Pests Crossing Species?

[sweety314]

Here's one I didn't find in the SEARCH.....

Do reptile mites cross species?????

Cat fleas like cats, but bite ppl..... Dog fleas like dogs, but bite ppl. Last I heard from our neighbor & public school..... Head lice like ppl, but don't like cats & dogs.

So do reptile mites like cats & dogs? I know they can be carriers & spread them, but would they be "victims"? Rat lice on cats & dogs? Or mites on rats?


Zeus has 'em & EVERYBODY's been treated, (I didn't think of mothballs in the vac. but I'm getting 'em in the morning. ) and my cats were flea'd about 2 wks. ago w/the Frontline....but besides carriers, do I need to be concerned about the cats? The rats are in a diff. room, but I'd hate to spread mites to the rats accidentally, esp. since (I think it was ) Butterscotch, despite quarantine, gave a couple of my guys lice. *Grumble,grumble* <Almost done w/the ivermectin there......>


Thanks!

(Becky??? Any wonderous enlightenment??? )

RuLyn

[JimiSnakes]

Reptile mites won't bother your cats. Buy some Provent-a-mite from mgreptiles and be rid of the whole problem. I treat every single snake i get in with that stuff...works awesome.

[_BoidFinatic_]

Believe it or not, snake mites don't even bother lizards. Lizards have a kind of mite that likes lizard scales and vice versa. No worries about snake mites getting on to you or on to cats/dogs. They are not made to cling to fur, just snake scales. All mites/fleas are specific to a certain group of animals .

[sweety314]

Thx Jim,


I've got some on order. Both PetCo & PetsMart don't carry it. One quit & the other never did....all they have now is Zoo Med or the Jurrasi Pet (HUH?!?)

NE way, I've treated the gang & their equipment w/the Reptile Relief until the PAM arrives.

They were all quarantined so I'm not sure who was the vector, but Flurry the newest, the baby is in a totally different room (his own space for quarantine) & the rest have been treated and are living on p towels right now.

Hopefully Zeus will start eating after this. And BOY! was Hera a goober to do! But they're done and the little &&&%&%^s are deader than a door nail!

Yipppppeeeeee! Take THAT you *%*%&*%* mites!


Since I missed something during earlier quarantine, I think I'll start treating each new snake before I put them in a new home, as soon as they arrive (during weigh-in). And as such, since Flurry is a hatchling, how old / big does he have to be before I could treat him????? Is it like kittens & puppies--they have to be at least 8-12 weeks before U can treat them. Are snakes also restricted by age for the first treatment?

I've got a different vendor's aspen, and it says is laboratory grade, I like the texture better, but I'm thinking it MIGHT be the source???? I didn't have them until just recently----about the time I had to start using the new bale of aspen. HUNH! I don't WANT to go to using JUST to p. towels, because the tanks are on display, but maybe I'll have to. *sigh*


R

[sweety314]

Believe it or not, snake mites don't even bother lizards. Lizards have a kind of mite that likes lizard scales and vice versa. No worries about snake mites getting on to you or on to cats/dogs. They are not made to cling to fur, just snake scales. All mites/fleas are specific to a certain group of animals .

Ahhh, I'm not so sure....After treating Hera, I had mites all over my shorts and shirt......and they were still active until I SMOOSHED them. I'm sure I could have been quite the little (?) okay...BIG transport to another tub & tank. That's why Hera & Zeus were the last two treated.

[JimiSnakes]

I have a Hera and Zues too!

Zues:


Hera:


Hera is your guy's sister!

[sweety314]

Jimi,


I'll be more than happy to trade you my Zeus for yours!!! *angelic look*

Hee hee hee


RuLyn

[Ginevive]

Oh girl, I feel your pain; had mites here a few months ago, and I know it is the most horrible sinking feeling when you see one on your snake; what I used was called Reptile Relief; it worked wonders and I can find nothing remaining in any of their cages. The paper towels are a great idea; I still use them because they're cheap and not as ugly as newspaper.

[rabernet]

I make it a matter of course to treat each new addition's enclosure with PAM (you treat the enclosure, not the snake - but anything on the snake will die). I will also re-treat all the established colony's enclosures at the next cleaning as well after I bring in new animals.


I only had mites one time, and that's treating only with Reptile Relief, before I got the PAM (since Reptile Relief only kills the mites, not the eggs). Since the PAM, I've never had any problem with mites.

[sweety314]

thanks for both of the great ideas.


Yeah, I'm changing my husbandry for new arrivals. Took it for granted and "their word" that they were clean. HUMPH! I have inspected all, but never found anything, until just recently w/Zeus and Hera.

Until the PAM arrives, I'm using the Reptile Relief. Working well so far. Hera's p towels had the peppering from the dead mites, Zeus wasn't too bad, and the others I think I caught "in the bud" as a preventative. Tomorrow is Day 3 so I'll do them all again. Hopefully the PAM will arrive this next week and we'll get the rest of the bloody little :cens0r: !

Anyone???? know the youngest a herp can be before I can treat 'em? Since he's youngest, and in a totally sep. room, I don't see how Flurry can get 'em, but I want to be sure he DOESN'T.

thanks!

RuLyn