Treating mites and/or lice

If it isn't one thing, it is another... first I had sneezy mice, then I had mice with prolapsed rectums... now I think my mice may have mites or lice. The good news, I guess, is that I do seem to be eliminating the problems and moving on to new ones instead of having a recurring problem that I can't get rid of.

On a few mice, I have seen spots on their fur that I believe are probably nits (I think that is the proper name for the eggs?). I have not yet seen an actual creepy crawly thing.

So I was wondering what is the best way to treat it that doesn't cost too much? I did a search, and Frontline spray was recommended a lot, but that is not cheap and I can't find it locally. Ivermectin horse worming paste was also recommended for rats, but at a dosage of a rice-sized bit per rat... I'm not sure how much to give to mice. Some people report success with PAM, others report it caused neurological problems.

I'd like to use PAM if I can do it safely, since I have it on hand already. Who has used it successfully with mice? Is there a way to be sure it will be safe? I was thinking maybe if I sprayed the enclosure bottom only, where it would be under the substrate and they would come into little if any direct contact with it, but will it even be effective if I do that?

Suggestions?

The only thing I would worry about pam is the residual effects and the possibility of it harming litters (since it last some 30 days). And also, pam is meant to target snake mites that don't live on a snake, but that spend most of their time about the cage.

I would really lean towards trying frontline spray. One bottle would treat a TON of mice, and you wouldnt have to worry about any neuro problems associated with pam, or the overdosing toxicity of ivermectin horse paste.

I have also seen some people use seven dust and put it underneath the animals substrate, please for the love of humane treatment dont do that.

Oh, I wanted to say that using pam on the wood rack itself to prevent crossing of any bugs is something that I would do. Not sure if you have a rack or use single tubs. :P

I have individual tubs. I did think of spraying the PAM on the outside of the tubs, but I was afraid that would not be effective at eliminating the bugs. You have a good point about preventing transfer of bugs from one enclosure to another.

I don't think I'll be using sevin dust. Even if the chemicals were safe, I'd worry about what the dustiness of it would do to the mice.

Another idea I read which sounded good was putting a flea/tick collar in the enclosure...well, it sounded good for about half a second until I thought about the mice chewing on it. Hey! New chew toy! nomnom. Hmmm. I think not!

I suppose I could look at the cost of the Frontline as a savings compared to the vet bill I thought I was going to have when I had the prolapsing problem.

I've had mouse fleas/mites once before many years ago. I got rid of them by spraying them down with a flea and tick spray that was for cats. Sorry, I don't remember the brand now. I wanted one for cats because cats lick themselves like mice do so I wanted something that wouldn't be dangerous if ingested. I set up a kind of assembly line where I'd put each individual mouse in a critter keeper and sprayed them down, then put them back in a clean scrubbed and disinfected tub. I did this with each one individually one after the other. It got rid of the fleas and I didn't lose any mice (I didn't feed any off for at least a month just to make sure they were poison free before the snakes got them)

Try looking for Frontline on Ebay. Sometimes they'll sell only one dose somewhat cheap. I've only ever used Ivermectin on my mice, but it was in a shot & it cost me about $50 at the vets (they were pets).

Get a yellow No Pest strip and just hang it in the general area. I know someone on here will say it's too dangerous, but it's what we all used before PAM, frontline and all the other "new" crap that is out now. It works great and the ONLY side effects you would see would be if you put it directly in the cage. Just place it in the same area and you should see things get better.

Good luck.

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Originally Posted by Brandon Osborne

Get a yellow No Pest strip and just hang it in the general area. I know someone on here will say it's too dangerous, but it's what we all used before PAM, frontline and all the other "new" crap that is out now. It works great and the ONLY side effects you would see would be if you put it directly in the cage. Just place it in the same area and you should see things get better.

Good luck.

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I know a couple of people on here, including myself, that use the automatic sprayers with the fly spray to control any pests. TSC sells them over by the yellow fly strips.

