A Tick???

[Mochelem]

Ok jacking my thread back.... How should I treat this? PAM? VET? what should I do here?

[anendeloflorien]

Sorry, to paraphrase (probably badly) "the complete ball python" you're supposed to do exactly as you did, pull the tick off and put it in a jar of alcohol then check over the rest of the snake especially under the jaw to ensure there are no more parasites around. I don't believe that PAM is really necessary in this case, ticks stay glued to their host for the most part so in order to treat with PAM you would have to spray the snake directly which would cause way more harm than good.

Sorry if we jacked the thread lol.

[muddoc]

As you sated in your original post, this is probably a one time thing. If you have removed the tick, and inspected your snake for others, and found none, then I would say you are in the clear. It is a pretty rare occurance from my experience. We have been keeping Ball Pythons since 2003, and currently have (including hatchlings from this year) over 400 Ball Pythons, including about 10-15 LTC (a few of which are more than likely WC). In that number, we also have about 40 CH females that we bought as babies in 2003, 2004 and 2005. With all of that siad, I have found a grand total of 2 ticks in my collection, and both of those were found on females this year after laying eggs.

[python.princess]

I'd also double check (if you didn't already) that you got the whole tick out. Sometimes part of the head can stay attached.

[Mochelem]

I'd also double check (if you didn't already) that you got the whole tick out. Sometimes part of the head can stay attached.

I just looked at for a long time, I even stretched the skin in that area so I could see between the scales, I couldnt see anything... The snake does have a small mark where I pulled the tick from.. If you look close it looks like it has a scale missing.....

[coldbloodaddict]

This little guy was hiding inside a WC Burgundy female...He decided to come out with the eggs.

[rishnack]

make sure you got the head off with the tick, if its still on the snake it might fester

[rabernet]

So, wouldn't a PAM treated enclosure kill any ticks, even if they are hanging out in the cloaca?

[West Coast Jungle]

I would treat enclosure with PAM and if concerned the snake with reptile relief.

Many wild BP's live their whole life with ticks. I talked to someone who dealt with imports and it is fairly common but not as serious as mites. Mites are not natural to BP's as they dont exisit in Africa so they can overwhelm the snake and cause more serious health problems.

Of course no one wants ticks in their collection but as Tim stated you could have them for years and not know or cause any serious threat. Granted tick isnt carriing some disease. You would have known by now if that was the case.

My vet once told me this is why you never want to house different species together because a parasite that is relitively harmeless to one species could devastate another. I had asked him years ago if I could house a beardie and tortoise together since thier husbandry is similar. He said for example coccidia is quite commomn in beardies but would ravage a tortoise (just as ticks are common on BP's).

[SamuraiZr0]

you can treat a mite problem with cooking spray? lol that's cool didnt notice that