How long should I be on the lookout for mites.

[MattEvans]

I just picked up my second ball python, a lavender het pied male around 300 grams from a local breeder on Saturday. He invited me to come over and check out his collection and I did.
Everything looked good after viewing more than a dozen snakes in his collection. He allowed me to choose ones id like to see aswell. So I know he wasn't just showing me the good.
So now he has been in quarantine since. I've been using paper towel as substrate so anything that shows will be visable.

My question is how long before I know for sure there are no life stages of mites on him? because id like to use the natural substrates I use in my females enclosure.

[bcr229]

An egg can take up to 30 days to hatch. So, I would wait at least six weeks.

[MattEvans]

Thank you!

[Ax01]

watch out for mites, but it's still good procedure to quarantine any new animal(s) for 60-90 days to be on the lookout for other issues like an illness before introducing it to your main collection/reptile room or area.

[MattEvans]

Oh yeah he is in quarantine. I just prefer to use a coco husk cypress mulch mix for substrate over paper towels. But I can live with paper towels until march just to be safe.

[MattEvans]

Here he is in a picture from the breeder, still waiting for him to settle in and take a meal before I take him out for a photo shoot.