a perceived spike related to the current buzz.

A good deal of caution should also be taken when buying your rodents from pet stores. Dirty pet stores that have mites will also have mites on their rodents

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Originally Posted by snake lab

A good deal of caution should also be taken when buying your rodents from pet stores. Dirty pet stores that have mites will also have mites on their rodents

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This is true but again, snake mites won't be on rodents and vice versa. I did buy 3 mice from petco a year ago that ended up being infested with mites. Thankfully I'd put them in a tank far from my other rodents and put a layer of flea powder on the floor to prevent any stragglers from traveling. This is not what I'm talking about though.

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Originally Posted by Foschi Exotic Serpents

This is true but again, snake mites won't be on rodents and vice versa.

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If mites can hitch a ride home with a person after a show, why can't they hitch a ride on a rodent? Seems entirely plausible, and still a rather significant number of people believe that rodents are a source for mites.

Does anyone think this extremely warm winter could have anything to do with it??? Where I live, I would normally never see ticks this time of year, but I have recently seen a few.

I do believe though that this recent rash of mite threads(I've noticed as well) is merely coincidental and the people who have them are starting threads.

They most certainly can hitch a ride on rodents. A guy that buys rodents from me on a regular basis needed larges one week and i didnt have enough for him ready so he went up to a local pet store. And he got mites from the rodents he bought. I know he did cause i was at his house the night after to sex a few of his snakes and there were still mites on a couple rats he hadnt fed yet. Luckilly it was caught quick and infestation was everted but they can come home from rodents if there are mites where the rodents came from

I imagine it's possible (italics) if the rodents are kept close to mite infested snakes, for one or two to hitch a ride if they crawl onto a rodent but again, snake mites are species specific... They will not feed on rodents. The mite infested rodents have rodent mites. These mites will not infest your snakes.

When I first started breeding rats a few years ago the starter colonies I got from a guy in Indiana had mites. They quickly moved to my ASFs. All my rodents were in the same room as 2 of my BP racks. While these mites were fast moving and clearly visible crawling around, they did not, and never would have gotten on my snakes. It was a pain to rid my colonies of them but perseverance and patience and before long everyone was itch free.

It is quite common for pet store rodents to have mites but again, I'm talking about snake mites...

If one or two did get on a rodent, it would not feed, it would not breed, and it would not survive very long.

I highly doubt the rodents at pet stores that are visibly crawling with mites have snake mites on them. It is one thing to be at an expo and handle a snake with mites, brush against someone who has, etc, and get one on you. It is an entirely different matter to expect a snake mite to willingly be on a mammal which it can not survive on for any period of time in a pet store such as a rodent. Especially when they are usually housed pretty far from the snakes.

When I see someone has a mite problem, orders PAM, and then does the treatment, I almost expect to see them have another outbreak about 15 days later. During the week you're waiting for your PAM to show up, LOTS of eggs are being kicked out. Some of these eggs get outside of the enclosures when you're trying to clean things up. A couple of these eggs hit the carpet or floor, the floor doesn't get treated with PAM, and next thing you know, you have mites again...

I have been bathing mine and cleaning the heck out of everything it seems I'm winning the war with these a holes, Pam comes in. Tomorrow I'm paming the house..........in moderation of course

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Originally Posted by Slim

When I see someone has a mite problem, orders PAM, and then does the treatment, I almost expect to see them have another outbreak about 15 days later. During the week you're waiting for your PAM to show up, LOTS of eggs are being kicked out. Some of these eggs get outside of the enclosures when you're trying to clean things up. A couple of these eggs hit the carpet or floor, the floor doesn't get treated with PAM, and next thing you know, you have mites again...

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You have a great point. This is why when I use to give advice on mite treatment threads I'd always tell people to run to the pet store or Walmart and pick up a container of flea powder for the carpet. Put this all over the carpeting around the racks, in the room, along doorways, etc. leave it there all week before vacuuming until the PAM gets there. Of course you can't do this if you have hardwood floors but in that case you can do a good mopping every 2 days with a mild ammonia and water mixture.

Then just don't let any reptilian critters or small animals on the floor. It's safe for dogs and cats though.

