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  1. #1
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    Snake mites won’t go away!

    Visited a reptile show back in December, mostly as a time waster. Didn’t purchase anything but a jarred plant terrarium for my friend. As I was leaving, I was informed they had kicked out a vendor for selling an animal with mites, but I thought nothing of it because I didn’t recall actually visiting with that specific vendor.

    here we are, months later, and I’m mite infested. I’ve been to the vet once already and have been treating some ball pythons with ivermectin spray. I think things are going well, I haven’t seen a note on them for weeks. I also did one treatment of frontline. Unfortunately though, they’ve found refuge in my baby rack, which I was attempting to keep separated and did not end up treat as they originally had no mites. My main concern is my hognoses and my scaleless rats, though. I found a single mite on my 68g female hog the other day as well as my smallest hog, who is 23g. Im super scared to do anything other than dish soap baths because I’m reading over and over again that hogs are very susceptible to chemicals.

    my vet says we’re okay to keep using his treatment but I’m really scared to believe him the internet has a lot of info that says otherwise. Help! How would you get rid of them? I’m not sure that the soap is enough because I feel like I’m getting nowhere with it .
    1.0 Ball python (bananna pastel enchi) "PASTA"
    ?.? California kingsnake "DUTCH"
    1.0 Cornsnake (albino snow) "BUBBLEGUM"
    0.1 Ball python (piebald) "UMBRA"
    1.0 Borneo short tail python "SHAYMUS"
    1.0 Ball python (blade clown) "PICKLE"
    0.1 Ball python (Russo BEL) "TOOTHPASTE"
    1.0 Ball python (Albino pastave) "YOGURT"

  2. #2
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    About "dish soap" baths- just be sure to only use a drop or 2 at MOST of mild dish soap (preferably Ivory or Dawn)- the soap is only to break the surface tension so the mites drown rather than swim & survive. You're correct that it's not a complete solution on it's own, because mites hide on the snake's head & you must not submerge that. Also make sure the snake doesn't drink any soap-water. (it will upset their stomachs)

    Mites are miserable to deal with- if you don't treat all your snakes at the same time, all it takes is a few survivors (or eggs that hatch about a month later) to start up another generation. You have to be thorough, & get rid of all cage furnishings on which they can hide (ie. organic matter- branches, substrate, wood tunnels). Don't re-offer prey items either- mites can hitch rides on you (your clothing), & on prey. After going to that show, you should have bagged your clothes in the garage, showered thoroughly & re-dressed as soon as you got home, & washed what you wore. Also, clean (vacuum thoroughly) around your cages regularly & empty the vacuum outside, into the trash- otherwise what you vacuum up can hop back out.

    I haven't had to deal with mites in "ages" so I let others chime in with more suggestions, but yes, it can be a long frustrating road for many to get rid of them. My only mite experience was happily very minimal.
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 02-12-2023 at 05:53 PM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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  4. #3
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    Re: Snake mites won’t go away!

    Quote Originally Posted by Bogertophis View Post
    About "dish soap" baths- just be sure to only use a drop or 2 at MOST of mild dish soap (preferably Ivory or Dawn)- the soap is only to break the surface tension so the mites drown rather than swim & survive. You're correct that it's not a complete solution on it's own, because mites hide on the snake's head & you must not submerge that. Also make sure the snake doesn't drink any soap-water. (it will upset their stomachs)

    Mites are miserable to deal with- if you don't treat all your snakes at the same time, all it takes is a few survivors (or eggs that hatch about a month later) to start up another generation. You have to be thorough, & get rid of all cage furnishings on which they can hide (ie. organic matter- branches, substrate, wood tunnels). Don't re-offer prey items either- mites can hitch rides on you (your clothing), & on prey. After going to that show, you should have bagged your clothes in the garage, showered thoroughly & re-dressed as soon as you got home, & washed what you wore. Also, clean (vacuum thoroughly) around your cages regularly & empty the vacuum outside, into the trash- otherwise what you vacuum up can hop back out.

    I haven't had to deal with mites in "ages" so I let others chime in with more suggestions, but yes, it can be a long frustrating road for many to get rid of them. My only mite experience was happily very minimal.
    I’ve definitely learned my lesson 😭 I’m not going to be so laid back about potential mites in the future. It was a whole “I can’t see you, so you can’t see me” WHICH IS SO DUMB in hindsight.

