I guess I have mites...

I don't, but Jafar does. I just noticed a very small black dot running around on his head. I guess I am assuming this would be a mite. What problems do these cause and what can I do to treat it?

As far as I know, all that mites do is cause your snake to become very uncomfortable... I'm sure someone else here will give the full info on them.

As for treatment, the best stuff to use is PAM(Prevent-a-mite) which you can buy from most reptile supply stores. Make sure that you follow the directions!

Best of luck! :sunny:

Mites feed off the blood of your snake. Enough of the blood sucking little fiends, and your snake will become anemic. It's easy enough to treat, and the best stuff is Provent-a-mite.

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

If left untreated, the mites could multiply and start seriously draining your snake. Mites can also transfer diseases from snake to snake.

You'll be able to find Provent-A-Mite easily at online reptile supply stores.

The product called "Reptile Relief" will only kill adult mites, so do not rely on this product to fix your problem.

To repeat others Provent a mite works great the first try.

alright, thanks everybody. I will stop by some pet stores tomorrow and try to find a can. If I can't find it locally, I will order online.

Mites definately need to be dealt with fast. Unfortunately, I have never found a pet store that carries PAM.. you might have to order it online.
Its technical name is Provent A Mite.. it is priceless in killing mites; don't bother with anything else :)

One more question about these mites. Are these mites specific to reptiles, or can/will they be transferred to other pets and kids?

They are reptile specific, but they could jump on the kids/animals and transfer to other reptiles in your home (if there are any). But they aren't going to see them as a good host.

I purchased mine from http://www.entirelypets.com and you can also buy it from http://www.pro-products.com/ as well (I think they may even be a little less than Entirely Pets).

Snake mites are species specific however can "hitchhike" on other things like people and I assume a pet if it was in close contact, though I don't expect they could survive long without their host animal. If you are very concerned about this you can always pick up some Equate lice spray from WalMart and give the couch or whatever the snake's been crawling on a good blast. You probably have nothing to worry about that way really. If you have other snakes however you do need to worry about spreading mites to them.

For now while you locate and get some P.A.M., you should thoroughly clean the snake's enclosure, replace it's bedding with layers of plain white papertowels (easiest to see the pesky bugs on). You can bathe your snake in tepid water with a drop or two of dish soap (breaks the surface tension) to get rid of the mites on the snake. This is only a stop gap thing as it does not destroy any eggs so you still need the P.A.M. or you will end up with a reinfestation.

If you have children I'd just keep them from handling the snake until you get this under control and keep the snake quarantined as much as possible. Remember to use the P.A.M. exactly as directed (it does not get sprayed directly on the snake).

Went to my local pet store today and they actually had protect-a-mite in stock. I will give it a go tonight.

Thanks everybody.

I mean provent-a-mite. Don't worry, I'm not trying to protect the mites. :rolleye2:

Wow; you're lucky! I have never been able to find it in a retail store other than online.. cool beans!

our vet gave us something else but i'm not gonna say, but it worked the very first time... and you used just a little on a paper towel and wipe the snake down once neck to tail... some people i'm sure heard of it and have diff. opinions but due to get negative talk on other fourms i not gonna say.... but good luck with pam, some say it don't work...

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Originally Posted by KIBPLOVER

our vet gave us something else but i'm not gonna say, but it worked the very first time... and you used just a little on a paper towel and wipe the snake down once neck to tail... some people i'm sure heard of it and have diff. opinions but due to get negative talk on other fourms i not gonna say.... but good luck with pam, some say it don't work...

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Your vet probably gave you something similar to Reptile Relief, which is applied directly to the animal. While Reptile Relief does do a nice job of killing adult mites/ticks present on the body of the reptile, it does NOT kill off any eggs or larvae stages of the pests, and they will eventually return.

Provent-a-mite kills all insects and their eggs at all stages of development. MANY people here have come with a mite infestation and had them completely erradicated in ONE TREATMENT with PAM.

There's a lot of nay-sayers out there who advocate using other household products or other chemicals not intended for use on reptiles, and while these methods may be effective if you know what you're doing, you can kill your animal if you use it improperly. I see it as irresponsible to suggest a beginner should start mixing pesticides to apply to a live animal. I can't justify the risk, when you're talking about a difference of $20. Well worth it, in my opinion, for the peace of mind alone.

For the record PAM didn't clear up my snakes infestation, but my vet's recommended treatment did.

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Originally Posted by gibbrishclown

For the record PAM didn't clear up my snakes infestation, but my vet's recommended treatment did.

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after pm each other i see our vet sees eye to eye.. same treatment..

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Originally Posted by gibbrishclown

For the record PAM didn't clear up my snakes infestation, but my vet's recommended treatment did.

