Never Ending Mites

i know there are tons of posts about geting rid of mites around here, i have tryed just about everything and they dont go away. i was woundering if there is any kind of shot that can be given by a vet to do away with these mites once and for all.

Hi,

Did you try Provent-a-mite?

What have you tried so far?


dr del

Have you soaked the snake? i would soak it everyday and use might off after. Clean its entire enclosure. Check in the scales and by the head for mites, they like to hide there. Soak, soak and soak, it worked for me.:snake:

i have soaked so many times its unreal. and i clean out the cage every time, i clean all the glass with a vinigar solution. i am using news paper for substrait. im even going as far as folding paper hides. the only thing that is in the tank that does not get thrown out and replaced is a plastic water bowl. i was reading a bunch of other threads and one said to put cooking oil on the head when i soak it. it didnt say what kind of oil to use. will vegitable oil work? and what sholud i wash the oil off with after im done soaking?

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Originally Posted by jong1821

i have soaked so many times its unreal. and i clean out the cage every time, i clean all the glass with a vinigar solution. i am using news paper for substrait. im even going as far as folding paper hides. the only thing that is in the tank that does not get thrown out and replaced is a plastic water bowl. i was reading a bunch of other threads and one said to put cooking oil on the head when i soak it. it didnt say what kind of oil to use. will vegitable oil work? and what sholud i wash the oil off with after im done soaking?

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Vinegar I have heard no success stories with. Have you used PAM? Prevent a Mite has had a super large success rate and is used to clean out the enclosure. If you use PAM on the enclosure and use reptile relief on the snake, you should have luck getting rid of the mites. :]

Provent-A-Mite. Look on-line for it. It works and the mites die; eggs and all :gj:

Yep. You'll never be rid of them if you don't use PAM since nothing else (safe) will kill the eggs as well as the adults. It's easy to find online, just search for it. Yes, it can be a little pricey, but it's SO worth it because it just works!

And be careful of excessive soaking. There's such a thing as too MUCH hydration.

you should use olive oil it kills them but make shure your bps head doesnt get in the olive oil:D:D:D

Never really had a prob. with them. However, I have heard if you clean ur tank and put Rid like from wal-mart or whatever. Anyway you put the rid down then ur substrate and spray another layer on top of that it is supose to get "rid"(lol) of them safley. Like I said never had to use it but if this information IS WRONG please correct me. Don't want to hurt the snake. TY and hope this helps.Good luck!:gj: -Ray

I switched to paper towels and newspapers after I sprayed down the tank with zoo med mite-off. Then I sprayed the snake away from the tank and put it back in once the towels and newspaper was laid. I did another tank spray and clean 2 days after. The mites died after 6 days and I dont have any since. You can get mite-off by zoo med for $7 at petsmart. I also bought some P-A-M and havnt had to use it since the zoo med worked fine.

Have had success with Zoomed Mite off.Mainly natural ingredients, just spray enclosure and snake ( up to the head)

Have not used PAM, or seen it over here in UK, but everybody here rates it. Washing, bleaching enclosure etc is a complete waste of time.

gOOD LUCK

Scoot

Bottom line - only Provent-A-Mite will kill mites AND their eggs. You may think you're rid of mites, and then 30 days later (give or take) you have a new infestation.

Make the $10 investment and use PAM. Your mite worries are gone. No over-soaking and dehydrating your snake (over-soaking actually leeches out the natural moisture in your snake), notputting un-tested chemicals directly on your animal, no putting cooking oil on your animal.

I've had a horrible infestation in QT from a rescue, and PAM knocked them out with one treatment.

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Originally Posted by scales owner

Never really had a prob. with them. However, I have heard if you clean ur tank and put Rid like from wal-mart or whatever. Anyway you put the rid down then ur substrate and spray another layer on top of that it is supose to get "rid"(lol) of them safley. Like I said never had to use it but if this information IS WRONG please correct me. Don't want to hurt the snake. TY and hope this helps.Good luck!:gj: -Ray

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I haven't ever used this method, so I can't say that it is or isn't effective. What I CAN say is that I have used Provent-a-Mite and it works perfectly, one application kills the mites and the eggs. You may spend a couple dollars more on a can of Provent-a-Mite, but you will have the peace of mind knowing that you are using a product specifically designed for the purpose of killing reptile mites and their eggs, not a product designed to kill lice on humans. I would think the extra few bucks would be worth not risking your snake's health by using a product not designed or tested for reptile use... Just my two cents...

Soaking will drown the mites but will not kill the eggs, which mean re-infestation same thing with vegetable oil (which is not recommended btw)

The only efficient wayto eradicate mites for good is by using PAM (Provent-A-Mite)

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Originally Posted by jong1821

i have soaked so many times its unreal. and i clean out the cage every time, i clean all the glass with a vinigar solution. i am using news paper for substrait. im even going as far as folding paper hides. the only thing that is in the tank that does not get thrown out and replaced is a plastic water bowl. i was reading a bunch of other threads and one said to put cooking oil on the head when i soak it. it didnt say what kind of oil to use. will vegitable oil work? and what sholud i wash the oil off with after im done soaking?

