This Mite Kill Me!!

[Tyrel26]

Straight to the point....I have mites, well my snakes do. I am not sure how I got them unless it was from handling a wild snake and the mites got onto my clothing?

Regardless I want them GONE, and I know this isn't easy. So far I have removed all hides, dumped most and the wooden ones are outside waiting to meet my bbq. All the substrate has been removed and they now just have paper substrate. I cleaned the enclosures with very hot water, too hot to touch, and Mr. Clean and dried with a clean rag before adding the new paper substrate and the polished water boil. I soaked all the snakes in a warm bath for several minutes and then held them under the tap, before drying them with another clean dry cloth.

I did this with 3 out of my 5 enclosures and I plan to do the other 2 tomorrow as it is late here.

Ok questions:

1. What next? How do I get rid of these things?
2. I have carpet floor in my snake room, big issue?
3. Will these mites affect all species of snake?
4. I also have birds, will these mites affect them or are they strictly reptile mites?

On top of all this my snake, which I though was too small to give birth, gave birth to 5 very tiny babies today...


Please reply asap, Ill keep you up to date as best I can between work and everything else I have going on.

Thank You!

[infernalis]

1. Use a commercially available Mite killer, another excellent method is to dilute "Nix" (Human lice treatment) and apply it to the snakes.

2. I have carpet in my snake room, and it has not promoted the spread of mites at all that I can see, But I vacuum my snake room more than any other room in the house.

3. Mites are not species specific anymore than fleas are to dogs or cats. A host is a host, a blood meal is a blood meal.

4. Not sure about the birds, Just keep them from coming into contact with your snakes, always wash your hands with soap when handling one then the other just to be safe.

Cleaning the enclosures and then putting infested snakes back in defeats the whole purpose, you have to treat both together at the same time, otherwise the enclosure will re-infest the snakes, the snakes will re-infest the enclosure.

You don't have to discard your hides and bowls, soak them in bleach and hot water, then wash them off.

[mustang]

i forgot which episode but goto youtube and look at the snakebytes episodes (specificly the ones with product reviews) and they showed a good mite killing spray that works quick!

[guidofatherof5]

Provent-A-Mite Pro-Products | Provent-a-Mite (http://www.pro-products.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53&Itemid=59)

I use this stuff and if is quick, easy and effective. My snakes have shown no ill-effects to it. It is dangerous when not used properly. It kills mite and continues to do so for up to 4 months. It kills mites and their eggs.
I have a partial can I would be happy to send you. PM me if interested.

Congrats on the babies.
Mites can easily kill babies. Watch them closer than the others.
Give you snakes a warm bath. Put 1 drop of liquid soap in their bath water. This will prevent any mites from floating on top. They will sink and die.

[infernalis]

Provent-A-Mite Pro-Products | Provent-a-Mite (http://www.pro-products.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53&Itemid=59)

I use this stuff and if is quick, easy and effective. My snakes have shown no ill-effects to it. It is dangerous when not used properly. It kills mite and continues to do so for up to 4 months. It kills mites and their eggs.
I have a partial can I would be happy to send you. PM me if interested.

This stuff is awesome, kills on contact! great advice Steve.

[guidofatherof5]

Here's a link to read up on this nasty invaders. Getting rid of reptile mites (http://www.anapsid.org/mites.html)

[Tyrel26]

I only put my snakes back into their enclosures because I had no where else to put them. The enclosures now have very simple substrate and only 1 hide so it will be much easier to clean. I don't mind getting rid of a few hides as I make my own from bark (baked of course)

Steve I may have to take you up on that offer lol too bad you aren't closer so I could get it faster.

[guidofatherof5]

You let me know tonight(name and address) and I'll get it out in the mail tomorrow.

[mustang]

i think thats what they might have been using at bhb reptiles...steve's the man with the plan (and materials)

[Mommy2many]

Uuuuggghh! Bugs, hate em!

[Tyrel26]

thanks for all the replies guys. I have to call it a night as I have work in the am. I will post again tomorrow on our progress/status.

Thanks again!

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Use provent-a-mite. I would recommend nothing else! (unless you want to use predatory mites, which will eat the snake mites and then die). No home remedies or human treatments... doing so puts your snakes at un-needed risk. There is no need for lice treatments when there is a safe proven-effective treatment specifically targeting these mites. I have had to deal with mites twice now in my collection. Sadly, the last instance was like two months ago! Suppose I brought something home on me from a show... But like I said, provent-a-mite wipes them out overnight!

[Lance Portal Reptiles]

i have been using no pest strips, i just cut them into 1/2inch squares and put them in a camera flim plastic box with holes in it..works for most mites, provent-a-mite 1st everything and use the no pest strips as a back up.

