Quarantine - I learned my lesson the hard way

[hitman3303]

So I guy that has purchased 2 snakes from me gives me a baby normal. I Get it home (like a dumb @$$ I don't quarantine her). I bring her home in a shoebox bin the guy gives me with shredded wood chips (for the life of me I don't know why, but I don't throw it out and clean it). I move her from a larger bin (becuae she is not eating) back to the shoe box bin. I clean out the bin she was in and put my female albino in that bin. (Note: I have never had a mite outbreak before this)

A day after I put the baby in the shoebox bin I notice her soaking. I come home and there are black specks all in the water ( I have never seen mits so I thought it was dirt). Then I notice my Albino has red marks all on her body. I Look closer and I see little black dots all over her moving!

Long story short, I soak every snake I have, bleach every bin, rack, utensil I own. Use prvent a mite on the bins/chips/paper towels, and snake mite spray on every snake. it took me almost 8 hours to do everything Saturday evening/night.

I will never bring another snake in my house again without the quarantine. I completely screwed it up and it could have cost me big time!

[h00blah]

Ouch ! Sorry to hear that! I hope you got 'em all!

[Don]

Glad you only suffered mites, it could be even worse if there was a disease involved.

[hitman3303]

Ouch ! Sorry to hear that! I hope you got 'em all!

You and me both. I was freaking out Saturday evening. I don't see anymore on the female albino and I don't see any on the other snakes I have.

Luckily I found this out before I bought some more snakes from him. I was going to get them from him Sunday.

I will quarantine from now on, and I will stick with just buying from real breeders.

- - - Updated - - -

Glad you only suffered mites, it could be even worse if there was a disease involved.

You're right. Really bad decision by me. I think I am going to hold off getting anymore this year and wait until next year when i can get a rack in another room. I have a 41qt 4 rack, but that is probably way too big for smaller snakes to quarantine with.

You live an you learn I guess. Some people don't get how dangerous the iron is until they touch it.

[West Coast Jungle]

No matter who or where I get a snake from the first thing is they go in a PAM treated tub in my quarantine room. Mites can carry disease from one snake to another so keep an eye on everyone.

[Annarose15]

No matter who or where I get a snake from the first thing is they go in a PAM treated tub in my quarantine room. Mites can carry disease from one snake to another so keep an eye on everyone.

^ Definitely this. It doesn't matter how well I know or trust someone, PAM and QT every time.

[Kaorte]

Be glad it was only mites! I got a snake from a reputable breeder, but because I got it from an expo it came home with a few mites. QT saved my collection from a mite infestation and the issue was resolved quickly with some elbow grease, a few soaks, and PAM.