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What really worked for me with my GTP was Vaseline. The mites couldn't breath and they all started digging through the vaseline to the top and then I soaked the snake and they all drowned. No more mites, the snake sheds, eats perfect and had no ill effect on it.

Hi,

I've heard of people using a dot of vaseline on ticks but never the whole snake for mites - how the heck did the poor bugger hang onto its branch between the treatment and the shedding? :confused:


dr del

Here is a link to PAM (Prevent-a-mite):
http://www.pythons.com/index.php/Sup...-products.html

BUY IT!
Best $30 bucks you'll ever spend on your snakes.

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Originally Posted by dr del

Hi,

I've heard of people using a dot of vaseline on ticks but never the whole snake for mites - how the heck did the poor bugger hang onto its branch between the treatment and the shedding? :confused:


dr del

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:bow:

I was advised to buy Beaphar Insent Spray, kills mites and eggs. I soaked 1st then dryed him off and used the spray. 1 aplication didn't work so I continued bathing twice a day and after 3 days re applied the spray (needless to say the viv was also cleaned twice a day). I saw no more signs of the mites after the 2nd application.

Only thing is there is nothing on the advice sheet as to how many times it is safe to apply the spray. I was advised by the seller that it's safe for use once a day if needed but if any one knows for sure it would be good to know for future ref.

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Originally Posted by Jo81

I was advised to buy Beaphar Insent Spray, kills mites and eggs. I soaked 1st then dryed him off and used the spray. 1 aplication didn't work so I continued bathing twice a day and after 3 days re applied the spray (needless to say the viv was also cleaned twice a day). I saw no more signs of the mites after the 2nd application.

Only thing is there is nothing on the advice sheet as to how many times it is safe to apply the spray. I was advised by the seller that it's safe for use once a day if needed but if any one knows for sure it would be good to know for future ref.

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Sounds to me like another testimonial for Provent-a-Mite. If it sounds like people here are biased and trying to steer you toward a specific product, there's a reason. Because IT JUST WORKS! One treatment of Provent-a-Mite is all it takes. No hassling with bathing your snake twice a day, cleaning the enclosure twice a day, then hoping that in a month you don't have the problem again. My money goes to the proven one-shot and done treatment. It's also a lot less stressful on the snake than being bathed twice a day, or coated in vaseline...

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Originally Posted by dr del

Hi,

I've heard of people using a dot of vaseline on ticks but never the whole snake for mites - how the heck did the poor bugger hang onto its branch between the treatment and the shedding? :confused:


dr del

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After I soaked him in the water and all the mites were off (15 mins) I got a towel and removed all the vaseline. He was fine and all of them were gone. I seriously didn't see any more mites after that day. And he is bright yellow so it is really easy to see them. NO MORE MITES! WOOP.

It's a good job my snake loves water. I could't get my hands on Provent-a-mite without waiting over a week for delivery. This spray is all they seem to selling round here. PAM would have been the preffered option but hay, we're mite free now. If anyone does have any info on the Beaphar Spray I would still like to know.

Treat the animal, treat the cage, treat the surrounding area.

These suckers can travel -- they can lay eggs in the corners of your crown molding or carpet and you'll keep getting mites, you can vacuum up eggs and they'll hatch in your vacuum bag and you'll keep getting mites (suck up some moth balls in the bag good for killing fleas that get sucked up in there as well). You need to keep treating for prevention for several months.

I prefer using BKII over PAM -- you get a better product and more for the $$$ - IMO.

Buy it at Pro Exotics or LLL Reptile Supply :gj:

Good Luck!

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Originally Posted by Jo81

It's a good job my snake loves water. I could't get my hands on Provent-a-mite without waiting over a week for delivery. This spray is all they seem to selling round here. PAM would have been the preffered option but hay, we're mite free now. If anyone does have any info on the Beaphar Spray I would still like to know.

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My suggestion is to get a hold of a can of PAM now before the eggs hatch. I tried the petstore stuff and thought they were gone but in no time they were back. After one treatment of PAM, I've not seen a single mite in months! I have to say that PAM has been one of the smartest things I bought for my bp!

As for saving a few bucks and buying the rid or store brand stuff...I don't suggest it. My bp certainly is worth the extra money knowing that it wont' kill her!

I have since phoned the vets and the beaphar spray is what they are advising all their snake owners to use also. It has got the same active ingrediants as PAM but I have ordered bottle of PAM just in case the is a repeat reinfestation. I think as I am new at all this I mustn't have applied it properly the first time being afraid of applying too much.

