I have mites on my snakes HELP!!

[Holly_Berry]

*** Reptile Spray ***

Reptile Spray kills mites on contact while wet, once it dries it loses its effectiveness pretty quickly. Reptile Spray is a solution of salts rather than an insecticide; it kills mites by dehydrating them. I don't spray the snakes as more ends up on the floor than on the snake. Instead, I spray a white paper towel with it and wipe it on the snake. That way you get even coverage on the snake, you can work it into the area under their chin really well as that's a favorite hiding place for mites, you don't stress out your snake, and you can look for mites on the paper towel to see how quickly they're being eradicated. Apply twice a week. Note - this stuff hurts like the blazes in an open wound.

I had a question about the reptile spray, somewhat specifically for you since I saw that you use it. I only have one snake, and I don't plan on getting anymore anytime soon. But as a precaution would using the reptile spray on cypress substrate (letting it dry out before putting it into the enclosure) as often as once a month be okay? I wouldn't use it on the snake itself until I see mites on it of course as you said its salt based and would dry the snake out. But it seems that treating the bedding before adding it into the enclosure would seem like a safe bet to prevent mites in the future.

[bcr229]

I had a question about the reptile spray, somewhat specifically for you since I saw that you use it. I only have one snake, and I don't plan on getting anymore anytime soon. But as a precaution would using the reptile spray on cypress substrate (letting it dry out before putting it into the enclosure) as often as once a month be okay? I wouldn't use it on the snake itself until I see mites on it of course as you said its salt based and would dry the snake out. But it seems that treating the bedding before adding it into the enclosure would seem like a safe bet to prevent mites in the future.

That would be a waste of the product as it's only effective when wet and it doesn't kill mite eggs. A far more economical and effective treatment if you are worried about substrate being contaminated with mites and/or eggs is to spread some in a baking pan and put it into the oven at 150*F for an hour.