How do I know if I see a mite? What do they look like?

Whats up everyone again! I found two tiny black bugs sitting onto of my BP today! I don't have a pic but it was tiny very tiny (about as tiny as the period symbol on your keyboard). And in the shape of a tear drop i guess. I have been looking for info and hear of provent-a-mite does it sound like i have mites I don't see anymore so I am unsure! Any advice?

Mites look like black little poppy seeds.

Here is what they look like http://www.vpi.com/sites/vpi.com/fil...ist_custom.jpg

If you have mites I highly recommend PAM (Provent-A-Mite) here is where to find it http://entirelypets.stores.yahoo.net/proventamite.html

Sounds like mites. Check in the water bowl as they will quite often fall in while the snake is drinking or soaking while trying to get some relief.

Oh, and a couple other method you can try to check for mites: Let your snake run through your hands and then check your hands for the mites or small flecks of blood. You can also place your snake on white paper towels in its cage and the small flecks and mites should show up pretty clearly against the white.

Ok I will try to get some treatment but while I have to wait for PAM has anyone heard of MITE OFF it is sold in my store and I wonder if anyone has tried it or if you think I should use some till i can get some PAM!

ok I will check to see if I see more

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Originally Posted by Tat&Tu

MITE OFF

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Does not work

The problem with mites is that most products out there only treat one stage of development, which means that re-infestation will occur.

The only efficient product on the market is PAM (Provent-A-Mites) it will eradicate mites for good.

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Originally Posted by GA_Ball_Pythons

Does not work

The problem with mites is that most products out there only treat one stage of development, which means that re-infestation will occur.

The only efficient product on the market is PAM (Provent-A-Mites) it will eradicate mites for good.

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Don't you also need to re-treat after a few days with PAM?

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...12-07_1652.jpg
Ok when I picked Tat up this black dot fell off on the curve in between my thumb and index finger. I am convinced it is mites! The tub isn't infested yet as I see none moving about or in the water or else where just a few so far on Tat so maybe if I hurry they might go away fast!

You can't see the pic too clearly but it WAS moving tho

Do Mites kill your BP? Or eat their food and nutrients or anything? What exactly am I up against?

They are a parasite, like flees on your dog. They make life very misearable.

The congregate in the areas between the scales and near exposed soft tissues, such as eyes and mouth.

That literally BITES! Where do they get them from?

They're generally a tropical parasite, if I remember correctly. Most likely, if you have mites, you bought them with your BP or got them from contact with someone else's reptiles.

Back in the day when I was keeping Iguanas I found them on my buddies about 4 months after I bought them. When I bought them I didn't see any, but after a few sheds and giving the mites an opportunity to breed up their population it was quite obvious. My big boy, Max, was literally laying submerged for as long as he could hold his breath 24/7. It took me 3-4 treatments to get rid of them.

They're like head lice or cockroaches... Even when you THINK they're gone, you've only killed most of the population. If you see even one, there's probably hundreds more...

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Originally Posted by CntrlF8

Don't you also need to re-treat after a few days with PAM?

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You can do another treatment 2 weeks later if necessary however in most cases one treatment is enough.

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Originally Posted by Tat&Tu

Do Mites kill your BP? Or eat their food and nutrients or anything? What exactly am I up against?

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Yes a severe infestation could kill your BP.

ok I just saw a post that something called Repel PermaNone is the same thing as provent a mite has same ingredients and is for same usage just locally sold and little lower price. anyone heard of it?

if anyone wants to check it out here is some of the talk.....

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/arch...p/t-23198.html

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Originally Posted by Tat&Tu

ok I just saw a post that something called Repel PermaNone is the same thing as provent a mite has same ingredients and is for same usage just locally sold and little lower price. anyone heard of it?

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Trying to save money is not worth the health of your snake is it?

This was about PAM VS Equate but it would apply here to with Repel PermaNone



Here is what Jamie posted a while ago in the following thread http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=42297&page=12&pp=10

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A. The same product in a different can
B. Equally as safe for reptiles
C. Equally as effective

Take it as you will, but this information is pretty damn convincing in my mind (which may not be on par with some of the insta-experts that reside here).

Here you go (his direct information will be in quotes):

Claim: Equate is the same product in a different can and is equally safe for reptiles as Provent A Mite

"The word permethrin is a generic name of a group of pyrethroid chemical isomers. This is like saying everything with the word soap is the same thing. Put your wet hand into a box of powdered laundry detergent and see if it is the same as a bar of ivory, but they are both "soap".

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Without exception, these other products use a much more toxic isomer as they are all designed to be applied to material that maybe will have the potential for contact with mammals, which have a completely different physiology than reptiles do. These products are designed to be as toxic as possible to get a quick "knock down". These higher toxicities will not harm mammals, but are documented to harm lower vertebrates, including reptiles, fish, amphibians, mollusks and so forth and therefore can be used for these other uses. Also, only a very small percentage of what is in the can is the "active" ingredient, the rest is always a trade secret of the company, so will never be disclosed (only the generic active name has to be disclosed under EPA regulations). Different isomers have differing toxicities and again, only a range of the cis-trans ratio is given on a label, so one can never find out what is really in the can (again trade secret).

