Mite Journey Post/Questions

[Bogertophis]

Geez man. I have cleaned the tank with alcohol and reptile spray 3 times. Noodles has done 3 soaks and I wiped reptile spray on him today. Amazingly with all this, he took a meal. So he’s going to rest a couple days. Not two hours after having some reptile spray on him that sucker had a mite crawling on him.

Am I doing something wrong?

No, mites are horrible to get rid of- they get on & off the snake, they hide under scales & in crevices- you have to stay on them for a while, which is why the best advice is not to come home with them in the first place.

[GuardianHunter]

I could kick myself. I looked him over for mites before we bought him. I guess I missed them.

[Bogertophis]

I could kick myself. I looked him over for mites before we bought him. I guess I missed them.

I know- they're nearly invisible (especially eggs)- so easy to miss, & apparently very prevalent these days. The worst part is that the treatments often prove to be a set-back for the new snake, putting them off eating for a while.

[bcr229]

Am I doing something wrong?

Nope. You first posted on 11/2. It can take 2-3 weeks of regular treatments before you stop seeing mites, and then you must continue to treat for another 30 days because that's how long it takes for an egg to hatch. Your mite treatment journey will be ending around Christmas if you do it correctly.

[GuardianHunter]

That’s ok I don’t mind the journey. I just wanted to make sure results were typical.

[Albert Clark]

Personally, I would consider contacting the seller to advise him of what you’re dealing with. Not to be critical but to advise him that he needs to triple check all his animals and enclosures. If he denies having a issue with mites , he may want to consider treating prophylactically.

[GuardianHunter]

I emailed him a couple days ago to get the age of the snake and told him I’m needed to know for proper mite treatment. I wasn’t sure if he was too young for the reptile spray. I would like to give the benefit of the doubt and just believe it was an unknown issue. But that way it informed him without feeling accusatory.

[GuardianHunter]

After tearing down the original cage shortly after his arrival, having to bathe and treat him, etc for mites—I’m noticing an up tick in his “being out” during the day and roaming his cage glass surfing when he should be sleeping.

Am I witnessing a stress response? He has not ceased eating for us, so far.

[Malum Argenteum]

I emailed him a couple days ago to get the age of the snake and told him I’m needed to know for proper mite treatment. I wasn’t sure if he was too young for the reptile spray. I would like to give the benefit of the doubt and just believe it was an unknown issue. But that way it informed him without feeling accusatory.

It is good to refrain from sounding accusatory, if only because it gets people defensive and unwilling to listen to reason.

Personally, though, I'd recommend being very clear in reporting the issue. If it was an unknown issue, the vendor needs to get a lot more serious about their QT procedures (if the mites came to the expo with them) or their biosecurity at expos (if the snake picked them up at the expo).

It is the responsibility of the vendor to take sufficient precautions to avoid such unknown issues, and frankly the vast majority of vendors I've seen (I'm an expo vendor) do not come remotely close to sufficient.

[GuardianHunter]

It is good to refrain from sounding accusatory, if only because it gets people defensive and unwilling to listen to reason.

Personally, though, I'd recommend being very clear in reporting the issue. If it was an unknown issue, the vendor needs to get a lot more serious about their QT procedures (if the mites came to the expo with them) or their biosecurity at expos (if the snake picked them up at the expo).

It is the responsibility of the vendor to take sufficient precautions to avoid such unknown issues, and frankly the vast majority of vendors I've seen (I'm an expo vendor) do not come remotely close to sufficient.

noted. I’m new to the culture at shows and so I appreciate the advice from a vendor.

So, we have reached the point where we aren’t seeing any further notes actively on him, so we are going to start a 40 day countdown, I think, to continue treatment with the stripped down tank.