Mites on my baby ball python :(

I've had my baby BP for less than a week and I just discovered he has mites :(

I saw a black speck on his neck a few days ago, dismissed it as nothing, until today the thought of mites popped up in my head. I'd read about them previously in my extensive research prior to purchasing my first BP and all of sudden, it occurred to me that black speck might have been a mite. I examined him again and didn't see the original black speck on his neck, but rather now there are two black specks in the grooves and scales under his chin. :mad:

Currently, my BP is soaking in warm water to drown the surviving mites and I'm vigorously scrubbing down his 16qt tub, his future tub, and a free aquarium style tank that I got from the breeder. Then I'm going to spray everything with a bleach-water solution. I trashed all the substrate and I am freezing the rest of the bag of substrate. The wood pieces I am planning to put in boiling water. I wiped down the area where I keep him and I'm going to wash some clothes I've worn recently.

Is there anything else I should be doing? I read that I have to do this for the next 4-6 weeks :confusd:

AND Where in the world did these mites come from? I've only had my BP for less than 1 week!

I am so sad to see this happening. :(

People are going to suggest PAM(prevent a mite).

I tried and liked Reptile Spray from Petco. Its safe directly on the animal when PAM is not. I killed the mites on three new arrivals in one treatment. Reptile Spray is also cheaper.

Provent-a-Mite is your friend. I treat enclosures before bringing a new animal into quarantine.

Ditch the substrate for now and switch to paper-towel.
You could also try the Nix/water trick.
http://www.albertareptilesociety.org/caresheet/Onix.pdf

Okay will do.

There is no Provent-a-mite at any of the pet stores near me but I will pick one up next week when I attend my local reptile convention.

I use PAM to treat the tubs/racks. If the infestation is really bad I would get reptile spray to spray on the snake and give it fast relief. I have used both products, and keep them both on hand for precaution.

PAM is a 0.5% permethrin solution. You can also make it using NIX lice treatment. There's a package sold with 2 2-oz bottles. Mix one of the 2-oz bottles with a gallon of water and spray the enclosure, hides, and paper towels you'll be using to line the enclosure. Let everything dry and put the snake back in. Do not spray the snake or water dish with it; some people will tell you it's ok, my vet said no it's not, the chance of permethrin poisoning is too high if it's applied to the snake, and it causes permanent neuro damage. I do use the Reptile Spray directly on the snake and it works, but I spray it onto a paper towel and wipe the snake with it, as it seems to stress them out less than being sprayed. I would also ditch the wooden hides, I've found that my BP's pooped and peed on them and that's just nasty to clean. Either get the ones from Reptile Basics or make your own plastic ones.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

PAM is a 0.5% permethrin solution. You can also make it using NIX lice treatment. There's a package sold with 2 2-oz bottles. Mix one of the 2-oz bottles with a gallon of water and spray the enclosure, hides, and paper towels you'll be using to line the enclosure. Let everything dry and put the snake back in. Do not spray the snake or water dish with it; some people will tell you it's ok, my vet said no it's not, the chance of permethrin poisoning is too high if it's applied to the snake, and it causes permanent neuro damage. I do use the Reptile Spray directly on the snake and it works, but I spray it onto a paper towel and wipe the snake with it, as it seems to stress them out less than being sprayed. I would also ditch the wooden hides, I've found that my BP's pooped and peed on them and that's just nasty to clean. Either get the ones from Reptile Basics or make your own plastic ones.

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I will check the pharmacy tomorrow morning to see if they carry Nix. As for Reptile Spray, I have never seen it for sale at my local pet stores. Tomorrow I will call around. If I cannot find it, hopefully I will find it at my local reptile expo next week. Thank you

I just noticed your in Canada. I don't think PAM in allowed to be imported there.

Reptile Spray was called Reptile Relief. Everything I have seen recently said Spray but I don't know how it is up there.

This link shows Reptile Relief and the makers name. Maybe that will help your search.
http://www.amazon.com/DeFlea-Reptile...=reptile+spray

What substrate are you using? My pastel got mites and I still have no idea if it came from the rep shop when I took her back in for help with a stuck shed or from her substrate I had recently changed.

I was using aspen and I have started to read that aspen can carry mites (not sure about other types of substrate) I switched to paper towels and have never looked back! You can bake aspen in the oven at 300 Fahrenheit and spray it well before use for complete peace of mind but I honestly swear by a paper towel substrate now and since doing so I haven't seen a single mite again!

I used something called Callington Mite Spray but I am UK based and no where stocks P-A-M so this is what I used, two treatments and they were gone!


