Freakin mites!!!!!!

[Emily Hubbard]

Allright, the time has come. My very first mite crisis. I am counting my blessings, because if I have to choose an evil, I would SO much rather deal with mites than something like an RI or scale rot.

So, I just ordered the PAM online. On its way, I hope sooner rather than later. In the meantime, flood me with tips. I have never dealt with this before, and I have ABSOLUTELY no idea how she even got the things because I have no other snakes or pets of any kind. All I can think of is they would have had to have come on something in her viv that I bought at the pet store, but I washed and bleached EVERYTHING before it went in with her and I haven't added anything new in months. So confused. GRRR!!

When the PAM comes, my understanding is I dismantle the set up, clean it, and spray the viv with PAM, leave until dry, reassemble viv, put snake back in. Please correct me if I am wrong, and give me all of your wisdom!!! Thanks!

[L.West]

One possible way you got them could be from live rodents.

[DooLittle]

That sucks! I am sorry. I don't know much about mites, but have heard people can get them from live rodents, or aspen bedding. I have seen lots of threads about mites lately, I am totally paranoid, think I should have PAM on hand "just in case". I was going to post a thread about where was the best place to order a can. Good luck in your battle. I have heard soaking helps the snakes temporarily. X2 on rather have mites than RI, though.

[Emily Hubbard]

I don't feed live! She has only every eaten f/t. See?! It is a complete mystery, I have no idea where the little jerks came from!!! I found a few dead ones in her water bowl, which is was tipped me off, and then I saw one crawling on her and FLIPPED out, that's my baby!! So I rubbed it off and tried to crush its soul! My substrate is a carpet/ felt like material that I cut to fit the viv myself, so that isn't even the answer! I was using coco husk up until about 2 months ago, but I don't see how I could have not noticed mites for 2 months if they came in on that substrate, and I clean everything every other week.

I have several fake plants that came from the pet store, but they were all cleaned before going in and countless times since then.

Well, as bizarre as it is, the mites are just here. And wherever they came from, I want them gone.

[DellaF]

Sorry about your mite problem. You haven't been to any expos lately have you. They say they can get on you at thoughs. I have also seen lots of threads about mites lately. I ordered PAM a few weeks ago. It took a week for it to arrive. I hope I never have to use it.

[Emily Hubbard]

No expos, but I just remembered I was at someone's house playing with their corn snakes a couple weeks ago. I didn't see any mites on them, they seemed super healthy, and I made sure I washed my hands after. Don't remember if I touched my BP later that night.... I guess anything is possible. Who knows.

I just took her out and held her to comfort her. Kidding of course, but I wanted to check her over and make sure she wasn't completely invested. I didn't actually see any on her other than the one I squished, and the three in the water bowl. So at least I think I caught it pretty early before they are EVERYWHERE. Can't wait to PAM the hell out of that viv, there will be some DEEP cleaning as soon as that stuff arrives.

On the plus side, I weighed her and she is growing good and looks perfectly plump and healthy other than a few soon to be obliterated mites. She's almost six months old and 240gm, never misses a meal, and sweet as can be, never strikes at me and never balls up. Poor little girl, I can't wait to get her comfortable again. UGGGGHH! I hate parasites!

[mikel81]

I got a pair of jungle carpets a month ago that came with mites. It wasn't as bad as I expected it would be. I immediately ordered PAM, but they were infested and I wanted to get them some relief. I soaked them in the tub with a drop or two of dish soap and there were hundreds in the water. I had some stuff called jurrasimite that is all natural, i think it said cottonseed oil and clove oil or something. I used that on them and kept them on paper towels. The next day there were a few dead mites on the towels. I changed the towels and put them back. The next day I soaked them and only saw a few small dead mites in the water. I could not find any on them anymore and you could see them moving under their chin scales before. The PAM came the next day and I cleaned their cage and treated it and never saw a mite again. Just make sure it dries for a long time. They should not be exposed to the fumes.

[Emily Hubbard]

Thanks! Glad to know it isn't too much of a nightmare! I have a 15qt tub I put her in when I clean, so I figured I would put her in it and set up a heat pad under it for a few hours while the PAM dries, just to be sure.

As far the hides/plants/water bowl in the viv, should I just clean them as normal with a bleach solution, or should they be sprayed with PAM as well? Or just the viv itself?

[WarriorPrincess90]

Sorry to hear about the mites! I'm terrified of this happening to one of my snakes as I live in Florida and can no longer order PAM evidently. Hopefully it will never be an issue. But as someone else said, soaking helps until you can get the PAM. Good luck!