Mites, need help!!!

Yesterday was feeding day and my girl didnt eat so I left the rat in her tub overnight to see if she would eat, when I put the rat in there I saw no mites at all, but today when I went to check to see if she ate it there were mites crawling on the tub lid and when I opened the tub they were everywhere. So naturally I checked everyone else and the only other one that had them was a male that was directly under her. Could they be from the rat? What can I do to get rid of them. Ive never had a mite problem this bad before and im really jumpy from seeing all the mites on her.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by worldcupkeeper

What can I do to get rid of them.

---

http://www.pro-products.com/miteandtemp.html

Kills the mites, kills the eggs, acts as a barrier to keep the mites from returning ... no other product works as well as Provent -a- mite ... it's the best. ;)

-adam

Do regular pet shop carry it? If I order it will they be ok until it arrives?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by worldcupkeeper

Do regular pet shop carry it? If I order it will they be ok until it arrives?

---

They'll be fine ... you could soak them periodically over the weekend and just keep cleaning the heck out of their cages until it arrives.

If you call today, you should be able to get it overnighted for Monday.

-adam

I already have the female in a tank (too big for the soaking tub) for a soak. The 2 that have them came from the same reptile shop, so maybe they had them before I got them but I never noticed. Should I switch the substrate to newspaper until the spray gets here?

Probably not. Its a super special secret product that pet shops aren't cool enough to carry. It's like doomsday for mites though!

In the mean time, you can soak your snake (in a secure container, filled with about 1-2" of tepid water) for about 30 mins to an hour. This will drown some of the adult mites and keep your overall infestation down (less adults = less eggs = less new mites) until your provent-a-mite comes. If there are a lot of adults, put a couple drops of dish soap or hand soap in the soak, that seems to help kill more mites faster (the mites are able to create surface tension around them when they are submerged, allowing them to live longer underwater, the soap breaks that surface tension).

Mite eggs take about 3 weeks to hatch ... so a new arrival in the last 3 - 6 weeks could have been loaded with eggs and no visible mites ... 3 weeks later the eggs hatch ... another week or so for them to get big enough to see ... and presto.

I would move EVEYTHING onto newspaper until you kill them all.

-adam

we just called the reptile shop where we got the two snake at and asked if they had it and they actually do carry it. Its $21 there so we are leaving soon to go get some.

Damn, thats awesome they carry it! $21 is a good price too....if you were to get it shipped you'd pay that plus another 5 bones to ship it.

Make sure its Provent-a-Mite and not mite-off or anything like that....all mite control products ARE NOT created equally...

we asked if its was Provent-a-mite and not anything else and they said that it was Provent-a-mite.

That's awesome your local store has it...in all the pet and reptiles stores I've been to, only LLL Reptile carried it in stock.

DEATH TO MITES! Rawr!

I just got back from getting it and when we asked about it at the shop he had it in a cabinet next to his desk and noone except for him could get to it, it also came with a LONG lecture and a manual. I guess sunday ill give it a go.

heed the lecture and follow the directions to a T. used wrong it will kill your snakes!!!:eek: it will kill the mites.



vaughn

Let me guess...remove water dish and spray on good. Wait at least ten minutes before putting snake back in. That stuff is potent. I finally broke down and bought some too. Works great, but it isn't supposed to be used all the time due to health problems if used too much. I only had to use it once and six months later...still no mites. You made a great choice.

yeah I know not to spray too much and to remove the snake until all the vapors are gone. The guy was pretty much lectureing us on the directions and how to get them off the snake, very intense guy when it comes to talking about snakes ;)

Sorry about the mites Aric but I think it's great that not only does that store carry it (so does one of our local pet stores) but that they actually take the time to dispense it properly. Sounds like they are striving to be a good, responsible pet store and lord knows that's a rarity unfortunately.


Now off you go fully army Mighty Mite Killer :sabduel:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by frankykeno

I think it's great that not only does that store carry it (so does one of our local pet stores) but that they actually take the time to dispense it properly. Sounds like they are striving to be a good, responsible pet store and lord knows that's a rarity unfortunately.

---

Yeah they are really great there, he was telling me how he uses the spray for all of his tanks. The guy has been in the business for nearly 45 years and is really knowledgeable about reptiles. Plus hes got the cheapest prices on any snake that ive ever seen.