I got the mites!

[EasternGirl]

I have always knocked on wood that I haven't had mites yet. How could I have missed them? Because when I looked in the babies enclosure this morning...they were literally crawling on the hides! I think Bella must have brought them...but I never saw them on her when she was in quarantine. Now how do I safely treat the babies? I feel like the darn things are crawling all over me! They probably have been.

[infernalis]

Before you do anything, can you confirm they are in fact snake mites?

[EasternGirl]

Well...when I was holding Bella, a teeni tiny black thing crawled on my hand...then I looked in the enclosure and they were crawling on the cardboard hide. They are tiny and blackish and there are even tinier ones that you can barely see. When I just now cleaned the tank out...I saw more on my gloves. Wouldn't that be snake mites? What else could it be? I got some Rid...which has the same ingredient as Provent-a-Mite. It says it treats mites, lice, and bed bugs. So I assume it should kill whatever type of mite it is. I talked to Mike on the phone...who has dealt with mites several times. He walked me through the steps to use the treatment.

[EasternGirl]

Btw...I feel like I have mites crawling all over me. My son is running around the house convinced they are everywhere...lol. Snake drama.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

I remember Steve said he was talking to the head man at Provent-a-mite when Mark's Martha got them.Maybe he could ask the man how to treat babies.

[guidofatherof5]

With Provent-a-Mite you treat the enclosure not the snakes. A warm bath with one drop of liquid soap in the water is a good start. The soap will break the water tension not allowing the mites to float. Wiping the snakes down with a warm wet paper towel will let you clean off many of the mites. That kind of bath and wipe down can be done daily until the problem is under control. Provent-A-Mite kills the mites after they drop off the snakes or are hatched in the substrate.
I don't know how RID would work in this situation.

[EasternGirl]

Well the Rid has the same ingredient as Provent-a-Mite. Mike told me the same thing...to let the babies soak in water. But should I go ahead and treat the enclosure?

[mikem]

Yes! Treat the enclosure. Rid is used just like Provent-A-Mite. Both Rid and PAM's active ingredient is Permethrin .5%. I've used Rid with great sucess. Be sure to retreat after 2 weeks to kill any new mites that have hatched.

[EasternGirl]

Okay...I got the rid...gonna treat the enclosure and let it sit outside to air out for a couple of hours. I'm going to let the snakes soak for a bit in the meantime.

[EasternGirl]

Steve...would you feel safe using Provent-a-Mite in a babies enclosure?

[Chondro788]

With whatever you use, be sure the enclosure is allowed to completely air for some time(I like to wait 24 hours). The fumes can be harmful, and I have had the mistake in the past of putting animals back into an enclosure with dire consequences. Prevent a mite is a great product, but garters seem to be more affected by the fumes then the boas and pythons I have used it on in the past.

[EasternGirl]

Okay...thank you Jason!

[chris-uk]

If the active ingredient is permethrin be careful with any plastics it comes into contact with. I used a permethrin solution (admittedly it was stronger than the 5% you're looking at) to treat a mosquito net and it partially dissolved the plastic bag that I put the leaky bottle in.

Hope you get rid of these little buggers quickly.

[mikem]

Jason, thanks for the info. I've not yet used any permetherin treatment with garters and wasn't aware that they were sensitive to the fumes. I've never put a snake into an enclosure that still smelled after I sprayed it, that is good to know. Make sure it is dry and odor free before placing your snakes back in.

Chris, thanks for your input. I'll have to do some test sprays on plastics to see what happens.

[EasternGirl]

Thanks all of you for your help. The only thing I used the spray on...which does have the permethrin...is the tank. I put the tank outside and will let it air out overnight. Everything else I cleaned with bleach solution. I am washing my clothes and bedding in a mite solution I have from before. I will also spray furniture with a bedding/furniture mite spray. No harm in being extra cautious!

[mikem]

How are your other snakes looking? Any mites on them or is it contained to the baby enclosure?

[guidofatherof5]

Steve...would you feel safe using Provent-a-Mite in a babies enclosure?

Yes, as long as it is completely dry before the babies are put back in.
That liquid tends to settle in pockets so fanning out the aquarium is vital. I fan it out then fan it out again and repeat. I've said it before but that stuff is deadly until dried.

[infernalis]

sounds like it's all covered Marnie.

Follow everyone's advice and you should be fine.

[guidofatherof5]

Treat all your snake enclosures not just the one. Mites migrate very easily. Keep in mind they are microscopic during much of their lives.

