Mites?

[BHReptiles]

Anyone have any pictures of what mites look like on a hatchling? I have a 180g hatchling who suddenly hopped in his water bowl today. I've had him about a week now (he's in quarantine) and he's always beside his water bowl or in his hides but NEVER inside the water bowl. I just switched him to a tub with newspaper. He was in a glass tank with aspen. Any reason why he would suddenly hop into his bowl? He's not in shed. I inspected him and there was no black dots in the water bowl and there weren't any on his body that I could see. I checked in his heat pits and in the skin under his jaw. Am I just overreacting? None of my other snakes do this.

[JaGv]

thats normal behavior now if he was in his bowl alot then maybe mites.

mites are easy to spot if your looking close enough. they will be little black dots moving aroung

[satomi325]

I don't have a picture, but they look like poppy seeds. Same shape and same size.

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[SeeTheCityLights]

I had mites on my BCI, and I saw them by holding her and found them crawling on my hand. I treated, and a few days later I checked and saw a couple attached to her, unmoving. I found them easiest to find by holding her up at eye level and flipping her slowly around to see them stick up at the "horizon" of her against a solid background (like a wall). I have no idea if that makes sense... You know when you can see a boat on the horizon of the sea because it sticks up at the line of where water meets sky? Think like that.

[BHReptiles]

thats normal behavior now if he was in his bowl alot then maybe mites.

mites are easy to spot if your looking close enough. they will be little black dots moving aroung

This is the first time I 've seen him sitting in his dish. He's a lesser, so he has a clean white belly. I looked him over thoroughly and I didn't see any black dots...not on him or the water dish. I have PAM and a reptile mite spray on hand just in case I ever have a mite problem. I've never had to use it -knock on wood- and I hope to keep it that way! Maybe I'm just overreacting because he's new and sitting in his dish. I also worry about soaking and the health of his scales.

I guess I worry about all my snake's healths a little but too much. However, hopefully my overzelous attitude will save me some heartache later when I do need to be very observant.

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I had mites on my BCI, and I saw them by holding her and found them crawling on my hand. I treated, and a few days later I checked and saw a couple attached to her, unmoving. I found them easiest to find by holding her up at eye level and flipping her slowly around to see them stick up at the "horizon" of her against a solid background (like a wall). I have no idea if that makes sense... You know when you can see a boat on the horizon of the sea because it sticks up at the line of where water meets sky? Think like that.

I get what you're saying. Good tip! I basically did that with my boy tonight when I found him sitting in my dish. I kinda freaked out and scared my mother. She couldn't see why it was such a big deal.

[JaGv]

i have seen some of my snakes soaking without being in shed or having mites but for a while then its back to their warm spot . maybe they just like to sit in the water

[BHReptiles]

i have seen some of my snakes soaking without being in shed or having mites but for a while then its back to their warm spot . maybe they just like to sit in the water

Maybe. I know it's not too warm in there. For all those who might be curious:

hot side: 88-92
cold side: 78-81
ambient: 80-82

[SlitherinSisters]

If you look at them closely you would know for sure if they were mites or not. Mites move around, spots are always in the same place.