Anyone tried predatory mites to get rid of snake mites?

So I found out there is a natural way to get rid of mites. Stratiolaelaps scimitus are the name of the these predatory mites which feed on other mites and stuff. I was reading that they have been used it UK and work great. You can get them here as well but I never knew about it and just found it. I guess you just put them in the snakes enclosure and they will breed and eat reptile mite adults, eggs and juveniles. They breed in the substrate and don't hurt reptiles or anything else and once the reptile mites are gone, the predatory ones just die off as they don't have food anymore. Sounds like a great ultra safe way to eradicate snake mites. Anyone try them yet? I'm pretty OCD about my reptiles so I luckily have never had to deal with snake mites *knock on wood* but nice to know there is a purely safe method that works like little seeker missiles lol.

How intriguing!

I'd like to know more as well.:please:

Yeah Sau, i heard about them and also heard several success stories. Me personally, i dont think i could stomach seeing anything crawling in my reptile enclosures except the reptiles themselves. I am a believer in the proventamite theory and treatment. Natural chemistry for the setup and proventamite for the kill. Just my preference. :)

In a natural viv, with a soil type substrate, mostly likely yes. In my snake bins and qt tanks...never.

A friend of mine used them with success. If I had known about them I would have given it a try over chemicals when I had an outbreak.

Yeah sounds like a great alternative to chemicals. I guess they have been used to control garden pests and stuff. I think they also use them to control grain mites as well. Nature at its best :)

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Originally Posted by Albert Clark

Yeah Sau, i heard about them and also heard several success stories. Me personally, i dont think i could stomach seeing anything crawling in my reptile enclosures except the reptiles themselves. I am a believer in the proventamite theory and treatment. Natural chemistry for the setup and proventamite for the kill. Just my preference. :)

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Yeah the idea of more crawlies is a little disturbing but I never really liked using chemicals near any of my animals. I do like the fact that will seek out and eat the eggs, larvae, juveniles and adults of snake mites. I guess they breed in a day or 2 and even the babies eat snake mites lol. So I guess in a few days they could have an overrun setup cleaned up spotless. Just figure i'd throw it out there for people who didn't know and want an alternative to chemicals. I actually just found out a few days ago about them myself from reading about people in UK using them with extremely good success on large collections. Anyways, food for thought :)

I just found few mites, im gonna give this a try. I just ordered a £50 tub from eBay to treat my 4 vivs.
I will report back.

I'm using Cheyletus eruditus mites.

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Originally Posted by Justin83

I'm using Cheyletus eruditus mites.

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Keep Us posted.

i am currently trying to figure out what my girl is doing.. she just went into the water bowl today:sigh2: ...
i use hot water to steam up the enclosures and raise the humitidy a lil just a lil thing i do.. she went into it at like 12-1.. and when I left for class at 4 she was still in there … so now I'm concerned.. she was quarantined and on white paper towel for the 1st few weeks.. maybe last cleaning and today I used news paper.. so now I'm just use the paper towel on all them after todays feeding.. it is just going to be her anyways due to the other guys going blue.. so idk .. I hope she was just looking for a warm soak today .. *finger crossed
anyone see their snakes take a bath not relating to mites?

initially after quarantine, on white paper towel for 1st 4-5 cleanings, and no signs .. I've read many other articles .. now im looking at it.. I did handle some snakes at an expo and at a pet store .. never did I go straight home and go straight to my snakes.. but the clothes .. maybe .. now that I see this soaking .. maybe I did my gal some injustice smfh

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Originally Posted by Justin83

I'm using Cheyletus eruditus mites.

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I hate exposing my pets (or myself, for that matter) to any more chemicals than I have to...I much prefer natural methods & would love to hear more about these
predatory mites as well.

My one hesitation is wondering how they find their prey? -by vision? by scent? I'd be worried that they could miss one or two & then the nasties would re-emerge.