Since a product is only approved by the EPA for the uses listed on the label, chemicals in the formula that are not toxic to the host for the testing submitted, doesn't mean they would not be toxic to a host not listed. If fact many of the "inerts" used in these permethrin formulas are toxic to reptiles. If the company tried to receive EPA approval with these formulas for use on reptiles, they would not, as the EPA would not allow a product to be sold that would harm the host listed on the label. This is why the EPA regulations state that it is a federal offense to sell or use a product inconsistent with the label, not only because of the risk to the host, but also because such usage can create resistance.

Many products for example, use a more toxic isomer and then use a synergist such as PBO. PBO breaks through the insect's defense and its synergistic activity makes the insecticide more powerful and effective. With the high cost of insecticides, PBO effectively reduces the cost by allowing the product to use les s active ingredient to obtain the mortality rate desired. The problem with this is PBO is absolutely toxic to reptiles with several published studies regarding using PBO for the killing of brown tree and other snakes confirming this.

Despite anyone's claim to the contrary, many of these other "identical" products have injured and killed many reptiles as we get the phone calls from people telling us after the fact. Also many times, the exposure can lead to chronic health problems instead of an acute reaction, so if the animal dies at a later date, no one looks back and understands the actual cause of death. This is a classic example with no pest strips. No clinical studies were ever performed and people just started using them, using their animals as guinea pigs. Only after many years of usage were the risks associated with them disclosed. This has been established by many leading zoos and vets, but even now, many people still swear they are the best thing to use and do not pose any risk."

Provent-a-mite™ is the only product that has been approved by the EPA and USDA], has undergone extensive clinical and field studies to insure that will eliminate, not just control a mite or tick problem and is unique enough to have received a patent. No other product is more effective or can make these claims and certainly no other product is the same as Provent-a-mite™”


Claim: Equate (and other similar products) are equally as effective in killing mites and their eggs


"Provent-a-mite™ is the only product that will create residual protection that will not drop down to levels that can create resistance. We use a proprietary "time" release that ensures that it will create a long term residual effect at a high enough concentration to prevent the potential t o create resistant pests. Since mites and ticks can carry several diseases that can be harmful or fatal to the host, just getting an infestation is already too late if the pest was infected. Applying Provent-a-mite™to a cloth and then wiping around any openings in a cage will provide a barrier that will last a minimum of 30 days (usually 60 to 180 days). This will kill any ectoparasites before they can infest and potentially infect an animal. None of these other products can do this as their formulas are designed to break down very quickly, often in as little as 48 hours.

Provent-a-mite™ is also one of the least expensive methods when one compares the cost per application and the number of applications required. To treat an average 4' x 2' cage is approximately 50¢ with usually only one application required. To use the product preventatively, the cost for an average cage is about 5¢. The product has an average shelf life of 7 years. One of the biggest problems is that many people overuse the product, so the can will not treat as many cages as it actually should, costing more to use it than necessary.”

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Here's a pic of what mites look like in a snake's water dish.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...nWaterDish.jpg

(used with the kind permission of this snake's owner....who now has a happily mite free snake :) )

Thanks for the info on like products and all other info to help me locate and kill the mites. I am convinced and love my BP too much to risk harming them in any way so I will order some right away........by the way I noticed that the provent a mite can is about 20-24 dollars on most sites if anyone needs some get a deal check out thes sites:

Save a couple dollars........@
http://www.pro-products.com/miteandtemp.html
or
get a combo pack or reptile relief and provent-a-mite and save.........@
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/...ief-8oz-combo/

just copy and paste to your address bars
thanks for the help all!!

if anyone knows where Provent-A-Mite is cheaper please let me know ASAP as I will be ordering some right away!

Looks like a mite. PAMite is the best stuff on earth for eradicating them. Notiong else that I have ever tried works. :) Just use as directed, and I am sure that your problem will be gone soon.

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Originally Posted by Tat&Tu

if anyone knows where Provent-A-Mite is cheaper please let me know ASAP as I will be ordering some right away!

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If you have mites I highly recommend PAM (Provent-A-Mite) here is where to find it http://entirelypets.stores.yahoo.net/proventamite.html

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Little higher in price but shipping charges are less and it will get there fast.

i have a small quetion. when you see mites do you see the legs? last year at a show, i was handling a snake, and it had a black spot on it. i didn't see any legs, but it seemed like a black shiny spot, almost like a scale. those are ticks right?

Last year I was over taking some pics for some one who got a burmese , to my dismay I discovered it had mites on it , this was a pain , not only for the snake , the owner but also meant I had to strip ALL clothes soon as I got home , have a scrub shower as well ...see mites can hitch a lift on human clothes . they can also 'walk ' about forty feet in an hour , ' sniffing out snakes as they go ... a right pain in the *** .. all I can do is add a pic I managed to get of one of the wee buggers .......

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l3...sDude/Mite.jpg

I have also heard that i you can put a DROP of liquid soap in the water bowl if your royal like sto bathe ...this breaks the water tension and drowns any mites that may be under the scales of snake . Just my two cents .

Thanks I will try the soap drops in water also

Hi,


Just to be clear I think the soap trick was to be used in any bath you gave the snake rather than in the waterbowl in his tank.

If anyone knows better jump in.:confused:



dr del

Yep it's for the bathing bit Derek as far as I've ever heard (we've blessedly never seen a mite here *knock wood*). The water bowl should just be plain, fresh, clean water with no additives in it.

I'm sorry did it matter what kind of soap and how long should I bathe them while they are trying to run from the bath LOL!