[Invisible Snake]

Good luck with the mite situation Marnie!

[norcalj]

Here's a solution that you might want to try, because it worked for me. In the past, mites somehow got into my collection and were all over my snakes, in their hide caves and in the paper towel substrate. I wiped out those little bastards after using (only once) Hartz tick & flea powder for cats. The powder not only killed the adult mites, but it also killed the barely visible babies. I dusted everything. The terrarium floor, the substrate, the snakes themselves, and their hide caves. After dusting everything, I left it like that overnight. The next day, there were dead mites all over the white paper towel substrate. After confirming that you've killed them, make sure that you rinse everything off really well with warm water. Like I said, I only had to do that once and I have never since had a reinfestation. Also, make sure that if you have a water bowl or dish in the tank, that you remove it to dust separately.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

I would like to also add that sometimes mites will get under the scales of snakes and are harder to kill look under the chin and if you see any raised scales or black dots under the chin you can dab a little mineral oil on the area and they will come out.the oil smothers the mites.

[EasternGirl]

Again...thank you everyone. I sprayed the enclosure with Rid and left it to air out overnight. I actually cleaned it well with a bleach solution before using the rid. I soaked the babies for a bit yesterday...I do see a couple of mites under scales, I think...I will try the mineral oil. I might try the Hartz stuff too...if I still have the mites...I like that idea. Yesterday was a long day...I didn't have time to check all of my other snakes...I will be doing that today. The biggest problem that I have right now is finding places to put the snakes while I treat and air out the enclosures. I guess this is all going to have to be done in stages. I had the babies in a critter keeper overnight...but the only plastic tub I have that is big enough to hold my adult snakes will have to be treated first because Bella was in that for her quarantine. What is the verdict on treating plastic with the Rid?

[mikem]

Like I said, 99% of my enclosures are plastic... either rubbermaid or sterilite. No problems here.

[EasternGirl]

Okay cool...like I said, I will have to do this in stages. I am going to treat the plastic tub that Bella was in and the plastic tub that you gave me today and let them air out overnight. I will also treat the critter keepers once I put the babies back in their enclosure. Then I can move all of the adults out of their enclosures and treat the enclosures. It will be a long week!

[mikem]

Yep, even if they don't have mites, I'd go ahead and treat their enclosures anyway. If you have any plastic shoe boxes, they'll be comfortable in that overnight, that way you can treat a couple of cages at once.

[EasternGirl]

I actually worked out a better plan...since the babies are comfy in the critter keeper for now...and all of my tanks are basically the same except for Cee Cee and Sadie's, I can just play tank switch-a-roo...I can soak Hermes and Possum and move them to the treated babies tank, then treat their tank...move snakes into that tank, and so forth and so on. Now...I just have to begin the work!

[mikem]

I'd be interested in knowing if they had spread to your other snakes. Let us know if you find any on them.

[mark cope]

Sorry to hear about the mites marnie,
One of the products I used and can't recommend enough is Callingtons if you can get it over there.

[EasternGirl]

Well...I did not find any on my other snakes. In fact, the odd thing is...even though the other babies are in with Bella and I saw the mites crawling on the hides...tody, after soaking the babies twice...I did not see any mites on the other babies or see them crawling on my hands when I picked them up. However, when I picked up Bella, I saw them crawling on my hands. Now...I have the babies all back in their enclosure, which was treated and left overnight to dry and air out. I put a little mineral oil on a paper towel and wiped each baby down with it before putting them in the enclosure. Should this be safe? The mineral oil cannot hurt them can it? If they go into the water dish and then drink from it...will that hurt them?

[BLUESIRTALIS]

I don't see why the mineral oil would hurt. Like i said it works on the mites in those problem areas where they get under the scales. I have never covered a whole snake with mineral though but i don't see how it could hurt. As far as the oil getting in the water should not hurt either. They may dirty the cage a little faster as mineral oil is used as a natural laxative. I have gave mineral oil to impacted snakes before through a syringe.

[EasternGirl]

Thanks...if you gave it to them through a syringe, I can't see how it could hurt them. It certainly isn't toxic...as you said, it is a laxative...you can give it to babies for constipation. They aren't soaked in it and sliding all over...lol. Like I said, I just put a little on a paper towel and rubbed it on them...I figure that will smother any mites on them. I will change their water frequently so that they aren't drinking it. Thanks again!

[ProXimuS]

Man, sorry to hear about this. Glad to hear it hasn't spread around, though. Good luck, Marnie:)

[mark cope]

How goes the battle ? Marnie