Like so...
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs264.snc3/27842_391642168885_631453885_3890929_7585973_n.jpg

[infernalis]

That picture :( :( :(

Locking 2 pythons in a tote with toxic pesticide strips, not good advice.

a product which vaporizes a nerve poison 24 hours a day

The strips are almost entirely composed of a vaporizing chemical called DDVP

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

No pest strips?!?!?! ACK! those are not good for any animal, or people, let alone being in the same container as a snake! I think the two pythons are together for breeding purposes... I see the tails are alongside one another, it appears the spider is courting the larger one. BUT, I would especially never expose a breeding female to those things! imagine what damage those toxins could do to the unborn little ones :(

[infernalis]

A friend from another forum inadvertently killed a sub-adult anaconda doing this.

[guidofatherof5]

I think with relatively safe products like Provent-a mite and others, pest strips are far too dangerous.
I did a search on the web and found both pros and cons for using them. The con that was most prevalent was death to the animal it was used with.

[Lance Portal Reptiles]

Tons of people have used this for years without a problem. I have been doin it for awhile with any problems. If you know what your doin everything is fine. I had my best eggs this year with all my breedings 20 eggs from my carpet, 7 more eggs this year with my macklots. Geckos are going egg crazy. And 0 mites or any other bug. It was just to helped....not to be jumped on about. Alot of people after hearing what they did, like useing alot in a tub, useing new one, and so on, is not good. Everything needs to be done at the right dose, even provent a mite, which i use. Heard about people using it on their reptiles and almost killing them....lol oh, I would like to read the anaconda story and see that that person did.

[infernalis]

Oh sorry, it was his Burmese, Chuck is into the big snakes. His new Yellow (Anaconda) is beautiful and fresh on my mind, but here is his quote after I showed him your photo...


Worst yet i noticed a water bowl in there. Which means if they drink it their as good as dead. 13 years ago i killed a green patternless burm, because i was told to treat mite that way, but to make sure to take the water out. I left the water in with the no pest strip. A day later dead burm. I would just PM him and tell him a different way he could treat them very politely and how it could kill them.

I'm not out to start an argument, but Lucifer himself will be serving ice tea before I would do this or endorse it in any way.

[drache]

there's no reason to use anything else, once one uses provent-a-mite - it's effects last for over a month

[Lance Portal Reptiles]

Ok.... Still have alot of questions about what this person did.... And overall health of the burm, I was a medic in iraq and when it comes to living things dieing, their can and is many factors. You have a link to this?

[shaunyboy]

Tons of people have used this for years without a problem. I have been doin it for awhile with any problems. If you know what your doin everything is fine. I had my best eggs this year with all my breedings 20 eggs from my carpet, 7 more eggs this year with my macklots. Geckos are going egg crazy. And 0 mites or any other bug. It was just to helped....not to be jumped on about. Alot of people after hearing what they did, like useing alot in a tub, useing new one, and so on, is not good. Everything needs to be done at the right dose, even provent a mite, which i use. Heard about people using it on their reptiles and almost killing them....lol oh, I would like to read the anaconda story and see that that person did.


the reason your being jumped on as you put it mate is

the method your reccomending is very dangerous to your snakes.

people most likely don't want some newbie reading your post and following your method.

imo you have been extremely lucky not to have killed any of your snakes with this method.

provent a mite

you only have to use it once in the proper way and any mite problems are solved.

it remains active for 30 days

the life cycle of mites is roughly 21 days.

it kills all the adult mites.

it dont kill the eggs but it kills the mites as they hatch.

i have only ever had to use provent a mite once on each occasion ive had mites.it worked 100% everytime for me.with no problems,it is specifically designed for reptiles unlike the toxic strips your suggesting.

i can vouch for the honesty of both marvelfreak (chuck) and infernalis (wayne).these guys have nothing more than your snakes welfare at heart.

i really hope your open minded enough to take on board the things people have told you re how toxic your method is.maybe you could try just using prevent a mite.after you see how efficient it is used on its own you will see no need to keep using toxic strips

cheers shaun

[Lance Portal Reptiles]

That's understandable. But not using provent a mite right can also hurt your snake.... Like I said it's a great product but it's also toxic. Their is a YouTube video, don't use to much provent a mite. Moderation is key with all these type products. Thats all. I understand that I'm a new person on here.. I know how it works, jump the new guys.. No biggie guys, that doesn't mean im new to the hobby. Think we all do that, had new fourm members come in on some of the gecko fourms I'm on.... Say one lil thing different and....the unwelcome feeling come out.

[guidofatherof5]

I hope that you don't take anything that has been said as meaning you are unwelcome.
That isn't something this forum does.
Nobody wants to jump the new guy here. They just have concerns about what you are using.:)

[Lance Portal Reptiles]

I hope that you don't take anything that has been said as meaning you are unwelcome.
That isn't something this forum does.
Nobody wants to jump the new guy here. They just have concerns about what you are using.:)

Well thanks. Like I said I understand... No knows me here and with that come a questionable reaction... Would feel the same way. I have never had 1 reason to stop. If something happened then yeah, I would change. I fo everything in safe moderation.