I can't say if it would eliminate a problem after its already set in, but so far I haven't had any ectoparasites that I'm aware of.

The frontline spray works great! Get it if you can. I was told to take a q-tip and get a little of the spray on there, like a drop, and apply it to the back of all the rats/mice that I suspected of having mites. Within a few hours I saw the number of mites start to drop and by the next day I didn't see any mites and to this day I have not gotten any more. I don't have to use the frontline spray anymore but I keep it around just in case any new rats who come in have mites. It works great and the rats and mice were not affected in the least. :) Just apply it just like you would a cat or dog's flea meds, at the base of the neck. Depending on how many rats/mice you have to treat, a frontline bottle would last you a long time.

Hi,

Are these feeders? How do you find out if it is safe to feed the animals to your herps when using these things?


dr del

I've never see a rodent facility that didn't have the No Pest strips hanging around......and I've been to some "big" ones.

I still have not seen a crawly. I would be able to see them wouldn't I? I know they are very small, but I thought they were visible. Maybe I just have a very light infestation (so far), or maybe the spots I have seen on the fur aren't nits after all? I think I'm going to hold off on doing anything until I either see a crawly or I see more of the spots on the fur. No sense in messing around if there isn't a problem, but I'm still researching so I'll be ready.

I want to be sure I've got the right thing in mind when you are talking about no pest strips. These things, right?
http://www.amazon.com/SPECTRUM-5580-...9721610&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Prozap-Insect-...9721610&sr=8-3

I like the review where the guy says he rubs it on his boot laces and it is pretty effective as a repellent for his whole body.

I also found an in depth description of how one person used ivermectin topically with more success than using it orally, and it sounds safer that way too. Anyone have any thoughts on this?
http://www.thefunmouse.com/info/lice.cfm

Those are the strips you need. They say they only last around 3-4 months, but I think they go a little longer than that. One strip will do a 10x10 area.....probably more so.

Good luck.
Brandon

The best treatment for mites (fur mites) in a rodent colony in my opinion is Dicholovos. It can be found in No-Pest strips often used as hangers for barns or homes. You can open up the plastic and place cut strips (it looks like a thick/yellow brick) around the cages.

There are more extreme options such as Ivermectrin added to water supply, but that is a bit more drastic.

If you need help finding the strips I have a bunch at work for a gardening store I run and can recommend local or internet sites.

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Originally Posted by RarePythons

The best treatment for mites (fur mites) in a rodent colony in my opinion is Dicholovos. It can be found in No-Pest strips often used as hangers for barns or homes. You can open up the plastic and place cut strips (it looks like a thick/yellow brick) around the cages.

There are more extreme options such as Ivermectrin added to water supply, but that is a bit more drastic.

If you need help finding the strips I have a bunch at work for a gardening store I run and can recommend local or internet sites.

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I've seen the quality of your rodents as well as your store... you guys don't have a clue what you're doing. Even if this treatment works well, which it may (I don't work with rodents, so I wouldn't know), I would be extremely weary of any "advice" that comes from you. Granted, the rodents I got from you that one time did not have mites (that I saw), but they were missing limbs, covered in fecal matter, blood, and scars... no mites though, so you must have been doing something right...

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Originally Posted by ReptileJay

I've seen the quality of your rodents as well as your store... you guys don't have a clue what you're doing. Even if this treatment works well, which it may (I don't work with rodents, so I wouldn't know), I would be extremely weary of any "advice" that comes from you. Granted, the rodents I got from you that one time did not have mites (that I saw), but they were missing limbs, covered in fecal matter, blood, and scars... no mites though, so you must have been doing something right...

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ouch! im guessing they are very neglected!

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Originally Posted by nixer

ouch! im guessing they are very neglected!

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Neglected at best... these guys are some of the worst I've ever encountered in this business... And to think, they're importing hundreds of gravid ball pythons to sell for instant profit. It almost makes me sick that people like this continue to find ways to exploit this hobby for a quick buck.