Anyone with experience of mites?

[Naom9Anne]

So, I managed to get my pastel to feed for the first time last Tuesday and today we're back to square one again. She is showing no interest at all in the rat and actually seemed to shy away from it.

I discovered she had mites at the end of last week and I was wondering if anyone knew if it was normal behaviour for a BP to go off her food during this time? (I do understand that it can cause stress but wondering if anyone has personal experience of this themselves) I have treat her and the enclosure she is in but I know it doesn't necessarily mean they are gone (it would be a miracle if they had gone in one treatment!)

Also any advice in perhaps waiting period between next feed attempt? If I should hold off until I have eradicated the mites from her? etc etc all advice is welcomed!


In other news, my newer BP who I've had for 8 days now (totally mite free!) took his first meal with me no problem! So proud of my boy. Swings and roundabouts in this household

[The Serpent Merchant]

I wouldn't consider it abnormal for a BP to stop eating while being treated for mites.

I would continue offering a rodent once a week. If the mites aren't gone in a few weeks you have a bigger issue on your hands than a BP not eating.

[SlitherinSisters]

I've heard that it's normal. Mites take a lot out of them. What are you using to treat the mites?

[Phantomtip]

Mine got mites from an infested rat. I soaked her in warm water, scrubbed her tank then saturated it with PAM (Provent A Mite). After it aired out and dried I put paper towels down. Removed everything except a plastic hide and water dish and then treated the rest of her stuff. I did this 2x a week for a month. She didn't want to eat during the beginning of the infestation either. Towards the 3rd week she was eating again and moving around a whole lot. After I didn't see anything on her or on the paper towels for a week I stopped treatment and she went on like nothing was ever wrong. I did treat everything 1 last time when I put fresh substrate in. I didn't want those nasty things coming back. I also only had 1 bp at the time and wasn't planning to get another. Now I am thinking of getting a pied.

[SlitherinSisters]

Mammal mites and reptile mites are very different and can't survive off the opposite host. Just so you don't stress about rodent/mammal mites again. Wood mites are also harmless to snakes.

[Naom9Anne]

I am using callington spray which is used for both snakes and their enclosures which I was sent by the reptile place I got her from. While I was waiting for this to come in the post I cleared her tank, boiled her hides and water bowls thoroughly, removed all substrate, hoovered and disinfected the tank before replacing the aspen with paper towels. I also gave her a little soak during the process.

She has become very defensive (striking pose if I go anywhere near her when she is out and she decided to strike when I was moving her from her viv into the water) as well as not eating and more active during the day, although not necessarily soaking all of the time.

She had a bad shed when I first got her at the beginning of the month which myself and the reptile place had put down to stress and perhaps my humidity not being perfectly to par but I'm thinking it may have been the start of mites (?)

She did eat last week (as I mentioned) which is why I'm not so worried about her missing another feed but hearing that it is common for them to go off food is a little more reassuring. Is the sudden defensive/slightly aggressive nature also usual? I can still handle her although I am trying not to unless necessary as I know she is likely to be stressed.