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Help! Mite Infestation

Posted By:

Borgling

Soooo... Lisa arrived back home yesterday fresh from Daytona with a new bloodred corn and a female Savu for our boy, only to discover mites living in Gywn the Macklott's and Angus the Olive pythons. We have both been researching the internet and have already begun treating Angus' cage with Provent-a-Mite, but we thought it might be wise to post a question, too.

Soooo... What actually works for the treatment of mites???

I have read on another website about possibly dusting the snake with talcum powder or betadine soaks. Keeping tarantulas in addition to snakes, I have also heard odd tales about the use of predatory mites in the suppression of pest mites for tarantulas, which are surely less hardy than snakes. Any suggestions are more than welcome.

Thanks.


Points:	150
Topics:	Infectious Disease , Medications , Parasites
Tags:	Disease, Health, Mites, Parasites, Prevention
Species:	Pythons > Pythons > Liasis mackloti savuensis
Administrative:	Show/Hide

Member Comment

8/25/2009 10:50:23 PM

noahsboasandreptiles

Go to Walmart and get the "Equate brand" Bedding spray, which has the same active ingredients as Provent-A-Mite. Only $4 a can instead of $14. Fill a sweater box tub with warm water. After you do this, drop a few tablespoons of dish soap, and put snake in, leaving about an inch at the top with no water for the snake's head to remain afloat. Cover the sweater box with cover, and let soak for 15 to 20 min. While this is going on you should be doing the same with all the snake's reptile enclosure furniture. This will drown out the mites. For any mite eggs laid, use the equate spray on the enclosure, and let air out completely. I have also used reptile relief, and Mite-off which are all good products that can be sprayed directly on the snake with no problems!

Member Comment

8/25/2009 11:36:42 PM

Darkdazeys

I noticed that you use wood shavings as your substrate, did you recently change the substrate when you noticed the mites? It could just be wood mites.

Assisted Answer

8/26/2009 1:10:56 AM

dalvers63

Provent a Mite or the bedding spray are what works. Follow the directions on the can of PAM exactly and make sure you treat for a full 45 days. I'd suggest treating the quarantine cages of the new snakes, too. I treat every snake that enters my house just in case (with a huge collection I don't want to have to treat them all if I miss a mite!). The lifecycle of the snake mite is 30-35 days so treating for over that makes sure to get all the little monsters.

If your snakes are on paper, just get a bunch of newspaper, spread it on the floor and spray the paper down. You can then stack it up in a cool, dark place and use it as needed when you clean cages.

Doing the above will kill all the mites in your collection. Make sure if you have any inverts that you move them out of the room though as this stuff will kill them.

Member Comment

8/26/2009 1:34:38 AM

abi21491

Vegetable or canola oil also work and I've even heard are more successful than mite spray. Coat the snake in the canola oil, and put them in a sterile bin for 30-60 mins. While you're waiting for them you can completely sterilize the cage and all furniture. Get the snake out, and see how it looks. All mites should be dead. Rinse snake off, dry off. The snake will be oily still but no problem, it'll rub off in a day or two. Put snake back and there you go. I had a mite outbreak in my collection last year because I trusted a seller who sold me some supposedly CB ball pythons. They were WC and infested. I did this on all my snakes and they were gone that easy. Good luck.

Member Comment

8/26/2009 1:37:42 AM

Floof

One method I've read about is a diluted Nix (lice treatment) solution... It can be sprayed on the snakes (including head--eyes, heatpits, nostrils) and is said to work wonders. I haven't had a mite outbreak (yet), so I can't vouch for its effectiveness, but it's worth a try for ~$12 a gallon. =)

Member Comment

8/26/2009 1:39:41 AM

dalvers63

The problem with using oil, other than the fact it is an incredible mess, is that it doesn't do anything to kill the eggs and any mites that are not on the snake - cause trust me, they are great at hiding and moving. By treating with P.A.M. or bedding spray as directed, it takes no real time and it always works. I was around when Provent-a-Mite was not available and had to do all kinds of other things (including oil) to kill the monsters.

Myself and many others, including one of my vets, have used it since it was introduced and won't go without a can in the house.

