For those who have used Equate to treat mites...

[rockrgrrl]

Let me start off by saying that I'm not posting this to have people get into a huge debate of which product is better... PAM or Equate. I personally took my bp to the vet the minute I noticed those little buggers (which was back on December 13th). She's currently on a weekly treatment (both her and her enclosure) of a diluted solution of Ivermectin (0.50 cc's per 1 liter of water to be exact). The problem is that I'm not sure it's doing the trick. Although I haven't noticed as many as before, I'm still seeing one or two. I was told they would be hard to get rid of but c'mon! Just this past weekend I was talking to one of the dealers at the swap I go to and she mentioned that she treats all her snakes with the Equate product and they're gone within 2 weeks. I've read several posts here on this forum about mite treatments and I was curious as to how people have specifically used this product. The gal I was talking to at the swap told me to spray down the entire enclosure and leave it set/dry for a few hours (of course removing the snake and water bowl first). She also told me to spray the area around the tank. I was reading the directions on this stuff and let me just say I'm a bit nervous. It talks about not letting this stuff get inhaled or directly on skin.... Can anyone out there shed a little more light on this and perhaps more detailed instructions as to how they treated their tanks??? Any suggestions/help would be greatly appreciated!

By the way... I'd also like to say "thanks" to all those who have posted on this site. While this is my first actual post I have frequented this site quite often for information since getting my 1st bp. Thank you!

[JLC]

Welcome to BP.net! I know you've "been" here for awhile...but this is my first chance to say "Welcome"...


Were I in your shoes, I would go ahead and order PAM. I've never...not once...heard of a case where PAM did not get rid of the mites when used properly. In addition to that, it's already formulated to be safe to use in your animals' enclosures....and comes with concise, clear directions on how to properly and safely use it. No mixing and no guess work involved!!

That being said...if you're deadset on using Equate...please wait until someone with actual experience using it chimes in and explains how. That's definitely not something you want to leave to hearsay... "Well, I've never used it, but I was told that if you mix it like this....." Very risky, in my opinion.

[Adam_Wysocki]

I was reading the directions on this stuff and let me just say I'm a bit nervous.

LOL ... I'm sorry, but this just struck me as funny. I know you don't want a debate, but you do know that there are products out there that actually come with directions for treating your snakes enclosure and won't make you nervous to try right?

Wish I could be more helpful ... Good luck with the mites.

-adam

[BALLISTIC BOAS]

pam and equate are pretty much the same thing. if you look at the active ingredients they are the same thing. except one is 20bucks more. i have gotten new snakes in with mites and with in 48 hours they dont have one with equate. i have used it on my snakes for a long time with no problems. just make sure not to spray the animal. spary the cage or new lining 6-8 hours before you introduce the snake.

[Adam_Wysocki]

pam and equate are pretty much the same thing. if you look at the active ingredients they are the same thing. except one is 20bucks more.

I don't know Matt, I never got nervous reading the side of a can of PAM.

-adam

[BALLISTIC BOAS]

exactly. if you use pam right and your snake dies contact the company for compensation. i bet they will do it.

[JLC]

exactly. if you use pam right and your snake dies contact the company for compensation. i bet they will do it.

Wow...have you ever actually heard of someone's snake dying when they used PAM correctly? That would be an important thing to know, I think...

[BALLISTIC BOAS]

nope i sure havnt. i have also never herd that of equate. i do know it is leathel for them if the inhale it. but like you said never herd of any one losing one. proabbly out of embarasment for using it wrong and killing there snake as a result.

[elevatethis]

We're not debating which one is better (although I know where I stand on it ) but the idea here is that its not good advice to tell somone to use equate without having any prior experience mixing pesticides or without having someone right in front of them to show them what to do since the product was not originally intended to be used on snakes.

Matt, can you at least acknolwedge that? It just seems irresponsible to recommend equate so strongly when it can be so dangerous when used by an inexperienced keeper.

[Adam_Wysocki]

exactly. if you use pam right and your snake dies contact the company for compensation. i bet they will do it.

I've been using PAM for over a decade now and have never had a problem ... I'm constantly buying new snakes to expand my collection and always treat them with PAM as soon as they come in ... 10+ years and it's one of my best tools in my ball python husbandry tool belt ... I can't imagine using anything else.

That said, I do know a lot of people that have lost snakes or screwed snakes up real bad using "homemade" mite remedies ... With the value of the animals in my collection, I don't have the stones to gamble like that.

To each their own!

-adam