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How did you use it?

What treatment did your vet recommend? I'm not sure why you guys are being so hesitant about saying what it is...

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

How did you use it?

What treatment did your vet recommend? I'm not sure why you guys are being so hesitant about saying what it is...

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My only hesitation is that people could get ahold of this info and go try it out on their pet and since I'm no vet and can't forsee all the potential dangers it could kill someone's pet because they took my info from my vet for my snake and applied it to their pet, you know? I'm fine posting it, but thus far, this was my reasoning. :)

I laid out several layers of substrate and sprayed it with PAM so that all of the substrate got some on it, and then I left it set out while I cleaned his tank thoroughly... I was really careful to make sure the fumes wouldn't get to him, but I used a TON of PAM... My snake had a heavy infestation though. The vet was pulling Mites from the nose like crazy... :( Poor guy... but with the prescription treatment, he did great! Not a single sign of mites since!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gibbrishclown

My only hesitation is that people could get ahold of this info and go try it out on their pet and since I'm no vet and can't forsee all the potential dangers it could kill someone's pet because they took my info from my vet for my snake and applied it to their pet, you know? I'm fine posting it, but thus far, this was my reasoning. :)

I laid out several layers of substrate and sprayed it with PAM so that all of the substrate got some on it, and then I left it set out while I cleaned his tank thoroughly... I was really careful to make sure the fumes wouldn't get to him, but I used a TON of PAM... My snake had a heavy infestation though. The vet was pulling Mites from the nose like crazy... :( Poor guy... but with the prescription treatment, he did great! Not a single sign of mites since!

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How long did you go in between treatments?

Provent-a-Mite is effective for up to 30 days on the substrate which you applied it. My guess is that the PAM immediately killed off any adults that left the snake, and your vet's treatment took care of the mites that were on the body of the snake.

I don't think it would be inappropriate to share your treatment while mentioning that it should not be done without professional supervision.

we used 1 treatment on the snake and 1 in their house and bam none since.... its been a month and a week.

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Originally Posted by KIBPLOVER

we used 1 treatment on the snake and 1 in their house and bam none since.... its been a month and a week.

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It can take 5-6 weeks for mite egg/larvae to mature into adults, which is the only stage at which you'll detect them. You aren't home free quite yet if its only been a few weeks...

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

How long did you go in between treatments?

Provent-a-Mite is effective for up to 30 days on the substrate which you applied it. My guess is that the PAM immediately killed off any adults that left the snake, and your vet's treatment took care of the mites that were on the body of the snake.

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I got the snake on March 14th and the PAM came soon afterwards, let's say the 19th at the latest... I used it that day but by our vet appointment on March 30th, he was still as I said before covered in mites. That day I went out and bought carpet instead of the substrate I had (per the advice of the vet) and treated it with the vet's product and also wiped the snake down with a paper towel and the chemical... As you were saying to KIBPLOVER, I'm probably not out of the woods yet either with mites, but I don't have anymore showing!

I didn't mean to say that PAM didn't work at all, you're right that it probably did kill a lot of what he had... my only point was that it did not eradicate the problem in one swoop and I had to see the vet...

Oh, and the chemical from the vet: it was Frontline Spray. It is by prescription only, I believe, and it may not be safe for all snakes, but it did work for Nag... He got the slightest dosage on a paper towel and I had to be really good about water changes since he kept soaking with the chemical on him... make sure before you try this remedy that you talk to your vet about the risks vs. the benefits. The petstore he came from used some kind of flea treatment too... an over the counter, but they're the nasty pigs that sent him out the way he was, so I really take their advice with a grain of salt!

well we will tell ya , we are using FRONTLINE spray... and ours have already been back to the vet last monday for the recheck...

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Originally Posted by KIBPLOVER

well we will tell ya , we are using FRONTLINE spray... and ours have already been back to the vet last monday for the recheck...

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All clear? :carrot:

just to follow up before all the bs talk

here is a piece from ask a vet

I went tot his web sit "ask a vet" or something like that and I asked about the frontline. I got an email responde from the and this is what it said:


A visitor to VeterinaryPartner has submitted the following "AskAVet" question to the VPVCat Vet group.





A person I met is using Frontline mite treatment on their ball python.
Is this safe to use? They rub it on it using a paper towel. I know you have to regulate how much you put on a cat or dog how would just spraying on a towel then rubbing it onto a snake be safe?

VPVCat Vet group.

Answer: Frontline is not the same kind of safe product in snakes as it is in dogs and cats. It is certainly used in snakes with specific directions. Your friend should remove the water for 24 hours to keep the snake from soaking in the water and thus contaminating its drinking source. Frontline is certainly not approved for use in reptiles.

