Q On Mites!!

[Nick_FourTwenty]

heey so my baby BP got mites that i had just noticed the other day, i havnt noticed them before so hopefully they wernt around too long
anyways i washed all the decor and tank and threw out the bedding ((used a lil bleach to clean also is that ok??)) i bathed my snake for about 10 mins and then again an hour later
i noticed a lot of them dying from underneath his scales, is he going to be ok??
i got some mite powder stuff that i sprinkled between the bottom of the tank and the repti-carpet i have in for now
also used some spray on him (only the 2nd half of his body or so) and on some of the decor
ok so thats what ive done so far and just wondering if my process sounds like it will work??

[dr del]

Hi,

I don't know. :eek:

What exactly is this "mite powder stuff"?

We normally recomend using provent a mite and following the instructions exactly to make sure there are no problems.

The problem is a lot of things kill the adult mites but do not affect the eggs so a re-infestation occurs and treatment needs to be repeated.

I would list exactly what powder you used and the method to see if anyone on here knows if it could have any negative effects and then go from there.


dr del

[Nick_FourTwenty]

"nature zone mite guard" its the powder that i put underneath the repti carpet
"natural chemistry reptile relief" is the spray, says it kills mites and eggs on contact, so i sprayed that on the snake and some on the decor inside the tank, i let it vent out befor placing him back inside

i could also list the ingrediants if anyone thinks these might be harmful

[kc261]

I'm not speaking from personal experience, just regurgitating what I've read, but since it has been about 12 hours since you updated and no one replied yet...

Provent a Mite (often abbreviated as PAM) seems to be the only product that actually gets rid of mites in a single treatment. Other products may say that they do, but based on the experiences of people on this forum, it doesn't appear that those products work as claimed. The key may be that it says it kills the eggs "on contact" but what about the eggs under the edge of a scale? Or down in a crack in one of the cage decorations? Just speculating...

So your best bet is to buy a can of that stuff. I think it has to be ordered online.

While you are waiting for it to arrive, the reptile relief is apparently effective in killing the live adult mites, so it will at least reduce your snake's discomfort.

Most people recommend going with white paper towels as a substrate while you are treating for mites so you can see the (hopefully dead/dying) mites.

For hides and other stuff in your enclosure, if it is non-porous you can soak in a bleach solution and rinse thoroughly. Things like driftwood can be baked for a long time at a low temperature (recommendations vary but I think the minimum I've seen was 1/2 hr at 200 degrees, I'd probably go a little longer or a little hotter to be sure). If you have something like an aspen substrate, you probably kill the mites by baking it, but since it is something you are supposed to change periodically anyway, you could just throw it out and start with fresh once you are sure the mites are eradicated. The reptile carpet thing can probably be soaked in bleach and then rinsed very thoroughly.

I have no idea about that powder. Is it intended for use with snakes? If so, it probably won't hurt your BP, but unfortunately the pet supplies industry isn't very well regulated so there are a large number of products that are either totally ineffective or unnecessary, and at least a few that can be harmful.