Why are there so many mite outbreaks lately??

[RobNJ]

This is true but again, snake mites won't be on rodents and vice versa.

If mites can hitch a ride home with a person after a show, why can't they hitch a ride on a rodent? Seems entirely plausible, and still a rather significant number of people believe that rodents are a source for mites.

Does anyone think this extremely warm winter could have anything to do with it??? Where I live, I would normally never see ticks this time of year, but I have recently seen a few.

I do believe though that this recent rash of mite threads(I've noticed as well) is merely coincidental and the people who have them are starting threads.

[snake lab]

They most certainly can hitch a ride on rodents. A guy that buys rodents from me on a regular basis needed larges one week and i didnt have enough for him ready so he went up to a local pet store. And he got mites from the rodents he bought. I know he did cause i was at his house the night after to sex a few of his snakes and there were still mites on a couple rats he hadnt fed yet. Luckilly it was caught quick and infestation was everted but they can come home from rodents if there are mites where the rodents came from

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

I imagine it's possible (italics) if the rodents are kept close to mite infested snakes, for one or two to hitch a ride if they crawl onto a rodent but again, snake mites are species specific... They will not feed on rodents. The mite infested rodents have rodent mites. These mites will not infest your snakes.

When I first started breeding rats a few years ago the starter colonies I got from a guy in Indiana had mites. They quickly moved to my ASFs. All my rodents were in the same room as 2 of my BP racks. While these mites were fast moving and clearly visible crawling around, they did not, and never would have gotten on my snakes. It was a pain to rid my colonies of them but perseverance and patience and before long everyone was itch free.

It is quite common for pet store rodents to have mites but again, I'm talking about snake mites...

If one or two did get on a rodent, it would not feed, it would not breed, and it would not survive very long.

I highly doubt the rodents at pet stores that are visibly crawling with mites have snake mites on them. It is one thing to be at an expo and handle a snake with mites, brush against someone who has, etc, and get one on you. It is an entirely different matter to expect a snake mite to willingly be on a mammal which it can not survive on for any period of time in a pet store such as a rodent. Especially when they are usually housed pretty far from the snakes.

[Slim]

When I see someone has a mite problem, orders PAM, and then does the treatment, I almost expect to see them have another outbreak about 15 days later. During the week you're waiting for your PAM to show up, LOTS of eggs are being kicked out. Some of these eggs get outside of the enclosures when you're trying to clean things up. A couple of these eggs hit the carpet or floor, the floor doesn't get treated with PAM, and next thing you know, you have mites again...

[Rob]

I have been bathing mine and cleaning the heck out of everything it seems I'm winning the war with these a holes, Pam comes in. Tomorrow I'm paming the house..........in moderation of course

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

When I see someone has a mite problem, orders PAM, and then does the treatment, I almost expect to see them have another outbreak about 15 days later. During the week you're waiting for your PAM to show up, LOTS of eggs are being kicked out. Some of these eggs get outside of the enclosures when you're trying to clean things up. A couple of these eggs hit the carpet or floor, the floor doesn't get treated with PAM, and next thing you know, you have mites again...

You have a great point. This is why when I use to give advice on mite treatment threads I'd always tell people to run to the pet store or Walmart and pick up a container of flea powder for the carpet. Put this all over the carpeting around the racks, in the room, along doorways, etc. leave it there all week before vacuuming until the PAM gets there. Of course you can't do this if you have hardwood floors but in that case you can do a good mopping every 2 days with a mild ammonia and water mixture.

Then just don't let any reptilian critters or small animals on the floor. It's safe for dogs and cats though.

Another great thing to do is pick up a can of generic lice spray and use it to spray the shelves that the tubs are on, the floors around the racks, or if it's an aquarium, spray a border around the table it sits on and around the floor. Make it so nothing can leave that area or come into it.

Knowing what products are available in a pinch and using a little ingenuity can help you stop the spread of the mites to other snakes, and help prevent a population explosion while waiting for the PAM.

[Rob]

^^^^^^ great tips I'm going to grab some flea powder

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

^^^^^^ great tips I'm going to grab some flea powder

Flea powder works great! I use it on the carpet in my snake room twice a year just as a precautionary measure against wood mites from bedding since my rat racks are in there too. I haven't seen so much as a spider in there in 2 years. I put it on the floor and leave it there for about 2 weeks. Then vacuum again very well. Bugs don't like that room lol!

[JohnNJ]

Over 30 years ago I had a BP with mites. PAM wasn't around then so I had to spread mineral oil all over the snake. It killed the mites and the snake stayed slick until the next shed.

Hopefully I'll never see another mite.

[WarriorPrincess90]

I think, in rare cases, it is possible to get mites from snake bedding. The family owned pet store I buy my feeders from got in a shipment of infested baby balls and when I was checking them out I noticed the mites and suggested to the owner that he get some PAM since it was obvious the mite spray he claimed to be using was not working. The setup sits right up against another set of shelves where the owner keeps his snake bedding. I suggested moving it away, but I think in a case like that it's possible.

Sadly, I don't think you can get PAM in Florida anymore. So if I end up with mites...I'm in trouble. I have never had them *knock on wood*, thank goodness, but it's definitely something I look out for.