And my girlfriend purchased a red tail boa

[KevinK]

So what is the best way to spot them?

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Even though you wiped her down with the paper towel, in the past when I suspected mites I would change the actual substrate to white paper towel (do not feed on paper towels however - I have actually viewed pictures of a snake that ingested it because it stuck to the rat) and keep cage accessories to a minimum. Mites like to cling and not move but the longer the snake spends on a white surface, the more easily spotted they are.

Try keeping her on paper towel for a week or so and see if you spot any. If not, maybe she just likes to soak but this has never been a common occurrence with my boas.