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?