    I also have petco-bought mite spray by miracle care. I haven’t used it but I’ve got it incase it’s needed. Thanks for your input though! When I found the mites initially I took all hides at once and bleached them. Everyone has also been subjected to paper towel hell until this clears.
    1.0 Ball python (bananna pastel enchi) "PASTA"
    ?.? California kingsnake "DUTCH"
    1.0 Cornsnake (albino snow) "BUBBLEGUM"
    0.1 Ball python (piebald) "UMBRA"
    1.0 Borneo short tail python "SHAYMUS"
    1.0 Ball python (blade clown) "PICKLE"
    0.1 Ball python (Russo BEL) "TOOTHPASTE"
    1.0 Ball python (Albino pastave) "YOGURT"

  5. #4
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    Re: Snake mites won’t go away!

    I'm glad to hear that you found an expo promoter that will kick out vendors whose critters have mites. Many do not care, they only want the $ for the table rental.

    Treating mites: I wrote this up after my second battle with the little so-and-so's. While other treatments, such as ivermectin injections and wiping the snakes with Frontline, do exist, I have not tried them so I've not included them in my own writeup. You can find out about Frontline at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwCA...&feature=share


    Mite Eradication 101:


    *** Permethrin ***


    Permethrin comes in many forms - Provent-A-Mite (PAM), NIX/RID head lice treatment, Permethrin-10 from a livestock supply store, etc. Once mixed with water its half life is 30 days if kept out of direct sunlight.


    PAM has several advantages. It has been tested for use with reptiles, and it comes ready to use. The disadvantages are that it's expensive and most reptile stores don't have it in stock, so you have to wait for it to be shipped to you if you don't have any on hand. Meanwhile the mites are busy feeding and breeding.


    NIX/RID is cheaper than PAM and is readily available at WalMart, CVS, and other drug stores. It is also easy to dilute: mix one two ounce (59 ml) bottle of the cream rinse with one gallon of water.


    Permethrin-10 is the cheapest of the three options; one eight ounce bottle will make 240 gallons of solution, as only 6 milliliters of it are needed per gallon of water to make an effective mite spray. The upside is that if you have a lot of snakes to treat this will do it very economically. The downside is that it's all too easy to make too strong of a permethrin solution which can seriously injure or kill your snakes.


    No matter which product you use, it must be used correctly. I've never applied any permethrin product directly onto my snakes as it's not needed for mite treatment, and permethrin poisoning in a snake can cause irreversible neurological damage or death.


    Permethrin use: spray the enclosure, paper substrate, and hides with the diluted solution or PAM. DO NOT SPRAY THE WATER BOWL. Allow everything to dry completely before returning your snake to its home. Also keep a supply of treated and dried newspaper or paper towels and treated hides available so that when a snake makes a mess, you replace the soiled paper and hides with treated ones. Treat the enclosure every two to three weeks. Do not use natural substrates such as cypress mulch, coco, Reptichip, spaghnum moss, etc. while treating for mites, as these provide too many hiding places for the mites to avoid the permethrin. Use paper.


    *** Natural Chemistry Reptile Spray ***


    Reptile Spray kills mites on contact while wet, once it dries it loses its effectiveness pretty quickly. Reptile Spray is a solution of salts rather than an insecticide; it kills mites by dehydrating them. I don't spray the snakes as more ends up on the floor than on the snake. Instead, I spray a white paper towel with it and wipe it on the snake. That way you get even coverage on the snake, you can work it into the area under their chin really well as that's a favorite hiding place for mites, you don't stress out your snake, and you can look for mites on the paper towel to see how quickly they're being eradicated. Apply twice a week. Note - this stuff hurts like hell in an open wound.


    *** Hot Shot No-Pest Strips ***


    Some people take a Hot Shot No-Pest strip, cut it into pieces, put each piece into a small sealed container, poke some holes in the container, and put each container into the snake's enclosure. I've used the No-Pest strip but I just hang it in the snake room and close the door. Either way is effective, especially if you have a major outbreak.


    If you do use it, remove the water bowls as the insecticide is strongly attracted to water and you don't want the snake drinking it. After 24 hours remove the strip (or pieces), put them into an airtight container for future use, air out the room, and put the water bowls back. Repeat treatment weekly.


    Important! If you also keep tarantulas, feeder roaches/dubias, crickets, etc. do not use the No-Pest Strip as it can kill them too!!!!


    *** Mild Dish Soap ***


    One or two drops of mild dish detergent in your snake's bath water will break the surface tension and prevent mites from floating in the water so they drown. No more than that is needed, your snake should not look like it is taking a bubble bath.


    *** Heat ***


    Don't laugh, but a temperature of 135*F for five seconds will kill mites and the eggs. I purchased a heat gun used for stripping paint that can be set to blow hot air from 180*F through 1200*F. Using the heat gun and a temperature gun I heated the surfaces and crevices of my racks and enclosures to kill off any mite eggs that may have been laid outside the tubs. Don't get your enclosure surfaces and joined/glued areas too hot or you can damage them.


