Mites...cripes

[Shadera]

LOL you got that right...

Should i use Pam to clean her enclosure tonight till i get the reptile basics spray..or use bleach and water

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There's absolutely nothing wrong with using PAM. It's as safe as anything else if used correctly. Clean the enclosure, hose it down with PAM, and make sure it's dry before introducing her again. You can spray the bedding as well as long as it's dry before the snake touches it.

I've never had need to use anything else, because done right, PAM works.

[MrLang]

I haven't had mites but PAM seems to be the overwhelming consensus on these threads.

I have seen Reptile Relief at PETCO before, so check that out if you're waiting for some other product to ship.

[Jason Bowden]

I would use Provent-a-mite.

A friend of mine killed his boa with "Reptile Spray". At least that is what he explained to me.

Go to Summit Reptiles site to read about getting rid of mites. They have a good write up about it.

[Evenstar]

LOL you got that right...

Should i use Pam to clean her enclosure tonight till i get the reptile basics spray..or use bleach and water

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STOP. Do NOT mix your chemicals! If you're going to use PAM, stick with that and do not use Reptile Spray.

As you can see, most folks here prefer PAM. And it does work - I have nothing against it. However, I don't think it's always the only answer. And there have been some reports that PAM does not work on some species of mites, or that some mite infestations can build up a resistance to it. I do not know how true that is first hand, but I sure have seen a lot of folks post here and on other forums that they've tried PAM and it has not worked for them (see Salamander's previous post) - or that they have to treat and re-treat time after time to solve the problem. And, yes, it has been used properly.

My personal opinion is, why use a strong chemical like PAM if a natural product like Reptile Basics' Reptile Spray is every bit as effective?? I have PAM on my shelf and I always will. But the Reptile Spray is what I reach for first. Safer + just as effective = better.

Here is my experience with mites and Reptile Spray and why I advocate this product over PAM.... I purchased a baby sunglow boa at the Tinley Park expo in October. Found mites on her that first night in the hotel room. Promptly went back to the expo the next morning intending to grab a can of PAM and nuke everything. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to speak with Rich from Reptile Basics before I did that and he gave me a bottle of Reptile Spray and told me how to use it. I sprayed down my baby in the hotel room sink and watched the mites die (and, yes, these were the little hard ones that squished blood and were active on the snake, hince preditory mites). My baby was instantly and completely mite-free! I sprayed and wiped down her small travel tub and put in fresh paper towels. Also sprayed the other boa I'd purchased the day before as well to be on the safe side. I didn't come home with a single one of these little buggers, the problem was solved in one morning after only 30 minutes.

Incidentally, I have NEVER heard of a snake dying from Reptile Spray. This product does not contain permethrin which can be dangerous to reptiles and amphibians (and is the first ingredient in PAM). Reptile Spray destroys the insects' exoskeleton and they die on contact. It also kills with a residual effect so eggs cannot develop. Summit Reptiles does have a good write up on this - although they do indicate specifically to be very careful using any product with permethrin around your reptiles. http://www.summitreptiles.com/id109.html

Good luck with whatever you decide!!

[nimblykimbly]

STOP. Do NOT mix your chemicals! If you're going to use PAM, stick with that and do not use Reptile Spray.

As you can see, most folks here prefer PAM. And it does work - I have nothing against it. However, I don't think it's always the only answer. And there have been some reports that PAM does not work on some species of mites, or that some mite infestations can build up a resistance to it. I do not know how true that is first hand, but I sure have seen a lot of folks post here and on other forums that they've tried PAM and it has not worked for them (see Salamander's previous post) - or that they have to treat and re-treat time after time to solve the problem. And, yes, it has been used properly.

My personal opinion is, why use a strong chemical like PAM if a natural product like Reptile Basics' Reptile Spray is every bit as effective?? I have PAM on my shelf and I always will. But the Reptile Spray is what I reach for first. Safer + just as effective = better.

Here is my experience with mites and Reptile Spray and why I advocate this product over PAM.... I purchased a baby sunglow boa at the Tinley Park expo in October. Found mites on her that first night in the hotel room. Promptly went back to the expo the next morning intending to grab a can of PAM and nuke everything. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to speak with Rich from Reptile Basics before I did that and he gave me a bottle of Reptile Spray and told me how to use it. I sprayed down my baby in the hotel room sink and watched the mites die (and, yes, these were the little hard ones that squished blood and were active on the snake, hince preditory mites). My baby was instantly and completely mite-free! I sprayed and wiped down her small travel tub and put in fresh paper towels. Also sprayed the other boa I'd purchased the day before as well to be on the safe side. I didn't come home with a single one of these little buggers, the problem was solved in one morning after only 30 minutes.

Good luck with whatever you decide!!

Why can you not use PAM and Reptile Spray? (this is not asked in an attacking manner, genuinely want to understand why) I use PAM on my rack, the carpet in the room, and and really any exposed surface where they could possibly hide. And I use Reptile Spray ON the snake, and usually in the tub. Why is this not safe? IMO, if you treat only the tub and rack, but not the snake, then it's miserable until all the mites eventually die off? and if you treat only the snake, you risk re infestation Reptile spray is all-natural and safe for on the snake, so why not use it hand in hand with the PAM, to give the snake immediate relief?

[Evenstar]

Why can you not use PAM and Reptile Spray? (this is not asked in an attacking manner, genuinely want to understand why) I use PAM on my rack, the carpet in the room, and and really any exposed surface where they could possibly hide. And I use Reptile Spray ON the snake, and usually in the tub. Why is this not safe? IMO, if you treat only the tub and rack, but not the snake, then it's miserable until all the mites eventually die off? Reptile spray is all-natural and safe for on the snake, so why not use it hand in hand with the PAM, to give the snake immediate relief?

You could use the Reptile Spray on the snake - sorry if I did not make that clear. Earlier, I had talked to the OP about using Reptile Spray in the snake's enclosure as well as on the snake itself. I wanted to be clear that one should not use PAM on the enclosure and then immediately use the Reptile Spray on top of that - that may well be too much for the occupant. Thanks for clarifying!!

[nimblykimbly]

You could use the Reptile Spray on the snake - sorry if I did not make that clear. Earlier, I had talked to the OP about using Reptile Spray in the snake's enclosure as well as on the snake itself. I wanted to be clear that one should not use PAM on the enclosure and then immediately use the Reptile Spray on top of that - that may well be too much for the occupant. Thanks for clarifying!!

Oh okay - got it!

[Salamander Rising]

Oh my gosh! No kidding! Kinda makes you want to fumigate everything every time you go any place that has reptiles...


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I know.

And this place has been actively 'spraying' for mites several times when I've been there.

They hauled a small monitor of some sort out of a tank on the opposite wall who'd been literally sucked dry.

It was awful.

[nimblykimbly]

I know.

And this place has been actively 'spraying' for mites several times when I've been there.

They hauled a small monitor of some sort out of a tank on the opposite wall who'd been literally sucked dry.

It was awful.

Places like that make me sad for the animals


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[Salamander Rising]

and, yes, these were the little hard ones that squished blood and were active on the snake, hince preditory mites

Those are exactly what I've got.

Are they a different kind of snake mite?

They look like tiny little black balls and they do explode blood when you 'pop' them.