Well don't be afraid to allow your snake to go for a romp in the grass bc it's not a wild animal living in the outdoors. Which would put him more at risk. Captive reptiles are more prone to take on mites if they are in a enclosure with poor hygiene and or sanitation. Keepers who have large collections also are more at risk for a mite infestation. As are those that are exposed to large numbers of reptiles like at expos.