mites.

[Lulu Bennett]

I know there has been quite a few threads on this but i cant remember what is said in them.
oh and its not with my garters...YET! so please help before it is.

As most of you know i bought a boa from a young lad that was misstreating it.
It was quite active at first because it was in a new enclosure but it seems to be more and more attracted to his water bowl. (this alone should have been a light bulb in my head). but this morning it finally slithered out of his bowl so i has a look in it and found some quite big black things. i squished one between my nails and found black slime on me.
I was wondering how big mites were? also how do i treat him for them?
thanks guys xxxxxxxxxxx

[Stefan-A]

Could be ticks?

[Lulu Bennett]

what is the difference? what makes you say that? oh and can they get under my skin?

[Stefan-A]

Mites are tiny and run around, ticks are bigger and usually buried under or between scales.

[Lulu Bennett]

can they get under my skin? how would these be picked up? how do i get rid of these?

[Sid]

Lulu, below is a link to previous discussions on your problem. Isolate the infected snake from other ASAP. Any time you handle it wash extensively, all the way to the elbows before handling the un-infected ones so you don't spread them.
http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/gene...341-mites.html

[Lulu Bennett]

so there is not a chance it is ticks? i am guessing it is the same treatment?

[drache]

Lulu, below is a link to previous discussions on your problem. Isolate the infected snake from other ASAP. Any time you handle it wash extensively, all the way to the elbows before handling the un-infected ones so you don't spread them.
http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/gene...341-mites.html

yes
and I also change my clothes after I handle a snake with mites and before approaching other snakes
don't worry about the mites or ticks getting under your skin - they're pretty species specific

[Lulu Bennett]

don't worry about the mites or ticks getting under your skin - they're pretty species specific

lol good its just i became quite ichy and i wasn't sure if it was just the thought of it lol

[zooplan]

Ticks have to be picked with a special typ of forceps.
To fight mites there are several ways. All start with cleaning cages and periphery.
While doing this you may give the snake a bath with one (1) drop of soap that will cause some more mites to go off the snake.
Here we have an "insect killer" called Frontline maybe its the same in UK.
You should not use it on the snake because the dissolvers in it are very bad to reptiles.
You can spray it on the walls of your enclosure and let dry out.
There it will work for four weeks or at least until the next cleaning.