Make sure you scrap all corners of the enclosure for stuck eggs and I'm sure you'll get rid of the critters :) I sometimes think dealing with these early on is helpful (looking back I realise I found it helpful) as you'll automatically know in future what to look for and what to do. Good luck OP :)

I've used PAM and the nix solution. I prefer PAM. I don't have to mix it. I had to order it online through because no one in my area sold it. I soaked the crap out of my snake also. Use paper towels or newspaper for a substrate while you're treating for mites. I've always used coco husk for a substrate on my girl. Don't freak you can get rid of them. It just takes time and patience. Good luck

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Originally Posted by Naom9Anne

What substrate are you using? My pastel got mites and I still have no idea if it came from the rep shop when I took her back in for help with a stuck shed or from her substrate I had recently changed.


I was using aspen and I have started to read that aspen can carry mites (not sure about other types of substrate) I switched to paper towels and have never looked back! You can bake aspen in the oven at 300 Fahrenheit and spray it well before use for complete peace of mind but I honestly swear by a paper towel substrate now and since doing so I haven't seen a single mite again!


I used something called Callington Mite Spray but I am UK based and no where stocks P-A-M so this is what I used, two treatments and they were gone!




Make sure you scrap all corners of the enclosure for stuck eggs and I'm sure you'll get rid of the critters I sometimes think dealing with these early on is helpful (looking back I realise I found it helpful) as you'll automatically know in future what to look for and what to do. Good luck OP

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I -was- using Reptibark. I tossed the substrate that was in the tub, and I'm currently freezing the rest of the bag. Right now, my BP is on paper towel and will probably keep it like that for the next 3-6 weeks.


Thank you for the tip on baking aspen beforehand. I still have two huge bags of aspen and reptibark so I'll probably freeze and bake them before I use them again in the future.


I am in Canada and I did not find any Reptile Spray, Provent-A-Mite or Callington Mite Spray at any of the shops.


Last night I scrubbed with hot water and soap, rinsed, then soaked in 10% bleach solution, and rinsed and I also bathed my BP in warm water. I'm planning to do a nix spray in one week.

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Originally Posted by kittymeow

I -was- using Reptibark. I tossed the substrate that was in the tub, and I'm currently freezing the rest of the bag. Right now, my BP is on paper towel and will probably keep it like that for the next 3-6 weeks.


Thank you for the tip on baking aspen beforehand. I still have two huge bags of aspen and reptibark so I'll probably freeze and bake them before I use them again in the future.


I am in Canada and I did not find any Reptile Spray, Provent-A-Mite or Callington Mite Spray at any of the shops.


Last night I scrubbed with hot water and soap, rinsed, then soaked in 10% bleach solution, and rinsed and I also bathed my BP in warm water. I'm planning to do a nix spray in one week.

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I would double check I was correct on the temperature to bake at as I was trying to remember the temp from another thread as I don't work well in farenheit! Don't let mites bother you, you've found out early enough and they'll soon be a memory :) I remember being panicked!

A way I was told to check they were mites was to pop them, if blood comes out they are mites. I found that helpful :)

Let us know how it goes :) You can always order one offline and just soak and scrub the enclosure with a bleach solution to try to kill any eggs until it arrives?

My juvenile Spider got mites right before she shed. I talked to the owner of a local shop about my concerns with spraying chemicals, especially during the shedding process. He taught me a little trick that I never heard before, so I gave it a try and it worked great!

Use 1-2 caps of DAWN dish soap (apparently Dawn is the only brand to provide results) and dilute it into 8-10oz of water. Use a spray bottle to spray down the snake in a clean tub. Obviously avoid spraying the snakes head. If you need to treat the neck area, run your fingers gently up the snakes body, pushing the solution towards the neck. After you've treated the snake with the solution, rinse in lukewarm water.

I was skeptical at first, but I was pleasantly surprised with the results. It killed the mites and she shed without any issues. I repeated the process after she shed, treated both snakes' enclosures with PAM and I haven't seen a mite since. Both are currently doing exceptionally well; feeding aggressively and living comfortably. :gj:

Hope this helps!

For anyone that gets their bedding from the pet store, I strongly suggest freezing the bedding before using it. Reptile mites cannot survive in bedding, but they can lay eggs and travel in it. The bedding is usually kept near the reptiles who may have mites. Just my two cents on the matter.

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I had this problem with my corn snakes a few months ago. I have a herpvet that comes to our local expos and he recommended "Proventamite". That stuff works like a charm. Just make sure all that is in the cage are decorations and bedding. No hide or water bowl. He recommended either boiling those or scrubbing them like hell. Whichever is easier for you. The reason proventamite is actually pretty good is that it kills the larval, and egg stages of mites rather than just killing the adults. I highly recommend it.