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Q: Mite Control
Posted By:

pythontom

In Relation To:

Stanley

Anyone know where to get an uninvasive form of mite control, found spray form, burm python doesn't like being sprayed or anything else 4 that matter. Year ago used a container w/holes in it with some form of disc or gel or something trying to remember.Help!


Points: 150
Topics: General Health , Disinfectants , Parasites
Tags: Mites, Parasites, Treatment
Species: Pythons > Pythons > Python molurus bivittatus
Administrative: Show/Hide

Accepted Answer 9/24/2009 12:04:48 AM

Izzy

Flea collars, anti-insect gels and insect traps typically use an odorous toxic substance to kill the mites, but is also toxic to your snake.  Many snakes have horrible allergic reactions to these methods.  

Seriously, invest in a can of P.A.M. (Provent-a-mite) or get a Rx for Frontline from your vet, or go to Rite-Aid or other drug store and you can find children's lice remover, DILUTE IT, and use that.  If you go the Lice method, you'll want to find the one with Premethrin, and ensure that you dilute it to the same percentage as PAM (0.5% I believe).  You DON"T spray this directly on the burm.  Take the burm out of it's cage and store somewhere safe.  Sterilize the cage, and spray with the PAM.  Also spray newspaper or papertowels for substrate.  Allow these to dry and offgas a little before re-introducing your snake.  You can also pre-treat additional papers and store those in a cool dry place for future use.  Once they dry, there is little to no odor and they can be kept in a drawer or closet.  Personally, I withhold water for a day, just cause I'm AR and I want to ensure that everything is perfectly dry.  Once everything is dry, the PAM treated surfaces are absolutely no danger to getting wet if your snake still wants to soak.  Keep treating with the sprayed papers for a minimum of 6 weeks to ensure that all the eggs that could be stuck in a corner or edge are dead, but that should take care of your problem.  Hope this helps.

PS... if you also keep Inverts, make sure to remove them to a safe area of your house, PAM will kill ALL inverts, not just the bad ones

 
Member Comment 9/24/2009 12:11:18 AM

Izzy

Ahh, just looked at Stanley's picture, I seriously also suggest getting rid of the floor carpet, it's not condusive to staying clean and is going to be a sponge for bacteria from urates and feces.  Go with newspaper for now, and later I suggest Aspen or Coir if you want something more natural looking.  Those will also help hold down the odor incase you can't get to the cleaning right away, and will hold in humidity that shouldn't mold.

 
Assisted Answer 9/24/2009 3:38:58 AM

Ucowboy
I use the Nix Lice treatment. It's around 11 -12 bucks at walmart. I use one container (each box comes with two) to a full gallon of distilled water. Empty the entire contents into the distilled water and shake it until mixed. I use a cheap spray bottle to dispense it. Take the snake out of the enclosure and spray it from nose to tail , top and bottom and place him/her in a seperate container. Completely strip all bedding , water dishes , display items from the enclosure and spray the entire enclosure down with the solution. Clean enclosure items well and spray with the solution as well. Mites like to lay their eggs in every nook and cranny so spray them down heavily. Once the enclosure is dry  line it with newspaper and then mist the newspaper allowing it to dry. Now the enclosure is ready for the snake. DO NOT put the water dish back in for a minimum of 24 hrs. That allows time for the permethrin to kill off the mites before the snake washes it off by taking a dip in the waterbowl. After 24 hrs it's safe to put it back. Usually 3-4 days after a treatment I will soak the snake to remove dead mites. Use a few drops of dawn dishsoap in the bath to help break the surface tension of the water allowing it to penetrate further under the scales to remove dead mites. Take the time to completely clean, disinfect and retreat the enclosure before replacing the animal back in it's enclosure. I also spray around the enclosure floor to ceiling with the solution to ensure no mites are living outside . After 1 treatment you should not be seeing many mites if any at all but follow up with a second treatment 3-5 days from the initial treatment and it should resolve the problem. I also suggest not using carpet or mulch type bedding for snakes as it harbors too many places for the mites to hide. Newspaper although not pretty is an effective substrate for pythons. It's cheap and easy to use. The problem with aspen type beddings is if the pet store or anyone along the way had mites they will most likely be in the bedding they sell. Good luck!
 
Member Comment 9/24/2009 3:42:05 AM

Ucowboy
By the way the type of previous treatment you used most likely killed by the fumes that came off the disk. Although not proven it has been suspect in numerous respiratory problems in captive snakes. I would not feel safe with that product. The nice part about the NIX lice treatment is it's safe enough for kids so I would trust it around my animals.
 