    Mite treatment should continue for 30 days after you stop finding mites on your snake, as an egg can take that long to hatch.


    *** FINAL NOTES ***


    Effective quarantine means that you treat every new arrival as if it has mites, and new snakes are kept as far away from your established collection as possible for at least 90 days. At the very least new critters should never be in the same room with your established collection.


    I treat the quarantine enclosure, hides, and paper substrate with permethrin a day or so before the new snake arrives, and I wipe the snake with a paper towel soaked in Reptile Spray as part of my inspection process when it comes out of the shipping box. If the snake has mites I will know it within a day or two at most. This also goes for snakes from "trusted" sources, my first mite outbreak ever came from someone I trusted.


    Finally, a mite egg can take up to 30 days to hatch. So, suppose you treat for a week or so and you think the mites are gone... but there are some eggs left. You stop treating. The eggs hatch a few weeks later, the mites grow up, and the females lay eggs. After six to eight weeks those eggs are hatching and you notice a full-blown infestation. So, if you think you "keep getting mites", you're not: you failed to eradicate the original infestation. Mite treatments should continue for 30 days after you stop finding them.

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  7. #5
    BPnet Veteran Malum Argenteum's Avatar
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    'Provent a mite'.

    https://pro-products.com/provent-a-mite/

    Ivermectin and fipronil are systemic, and at least ivermectin has a low safety margin. Dish soap and Miracle Care (which is just soap and an antifungal agent for some reason) don't have any residual effects on mites.

    'Provent a mite' is permethrin, which is very stable on surfaces once it has dried, and only the bugs that crawl on it get exposed. It has good residual effect, so continues to kill mites that return. Dermal absorption in reptiles could be expected to be very low (it is low in humans, and we don't have scales). It is safe enough that it is impregnated into human clothing for tick and other insect prevention, and even used in human shampoo for lice elimination.

    - - - Updated - - -

    'Provent a mite'.

    https://pro-products.com/provent-a-mite/

    Ivermectin and fipronil are systemic, and at least ivermectin has a low safety margin. Dish soap and Miracle Care (which is just soap and an antifungal agent for some reason) don't have any residual effects on mites.

    'Provent a mite' is permethrin, which is very stable on surfaces once it has dried, and only the bugs that crawl on it get exposed. It has good residual effect, so continues to kill mites that return. Dermal absorption in reptiles could be expected to be very low (it is low in humans, and we don't have scales). It is safe enough that it is impregnated into human clothing for tick and other insect prevention, and even used in human shampoo for lice elimination.

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  9. #6
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    Re: Snake mites won’t go away!

    You might try this “Diatomaceous
    Earth”, just dust the substrate of your enclosure, the silica have very sharp edges which will damage the mites when they walk over them to get to a nesting ground to lay their eggs, so within a short time you kill all mites with a natural way, no poison in the enclosure. You could even dust your snakes directly

    https://www.amazon.com/Diatomaceous
    -Earthborn-Elements-Resealable-Freshwater/dp/B07BZLG655/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3A67BIIFUHQ68&keywords=diatomaceous
    +earth&qid=1662202635&sprefix=Diat%2Caps%2C245&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExUlpWSTc1S0lSNEpDJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUE wMzYwNjE1Mk5ZTFFTNjZLU0o4NCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMzkzNjA0M0VJUE9EQkcwMUtPViZ3aWR nZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
    1,0 Lampropeltis triangulum campbelli, 1,2 Gonyosoma oxycephalum, 1,2 Philodryas baroni, 1,2 Spilotes pullatus, 2,1 Spilotes sulphureus, 0,1 Gonyosoma boulengeri, 1,1 Zamenis longissimus, 0,1 Malpolon sp., 1,1 Malpolon monspessulanus

  10. #7
    BPnet Royalty Zincubus's Avatar
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    Re: Snake mites won’t go away!

    Can you guys buy Callingtons !?

    I haven’t needed it for ages but I still have one in the snake room just in case

    Fabulous !!

    https://www.bluelizardreptiles.co.uk.../5027407007550


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro




  11. #8
    BPnet Veteran Malum Argenteum's Avatar
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    Re: Snake mites won’t go away!

    Quote Originally Posted by Zincubus View Post
    Can you guys buy Callingtons !?

    I haven’t needed it for ages but I still have one in the snake room just in case

    Fabulous !!

    https://www.bluelizardreptiles.co.uk.../5027407007550


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
    Phenothrin is another synthetic pyrethroid like permethrin, so Callingtons should work the same as Provent A Mite.

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