Another great thing to do is pick up a can of generic lice spray and use it to spray the shelves that the tubs are on, the floors around the racks, or if it's an aquarium, spray a border around the table it sits on and around the floor. Make it so nothing can leave that area or come into it.

Knowing what products are available in a pinch and using a little ingenuity can help you stop the spread of the mites to other snakes, and help prevent a population explosion while waiting for the PAM.

^^^^^^ great tips I'm going to grab some flea powder

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Originally Posted by Rob

^^^^^^ great tips I'm going to grab some flea powder

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Flea powder works great! I use it on the carpet in my snake room twice a year just as a precautionary measure against wood mites from bedding since my rat racks are in there too. I haven't seen so much as a spider in there in 2 years. I put it on the floor and leave it there for about 2 weeks. Then vacuum again very well. Bugs don't like that room lol!

Over 30 years ago I had a BP with mites. PAM wasn't around then so I had to spread mineral oil all over the snake. It killed the mites and the snake stayed slick until the next shed.

Hopefully I'll never see another mite.

I think, in rare cases, it is possible to get mites from snake bedding. The family owned pet store I buy my feeders from got in a shipment of infested baby balls and when I was checking them out I noticed the mites and suggested to the owner that he get some PAM since it was obvious the mite spray he claimed to be using was not working. The setup sits right up against another set of shelves where the owner keeps his snake bedding. I suggested moving it away, but I think in a case like that it's possible.

Sadly, I don't think you can get PAM in Florida anymore. So if I end up with mites...I'm in trouble. I have never had them *knock on wood*, thank goodness, but it's definitely something I look out for.

I know everyone loves pam but there are other things out there that works well without the toxic poisons. Reptile relief does work very well and you can spray directlly on the animal. I know people have said it wont kill eggs. Thats a load of crap. It will. Reptile basics sells it and if you cant get pam in florida you can get reptile relief. Mites are not a big problem. Infestation is and if uou have a full blown infestation then thats owners fault cause it takes time for an infestation.

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Originally Posted by snake lab

I know everyone loves pam but there are other things out there that works well without the toxic poisons. Reptile relief does work very well and you can spray directlly on the animal. I know people have said it wont kill eggs. Thats a load of crap. It will. Reptile basics sells it and if you cant get pam in florida you can get reptile relief. Mites are not a big problem. Infestation is and if uou have a full blown infestation then thats owners fault cause it takes time for an infestation.

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And this is something you and I can actually fully agree on..

Maybe I will order a can of reptile relief as well. As I hate to use any poisons, or anything "chemical" anywhere in my house or yard if I can help it. It can't be that bad if it can go on the animal. "Just on case" .... Guess I will be calling Rich again.... BTW, he's great.

Before I started buying snakes to build a breeding collection, I bought a few cans of PAM. I saw it as one of those necessities you just buy, along with water bowls, hides, etc.

I have no mite problems, nor have I ever.

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Originally Posted by Shadera

Before I started buying snakes to build a breeding collection, I bought a few cans of PAM. I saw it as one of those necessities you just buy, along with water bowls, hides, etc.

I have no mite problems, nor have I ever.

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x2 I know it's easy to see in hindsight, but I was lucky enough to get the advice for treating all new animals' enclosures preventatively, which means I had PAM before I had my first BP.

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Originally Posted by Shadera

Before I started buying snakes to build a breeding collection, I bought a few cans of PAM. I saw it as one of those necessities you just buy, along with water bowls, hides, etc.

I have no mite problems, nor have I ever.

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That is from the good voodoo of being prepared :gj: I did the same.

The one time I had mites, I saw mites crawling in puddles of Reptile Relief with no adverse effects. The mites did not abate until I got PAM in, the Reptile Relief didn't make a dent in it.

I used to spray my pants legs and shoes with PAM and Lysol after visiting expos or pet shows. Now I don't use PAM(since I'm hoarding what's left of my one can) but I still carry a bug spray to use on myself, just in case. Hand sanitizer isn't going to help mites, although it's still a good idea overall, for whatever else would be around.

Those must have been the invincible mites lol or someone switched your stuff with water. Now i will say the older version of reptile relief didnt seem to be as strong as what is now sold by rich called reptile spray. But that stuff rich has is awesome. It does work very well. I also cant use pam anymore cause i also do scorpions and spiders as a side project so i dont want to kill everything off