need alot of help

ok so my snake just stoped eating and it had a mite problem, took care of it, but now it got worse... is the anything to do for both feeding and the mite problems ? and anyone have any idea whats causing these problem ...looking for some simple suggestions.

When did it stop eating? Has it lost a lot of weight since then?

it ate last on 5/18 and idt it lost any weight

Keep offering food every week. Stop handling the bp until the feeding issue is resolved. What's your setup/temps like?

They usually stop eating for a period of time. As long as they don't lose a bunch of weight, they're ok.

clean clean clean!!!!!! try to get rid of the mites asap! eliminate the substrate and submerge all your stuff in hot water for a half hour or more try to submerge your snake or something also Provent-a-Mite use it!!!! and use paper towels until you see ressults improve and no mites!!! goood luck as for feeding try the mite thing first he could be ticked off cuz the mites so he might not feed for a little while

seems like you have mite eggs so use the provent a mite

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Originally Posted by th3jok3r

try to submerge your snake

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Don't drown it though. :gj: haha

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Originally Posted by mrshawt

Don't drown it though. :gj: haha

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lol can u imagine?! thats a story to tell... yea i was trying to drown mites and they were all over my bp's face so i did what the joker said and put him under water for a half hour.... you would have to be :rolleye2: crazyyyyyyyyyyy

Sometimes snakes won't eat if they are bothered by mites. Fix the mite problem and when the snake feels comfortable he will probably start to eat again.

Get Provent-A-Mite. It is the only product that works to get rid of mites permanently.

Google it and it should show up.

Once that is resolved, your snake might start eating again. Until then, switch substrate to paper towels and offer food weekly. Try not to handle him much.

Remembering my first case of mites: I just about freaked out and - of course - followed EVERY suggestion. Gush, did I have a mess on my hands when that poor little thing shed!

Your BP is probably not going to feed until you get rid of the mites.

If you cannot afford the Provent-a-mite or can't get your hands on it right away, go to Wolly World's camping section and get a can of Repel Permanone (same ingredient as used in provent-a-mite).

Get a fresh temporary enclosure ready. If you can afford it: Wolly World has cheap critter boxes that make excellent feeding containers too. Remove the hide from your BP's enclosure soak in soapy hot (!) water for 30 minutes, dry off and mist with Provent-a-mite or Repel Permanone. Set aside and let dry. Place paper towel into bottom of temporary enclosure. Mist the container with Provent-a-mite or Repel Permanone. Let sit and dry. After it's dry place hide into temporary enclosure. Remove water dish from enclosure, soak in hot soapy water, dry off, fill with fresh water and place into temporary container (do NOT mist the water bowl and do NOT place into container before misting container!!!).

Prepare a tub: Put water into tub (should be about temperature of your skin) to a level that would just reach to about a quarter below your ball python's height (about a finger thickness deep before it reaches the top of the spine. Place tub on a heat mat covered with a towel or place a handwarmer in the center below the tub (helps keep the water warm).

Prepare a cup with a half teaspoon of Dawn Original (not scented and don't substitute!) and warm water. Make sure there are no drafts.

Place the snake into the tub and wait about five minutes in case it want's to drink some of the water. Add the Dawn solution and more warm water until the back spine is just barely covered (pour slowly to prevent too much bubbling). Leave snake sit in warm water for 30 minutes. Don't worry about the snake going for a dive (it's not trying to attempt suicide). The mites will go for the face and the snake will dive to get rid of them.

Place snake into prepared tub.

The mites that survive the bath will drop dead during the next 48 hours.

Bring your snakes enclosure outside, into garage or wherever it's far away from the snake and mist with the spray (get the spray into the crevices!). Wash out thoroughly after 2 days.

When you have to change the paper towel within the first 48 hours, lightly mist the paper towel that you are placing into the container with the spray and let dry prior to placing it.

Reason for the Dawn: Water alone will not get between the scales. The Dawn will help the water penetrate between the scales.

Best of luck!

Great advice above - but will caution against using any product not specifically designed and tested as safe for reptiles. Other products contain the same ingredients as Provent-A-Mite, but not the same concentrations, and BP.net's official stance is that we do not recommend or endorse using any product not specifically tested as safe for reptiles.

Provent-A-Mite is an awesome product, you can order it directly from http://www.pro-products.com and when it arrives treat the enclosure (not the snake).

The reason you are still fighting mites, is that you have killed the mites, but not the eggs and once the eggs hatch, you are dealing with them again. Provent-A-Mite kills both mites and their eggs.

I keep a can of it as part of my husbandry supplies, and always pre-treat enclosures of any new additions to my collection as a preventative measure.

Here's why BP.net recommends Provent-A-Mite and not substitutes.

How long does it take mites to die if they have no host to feed off of?

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Originally Posted by van_garret2000

How long does it take mites to die if they have no host to feed off of?

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i've seen mites start to die off when treated with Prevent-A-Mite within minutes. I had a snake that came to me with a SEVERE mite infestation, treated her once with PAM and no mites since.

As far as PAM goes, read the directions on the can, follow exactly and mites gone.

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Originally Posted by van_garret2000

How long does it take mites to die if they have no host to feed off of?

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No clue - I imagine they are much like fleas - go into "suspended animation" until a host comes along.

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Originally Posted by cinderbird

i've seen mites start to die off when treated with Prevent-A-Mite within minutes. I had a snake that came to me with a SEVERE mite infestation, treated her once with PAM and no mites since.

As far as PAM goes, read the directions on the can, follow exactly and mites gone.

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I don't mean when treated/sprayed. Once you've sprayed everything I mean how long would it take ones to die that might not be in the sprayed area.

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Originally Posted by van_garret2000

I don't mean when treated/sprayed. Once you've sprayed everything I mean how long would it take ones to die that might not be in the sprayed area.

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reading comprehension fail on my part, my bad.

On the actual question, i have no idea. Most parasites can survive for a while without a host from what i understand. Although "a while" is a subjective term. :(

I'm not sure if this is true, but I've heard that mites cannot go longer than a month without feeding off a host.

i used reptile reielf on snakeswith no ill effects, it don't kill eggs but it does the live and that what on the snake. I used a bleach mixure on the (tubs/tanks) that had mites in he pass. and that worked well but large wooden boxes are a bit harder to wash lol..

The most recent rescue camewith mites, and a bottle of reptile relief and i jsut sprayed the snake and place it into a new tub ( I didn't like the 10 gall tank) and so far it been clean since then. I have the tank outside and it filled with water ( rain water) and will get dummped out this weekend and either trashed or bleached and stored for a while .