DO NOT use those pest strips. It will cause nerve damage.

The safest way to treat for mites is using a few techniques. First of all, LLLReptile sells a Provent-a-mite and reptile relief spray combo package for 23.95 plus shipping. I actually just ordered that myself, and the total came to less than $30 shipped. Thats an awesome deal. Here's a link to that product: http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/...cage-cleaners/

In the mean time, I've found that soaking the snake in tepid, chin-deep water, with a very small amount of liquid handsoap (dial, palmolive, whatever) seems to kill off the adults very effectively. The solution should be a very heavily diluted soapy solution, I don't think that if the snake drank any of it accidentally it would cause any ill effects. Appearantly the soap in the water breaks the surface tension that forms around mites that allow them to survive under water for periods of time. They basically drown instantly. Until your mite control stuff comes, this will greatly reduce the population of adults mites. It won't do anything for the eggs and larvae though...

Thats where reptile relief and provent-a-mite come in. Reptile relief can be sprayed directly to the animal, and will kill most of the mites at later stages of development. You them remove the animal and the water bowl from the cage and apply the provent-a-mite. You will need to let the enclosure dry completely- when wet, provent-a-mite can cause nerve damage in the snake. When dry, it is completely harmless. The dry chemical residue is devastating to the mites and their eggs.