Hi,

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Originally Posted by Jo81

I have since phoned the vets and the beaphar spray is what they are advising all their snake owners to use also.

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If possible I would like to get your vets opinion on the post linked to below.

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Originally Posted by Jo81

It has got the same active ingrediants as PAM ....

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Here is an intresting post about that.


dr del

When we got mites, I went to my local pet store and was told I was "be an idiot" if I didn't use PAM. We put Reptile Relief on the snakes and then cleaned the tanks and treated with PAM. No return of mites and it's been 2 months. It helped that most of the snakes came form that store and that I am in there at least twice a week (sometimes just to hang out with the staff and play with the larger snakes).

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Originally Posted by Daemonicus

When we got mites, I went to my local pet store and was told I was "be an idiot" if I didn't use PAM.

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and we were almost idiots cause i was thinking cooking spray. oh well it would have been funny to explain why all the snakes smell like cooking oil. :colbert:


but seriously PAM is pretty much the greatest stuff ever. really... ever.

I've done a bit of recearch on PAM and this Beaphar spray. Being almost totaly deaf I may have mis heard, same ingrediants, she could have said similar. You'll have to excuse me if this is a long post, I don't know how to to put links on here.
PAM's main chemical ingrediant is Permethrin. This is used to treat all kinds of mites, ticks, head licy type things and other infections such as scabies infestation. In PAM it is diluted to a strength suitable for use on reptiles.
Beaphar spray contains Ivermectine used mainly for mites and ticks in horses and other mamals. In the Insect spay it is diluted to the correct strength for use on reptiles also. Beaphar are licenced to produce vetinary medice and this is one of their Vetinary products.
Both these products are designed specifically for use on reptiles and personally I wouldn't use any chemical treatments that wasn't.

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Originally Posted by Tosha_Mc

Treat the animal, treat the cage, treat the surrounding area.

These suckers can travel -- they can lay eggs in the corners of your crown molding or carpet and you'll keep getting mites, you can vacuum up eggs and they'll hatch in your vacuum bag and you'll keep getting mites (suck up some moth balls in the bag good for killing fleas that get sucked up in there as well). You need to keep treating for prevention for several months.

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I agree with Tosha on the mites ability to travel. We use Provent-A-Mite (PAM) but once a few years ago we couldn't seem to get kid of a few mites. Figured out that they were in the carpeting we had laid down in front of the snake cages in the garage (we keep our snakes out there). Once we got rid of that, no more mite investations.

It's also important to remember to quaranteen any new snakes away from your current ones. New snakes can bring "friends" along when they come into your house. During quaranteen we spray with Reptile Relief the first day they come into our house and check carefully prior to moving the new snake into our snake room. This really helps proventing any re-infestation.

Good luck!

Yep, surrounding area is important to consider...but so is cage decor. :) I used PAM and it really is great stuff. But found that a new bunch of mites still cropped up. I was ready to be mad with PAM until I saw where they were coming from: the driftwood climbing structure in her tank that I stupidly hadn't treated since I thought the wood would hold the PAM wet and hurt my girl. I tossed the wood, treated her tank again, and haven't seen a single mite anywhere since. :)

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Originally Posted by Argentra

Yep, surrounding area is important to consider...but so is cage decor. :) I used PAM and it really is great stuff. But found that a new bunch of mites still cropped up. I was ready to be mad with PAM until I saw where they were coming from: the driftwood climbing structure in her tank that I stupidly hadn't treated since I thought the wood would hold the PAM wet and hurt my girl. I tossed the wood, treated her tank again, and haven't seen a single mite anywhere since. :)

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I wet the log with mite off and put it in the sun for a day and the mites crawled out of the wood and died. There were a lot of them.

I now freeze, boil or microwave anything new that goes in the tank and once a week I do all the stuff that is already in there. I think my mites came from some wood decorations I bought and stupidly just stuck them strait in the viv. Not a mistake I'll be making again.

I had mites come in on a pair of black eastern hognose several years ago, and this method worked for me. Put the animal in a diluted listrine / water soak for roughly 30 minutes. Listrine basically sterilizes the mites. While the snake is soaking, completely sterilize the enclosure. When you take the snake out of the soak, gently towel dry the animal off. Now the fun part. Get some mineral oil (not cooking oil) and coat your hands. Now, give the animal a good rub down. Use a Q tip to get around the head area, especially around the eyes. (this smoothers any remaining bugs and eggs). Place animal back in the enclosure with minimun decorations (water bowl, hide, and paper towel substrate). Repeat in two weeks. Never saw a mite again after that. It is a chemical free way that works. Hoggies are sensative to PAM, so I had to go an alternative route. By the way, I got this method from a vet book.

Oh, if you put a flea collar in your vaccum bag, any mites sucked up will be killed, just be careful using it around your reptiles.