AltheaVet

Frontline, the recommended choice is a powerful mite killer and is excellent to clean the viv and surrounding areas, this will kill any roaming mites and all eggs.. it will also provide a residue to help afterwards, however, make sure there is no fumey smell remaining before a snake is placed back in the viv. I personally would recommend only using frontline directly on your snake in a diluted form, as much as 50% if your the paranoid type, but not all people feel this is necessary. One method of applying it is to apply to a cloth and let the snake slither through it in your hand from head to tail, minding that none goes near the eyes or mouth. Also its best to remove the water bowl for a while after application in case the snake goes in the bowl and then drinks some water.

i would just like to point out, that frontline DOES NOT KILL MITE EGGS

should NOT be used on snakes in shed

can cause respiratory distress and damage to snakes if there is inadequate ventilation

water bowls MUST be removed following treatment, frontline is toxic.. if the snake passed through the water, and later drinks it. it may die in agony.

You know, I called my vet after applying it and seeing him go straight for his water, and they said they'd never seen a problem with it, but to be sure and change the water out frequently... their reasoning was that with the quantity used on my tiny snake that it wouldn't likely be immediately toxic... I like the precautionary measure of removing the water better and will do that next time, if there ever is one... and I do hope there is not :D

here is our vets at va beach pet care....

Dr. Poutous is our primary....

Dr. Tony Poutous grew up in Pittsburgh, PA; his love of animals began early in life as there were always critters in the house to look after. His childhood was spent caring for a variety of animals from cats and dogs to tadpoles, snakes, and birds. Following high school, Dr. Poutous attended Cornell University where he studied genetics and development biology. After graduation, he attended Allegheny University of Health Sciences in Philadelphia for a year of post-baccalaureate education. This was followed by two years at Temple University School of Medicine. Even during his time in medical school, he never stopped caring for animals, volunteering regularly at the Schuykill Valley Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

By the end of his second year of medical school, it was clear to Dr. Poutous that he needed to find a career that would allow him to work with animals on a full-time basis. He soon accepted a position as field stranding technician at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, NJ. During his time with the stranding center, Dr. Poutous had the opportunity to work with sick and injured seals, turtles, dolphins, and whales. Following his tenure with the stranding center, he worked for a year at a small animal veterinary clinic and realized that he could best serve the animal community by becoming a veterinarian.

Dr. Poutous graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Pennsylvania veterinary school. Throughout his four years of vet school, he donated his time to the Philadelphia Animal Care and Control Association helping to spay and neuter and providing medical care to hundreds of homeless animals. Despite his love for dogs and cats and the joy he takes in their care, Dr. Poutous’s true passion is medicine and surgery of exotics, especially birds. During veterinary school, he served as the president of the Special Species Club and he is an active member of both the Association of Avian Veterinarians and the Mid-Atlantic Association of Avian Veterinarians. Other professional interests include both soft-tissue and orthopedic surgery.

When not at work, Dr. Poutous can usually be found taking care of his own menagerie of animals which includes birds, cats, dogs, fish, tarantulas, and a hedgehog. He also enjoys scuba diving, snowboarding, traveling, or just hanging out on the beach.



And Dr. Fisher 2004 exotic vet of the year...

Peter G. Fisher, DVM, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, was honored as the EXOTIC DVM of the Year at the opening session of the 2004 International Conference on Exotics in Naples, Florida. He was selected from a slate of exotic animal clinicians who were nominated by readers of EXOTIC DVM Veterinary Magazine.

Dr. Fisher's fascination with exotic animals started early in life. As a youngster, he had a variety of animal companions besides dogs and cats, including rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, ducks, chickens, homing pigeons,a turtle and a pet pig.

He received a BS in Animal Science and a DVM degree from Purdue University, where he graduated in the top 10% of his veterinary class. After graduation, he moved to Virginia, and in 1984 he opened Pet Care Veterinary Hospital with one assistant and one receptionist. Pet Care is now a 5-doctor, 15-employee facility that was recognized as the "2000 Practice of Excellence" by Veterinary Economics magazine.

Dr. Fisher is skilled in medicine and surgery of all species and is a willing teacher and steward of exotic pets. He was instrumental in the organization of the
Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians (AEMV).During his recent tenure as president of this organization, he helped create the Exotic Mammal Medicine and Surgery newsletter as the first step toward a serious journal for small exotic mammal species.
__________________

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Originally Posted by KIBPLOVER

i would just like to point out, that frontline DOES NOT KILL MITE EGGS

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I'm glad that your method of treatment has worked thus far, however, keep an eye out because there may be some eggs or larvae still hanging around.