Assisted Answer 9/24/2009 9:54:21 AM

Sonja K. Reptiles
I use the Nix/Equate (Walmart brand) bedding spray in the enclosure ~ $5/can and then spray Reptile Relief on the animals themselves. (~$9-$12 for an 8 oz bottle) If you would like more details as to what I do, feel free to PM me.
 
Member Comment 9/24/2009 12:29:53 PM

shellboa
www.beanfarm.com
 
Member Comment 9/24/2009 3:49:05 PM

masterfulpoopsie
Do you have a local feed & tractor store

Permetherin 10 is the main ingredient in PAM and per ounce of permetherin, with 8 ozs of water, use a thick spray bottle, don't spray animal directly. a permetherin quart is less than $8, and can make about 6 gallons of PAM.
 
Member Comment 9/25/2009 1:08:43 AM

Gordon Reilly
Proventa Mite can be found at most reptile stores, It needs to be used EXACTLY as directed, If you have problems finding it, let me know and I will send you some....
 
Member Comment 9/25/2009 9:20:51 AM

aaron
PAM FTW
 
Assisted Answer 9/26/2009 10:29:19 PM

aSnakeLovinBabe
Provent-a-mite.... don't use the substitutes or a home brew. DEFINITELY don't use pest strips, flea collars, or other things that are obviously not made for use on snakes. You don't really know what's in them and you can avoid it by spending just a few extra $$$ and buy a product that is KNOWN to be safe and 100% effective. Just because a product says it contains pyrethins, or permethrins, does not mean it is the same as another product that lists that same ingredient. There are many sub-specific types of these chemicals that are not individually listed (I would imagine that's why it says permethrinS, plural) and sure, your snake may not become ill and sure, the mites may die.... but really, is a few extra $$$ worth the risk?! No. Not to me. With over 100 snakes and once having run into mites a year or two ago.... provent-a-mite took care of that problem awfully quick. Just use it exactly as directed. And don't waste your money on zoo-med's mite off. Stuff doesn't work. I am pretty sure the only reason any mites die because of that stuff is because it's a liquid and mites will drown almost instantly in any liquid. Reptile relief does work to some extent but it did not do the job on it's own. Just follow the instructions on provent-a-mite and kiss the mites goodbye. Giving your snake a warm bath and using a toothbrush to gently clean under the chin scales and down the body can remove a LOT of them... even before you have to treat. And don't panic. Mites are not the end of the world as many people make them out to be. They are just the fleas of the snake world. They are annoying, they are gross, they bother our poor snakies and they spread like a fire in a drought. If treated, they go away. if left untreated they can cause serious discomfort, even death, to the snake!
 
Member Comment 9/27/2009 10:19:50 AM

aaron
Mites themselves aren't horrible, but what they can transmit from animal to animal is. I read on the internets (and I think Maders' book) that there's a concurrence of IBD breakouts and mites. Implying mites can transfer IBD.
 
Member Comment 9/27/2009 5:05:01 PM

xanaxez
i have a friend that uses nothing but  the no pest strips you buy at lowes. he hangs them on the outside of the  cages and has been for a few years with no loss of any reptiles.  the strip kills mites rather quickly also.
 
Member Comment 9/29/2009 10:53:15 AM

WingedWolfPsion
Provent-A-Mite is definitely the only product to use.  Remove the snake from its cage, clean thoroughly, spray the cage, and let it DRY.  Once completely dry, return the snake and its water.  Provent-A-Mite will kill the mites for up to 30 days.  That's long enough to completely break their life-cycle and be rid of them for good.  Any new mites hatching out that wander into the cage will be killed in that time period.  It's safe, approved for use in reptile cages.

Untreated, mites can kill snakes.
 
Member Comment 10/12/2009 6:31:19 PM

zachrfields
Provent a mite is the shit
 
Member Comment 10/15/2009 3:01:26 AM

masterfulpoopsie
Informative Shannon, But P10 is the active ingredient in PAM, Its strong stuff though. you can buy whole containers of just P10 its mainly used for bovine, swine, but it needs to be diluted, were using it for less than 10 lb animals, not 500 lb ones.one oz of p10 to 8 oz of water, Hell if you really wanted you could probably make it 1 oz of p10 to 16 oz of water just to be cautious...
 
Member Comment 10/15/2009 12:17:17 PM

WingedWolfPsion
PAM is the only product FDA approved for use with reptiles.  Other forms of permethrin may be toxic to your animals.  Is it really worth it to try to cut corners?
 
Member Comment 1/17/2011 11:59:38 AM

abi21491

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