provent a mite question

[speedfreak]

Last weekend I found a few mites on my baby suriname boa. All week I have been doing the nightly baths while bleaching and hot water rinse on the cage, waterbowl, and hide, and using only white paper towels. My Provent a Mite showed up today and after reading instructions and reading several reviews/how tos on here I'm alittle confused. The directions say to only spray substrate but posts on here say to spray the enclosure and let it dry. So after much debate I decided to spray the enclosure but after 3 hours the PAM still isnt dry. I tried wiping it down alittle with paper towels and then let it sit another 30 min and it is still like an oily film. I can drag my finger across it and leave a streak and then see it on my finger. I just assumed it would be dry to the touch. Any help?

[RobNJ]

Any chance you sprayed too heavily? It should dry well...of course temperature, air flow, etc...will effect how long it takes to dry.

[Domepiece]

Thats why it says to spray on the substrate not directly on the tub. It will not dry and will leave and oily film on the tub. Just clean the tub out and treat the substrate then let it dry and air out for a half hour or so, the fumes are whats harmful, you dont need to use much it works very well. Goodluck hope this helps.

[speedfreak]

It sat outside on the deck for the first 3 hours and there was about a 5 mph breeze so I figured that would do it. I thought maybe i put it on too heavy and thats why I wiped it down with the paper towels. I tried covering it at the 1ft per sec with the can about 12 inches away but I've never used it before so I wasnt sure of the coverage I should have been looking for. But it should dry completely with no oily residue?

[speedfreak]

Oh, ok. Thats where I was confused. The directions clearly say to spray substrate but I read many times on here about people spraying down their tubs and everyting with PAM so I was confused and I really wanted to curb an infestation before it spread.

[Domepiece]

It sat outside on the deck for the first 3 hours and there was about a 5 mph breeze so I figured that would do it. I thought maybe i put it on too heavy and thats why I wiped it down with the paper towels. I tried covering it at the 1ft per sec with the can about 12 inches away but I've never used it before so I wasnt sure of the coverage I should have been looking for. But it should dry completely with no oily residue?

Sounds like your using it correctly just put it on the substrate instead.

[Domepiece]

Oh, ok. Thats where I was confused. The directions clearly say to spray substrate but I read many times on here about people spraying down their tubs and everyting with PAM so I was confused and I really wanted to curb an infestation before it spread.

Id take all advice with a grain of salt. Alot of people on here are very knowledgable and others...ehh... not so much.

[Emily Hubbard]

I followed the instructions and sprayed the substrate and let it sit for over four hours with the cage wide open. When the substrate was completely dry and I couldn't smell ANY chemical fumes, I put the snake and the hides back in and I haven't seen a mite since and my snake is fine.

The directions say if the enclosure is not completely dry when you spray, the PAM won't dry properly. I completely emptied my enclosure, cleaned it with bleach and water, and then blow-dried it! Completely bone dry. Then I put in brand new substrate, PAMed it, and reassembled 4 hours later. I set my snake up in a separate room in a plastic tub with a hide. I would recommend you clean off that film, whatever it is, blow dry or air dry the enclosure COMPLETELY, and then just try again. It doesn't take much to do the enclosure, a can will last many infestations, you just hope and pray you never need it again!

Sorry you hive mites. They are a major PITA. Been there, feel your pain.

[RobNJ]

Thats why it says to spray on the substrate not directly on the tub. It will not dry and will leave and oily film on the tub.

Why would it dry on a substrate and not a tub? That makes absolutely zero sense. Treating tubs is not a problem, just don't spray too heavily or from too close up to the enclosure.

[Domepiece]

Why would it dry on a substrate and not a tub? That makes absolutely zero sense. Treating tubs is not a problem, just don't spray too heavily or from too close up to the enclosure.

It makes plenty sense. It seems to be an oil based product and if sprayed on the tub it will leave an oily film, if sprayed on substrate it absorbs into the substrate. It will dry on both obviously but if it doesnt have a substance or material to absorb into it will just sit on the surface as an oily film which technically speaking is not dry. There is a specific reason why the manufacturer explicitly say on the directions not to spray directly onto the enclosure.