[guidofatherof5]

Well thanks. Like I said I understand... No knows me here and with that come a questionable reaction... Would feel the same way. I have never had 1 reason to stop. If something happened then yeah, I would change. I fo everything in safe moderation.

In this case I would have to disagree with you. The something that could happen is the death of one or more of your snakes.
I at one time fed minnows to my garter snakes. After joining this forum I soon learned I was putting my snakes in harms way. The proof was before me and on the web. Minnows were a risk I didn't need to put my snakes under.
I didn't need to find them dead for me to change that risky practice.
I by no means am trying to tell you what to do. That decision solely rests in your hands. I hope that you will look at the body of advice and the evidence available on the subject of pest strips in making your decision.
I know that Provent-A-Mite has its share of risks but as you have already stated those risks come when the product is not used according to directions. The produce you are using was never intended to be used the way you are using it.
In my opinion, the risk is too great.

All this aside, welcome to the forum.

[Lance Portal Reptiles]

hey steve, i hear you. the things is with your hobby/business is their is alot of "someone said" type stuff with everything... Im not say not to use any idea someone said..nor looking to change anyones care/mite provention....
that video

YouTube - dont use too much prevent a mite (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwRZOp-5DMI)

[infernalis]

I also make it a point to not "jump all over" anyone, unless of course it's duly asked for. (meaning that the other person was truly looking to engage in some "flame wars")

I did research about those strips before I even posted my comment.

From what I read, those things are nasty for even humans to come into contact with.

So I did not post that answer lightly, I wanted to see exactly what chemicals those strips were made from before I said a word.

[Tyrel26]

Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for taking part in my thread. Secondly I have to say the reason I joined this forum is to learn how to keep my snakes in a better and safer manner. I trust the opinions of the people here which is why I do take their advice but if I wasn't going to take advice when it was given I doubt I would have joined in the first place. We are ALL here to learn; no one is the sole teacher here.

True we all learn from our mistakes, but if the mistake is the death of a snake then thats one Id rather avoid that learn from.

Thanks for all the info guys!

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Here is some food for thought....No Pest strips are a toxin that goes for the nervous system. for such small creatures as mites, the effects are instant and kill quickly. But being much larger, people, snakes and the like could need years of exposure for the toxins to actually have any sort of effect. Any pesticide should be exposed to you and your pets minimally, but a product that vaporized a neurotoxin 24 hours a day is just downright scary. If you really check into what is in those things, you would not even want them in your house... well, at least I wouldn't. Poisons at really low doses can take a loooong time to work any sort of effect, and by the time they do have an effect, the person may assume that their pet is suffering from old age or a terminal disease. Just because there are no visible effects, immediately, does not mean that exposure to these toxins is harmless or safe. It just means that the effects have yet to rear their ugly head. Ever watched those investigation shows where those women slowly poison their husbands with castor beans? It takes years for the effects to fully manifest. Just some things to take in, and possibly re-evaluate if the benefits of the no pest strips really outweigh the bad parts.

[infernalis]

Shannon, That was a very nice post.... My thoughts exactly and just what me research indicated.

Thanks for putting that up.

[Lance Portal Reptiles]

Asnakelovinbabe where did you jump to the conclusion that it's in there 24/7??? I never said that or explained how long, or the steps I use. Think you guys ate speculating alil too much and making ant hills into mountains. I use this for outbreaks, not for day to day living....lol

[Lance Portal Reptiles]

Oh another thing all these mite products are pesticides. You ever read the active ingredient of prevent a mite?
PERMETHRIN - Insecticide Fact Sheet.. Read before using this poison (http://www.safe2use.com/poisons-pesticides/pesticides/permethrin/cox-report/cox.htm)

It's bad too.... But we all use it because it works but hey years down the road who knows what this stuff could cause. Said fertility problems in lab test, tumors. Evens says "A wide variety of insects have developed resistance to permethrin" I didn't know that the army bug spray DEET is the same thing tho... That stuff was bad, I used it in Iraq... Alot of skin issues with people getting it on themselves.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Oh another thing all these mite products are pesticides. You ever read the active ingredient of prevent a mite?
PERMETHRIN - Insecticide Fact Sheet.. Read before using this poison (http://www.safe2use.com/poisons-pesticides/pesticides/permethrin/cox-report/cox.htm)

It's bad too.... But we all use it because it works but hey years down the road who knows what this stuff could cause. Said fertility problems in lab test, tumors. Evens says "A wide variety of insects have developed resistance to permethrin" I didn't know that the army bug spray DEET is the same thing tho... That stuff was bad, I used it in Iraq... Alot of skin issues with people getting it on themselves.

You know there's always the all natural option.... Predatory mites!!!!

[Lance Portal Reptiles]

Lol....should corner the market on that... Mites just suck

[infernalis]

... Mites just suck


Now that I agree with!