Member Comment

8/26/2009 1:42:15 AM

abi21491

Yea. It seemed to work for me, and I know there were eggs too. Just sharing what worked for me. I had to treat 25+ snakes and who knows how long the original snakes that infested my snakes had the mites. Oil didn't seem to be messy for me, a little dab'll do ya ;)

Assisted Answer

8/26/2009 2:00:38 AM

shellboa

I recommend the cheap bedding spray for the first time you have to deal with them...if you find they don't seem to go away as can often be the case with enclosures with a lot of cracks and crevices to hide eggs in, then definetly go with the P.A.M. Do the treatment for the full round, usually at least twice. Other wise you will just keep dealing with them.

Here's what I do...

gather; pillow case large enough for snake, stuff to clean enclosure, double bags for trash can, P.A. M. and a helper if I got one!

step 1- spray inside of pillow case and let sit for one minute
step 2- put snake into pillow case (you can set it on the floor or put it in a plastic tub inside the case)
step 3- remove all bedding into double bagged garbage
step 4- thoroughly clean entire enclosure removing any items to be washed or baked (dishes hides etc.)
step 5- spray PAM into enclosure being sure to hit all nooks crannies, corners and crevasses
step 6- wash water dish-bake hides-bleach soak rocks etc.
step 7- put fresh substrate into enclosure and mist with PAM-let dry 15 mins
step 8 - spray a clean rag with PAM
step 9 - wipe snake with rag as I am putting it back into clean enclosure

I usually don't put the water back for a day or two just to make sure everything is totally dry and they can't dump the dish trying to soak off mites that should be dying. I don't put back hides or rocks etc. until I've done round 2
I never use oil and I have never had to spray anything directly on a snake.

Member Comment

8/26/2009 7:55:33 AM

Ucowboy

I use the Nix lice treatment. One gallon of mix goes a long ways and you can treat the snakes directly. I also suggest spraying around the enclosure ,floors and walls in addition to the enclosure. The nix treatment works usually in 2 applications spaced 5-7 days apart. I also recommend a warm bath 3 days after the first treatment with a few drops of dawn dish soap in the water. It helps break the surface tension of the water allowing it to penetrate under the scales better to wash out dead mites as well as drowning the not so dead ones. I get the nix treatment at walmart and mix it with a gallon of distilled water. There is enough in one box to make 2 gallons of solution and can be kept for at least 30 days in a sealed container. The nice thing about Nix is it is a nit killer and will kill all the mites including eggs.For 12 bucks you can't go wrong.

Assisted Answer

8/26/2009 8:40:56 AM

vonnick52

Also, Nix has the same chemical as Provent-a-Mite, which is a nuerotoxin...but if you dilute it properly, it's in a MUCH lower concentration, and that much less likely to be harmful to your animals. I did the math on a previous blog...I should of saved it as a word document.

Here is the math:

Nix Method
2 ounce bottle of Nix (1% permethrin)= 0.02 ounces of nuerotoxin. (1% of 2 ounces= .02 oz) You dilute that to 1 gallon (128 ounces) of distilled water. Concentration of final product = 0.02 ounces/130 ounces (128 oz from the gallon of water, 2 oz from the bottle of nix)= ~ 0.00154% permethrin. Total cost around $10-12. You now have two gallons of solution that will remain viable indefinitely as long as stored out of direct sunlight.

Provent-a-Mite
.5% permethrin, cost $15 a can.

I feel much more comfortable with the lower concentrations. But hey, it's just a nuerotoxin, right?

Member Comment

8/26/2009 10:45:45 AM

Floof

Oh, crud, I forgot to link to the "instructions" I used to mix mine up! =P Here you go: http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52545 Also.. Good to know about the permethrin thing, Nick. Thanks. =)

Member Comment

8/26/2009 11:10:40 AM

jbt123

Nix works wonderfully. I've used it on adult and baby boas alike with fantastic results. It has a very low concentration of the poison so in my opinion it is safer and it is more effective because you can directly spray the animal!

What's funny is that you can even spray nix all around your house...and you will find dead cockroaches, ants, and any other creepy-crawlies.;) Gotta love the stuff!

Member Comment

8/26/2009 11:59:40 AM

JohnJohn

Frontline spray is very good too. You can get that from your vet.

Member Comment

8/26/2009 2:34:30 PM

TVR

Are you guys still in Toney? If you are PM me. I have some extra Provent a mite left but only one snake so you can pick it up if you need it.

Member Comment

8/31/2009 12:33:15 AM

Shadowwolf

If you are going to use Provent-A-Mite, you absolutely MUST remember to keep the water dish out of the treated tank for at least a full day.

Member Comment

1/17/2011 7:08:58 AM

abi21491

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