Mites on corn snake..need info please!

[Kathryntheclean]

So, our new baby corn snake, Alex, has mites... couple of questions... I called our local snake vet and he said our baby needs shots to get rid of them. They're not expensive, but is this a good method? I don't want to treat at home since I'm new to snakes and I don't want to take the chance of harming Alex... Do my daughter and I have mites now, since we handle little Alex so much? How exactly do I clean his tank? Any info is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[Andy_G]

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/general-discussion/107873-way-mite-prevention-treatment-informative-thread.html

Snake mites are a tropical ectoparasite that are host specific, meaning that snake mites will not bother mammals. There are many methods of getting rid of mites including the one your vet has offered. A favourite can be found in the link I provided. If you have any further questions after reading, please don't hesitate to ask.

[Kathryntheclean]

Looks like I'm investing in some Nix. Geeze, never thought I'd have to use that again after that nasty episode with my daighter in pre-k!

[Kathryntheclean]

Thanks Andy. You're really helpful!

[Kathryntheclean]

Alex is a bit better. Very happy. He's been given his bath and wiped down with Nix solution. He ate his weekly pinky mouse and has settled into his newly cleaned tank with white paper towels instead of sustrate. He's such a good snake! Anything else I can do for him? Vet visit is on Monday.

[Kathryntheclean]

Took Alex to the vet today and the mites are so much worse. 3 treatments with Nix did nothing. I have been going crazy cleaning and disinfecting everything! Mites are literally crawing all over him now. The vet said Alex is too small for a shot, but gave us a carefully weighed vial of liquid- not near it at the moment to read the name- to mix with warm water and spray on him and all of his belongings. Then, after letting that dry, we put (as the vet said) olive oil all over him. I'm scared for him. I would never put any of God's creatures in pain or distress if it could be helped (except for spiders-they are demons from hell). So what can I do? I am to use this solution every day for 28 days and bathe Alex in warm water and dish soap as well. I'm just so worried that he won't get better! Can anyone offer anymore advice?

[UserNameIsValid]

Keep him on paper towels, and switch them out everyday. It'll help keep them from breeding. Keep his enclosure decorations to a minimum, and clean them as well. Continue the medication and hopefully this will help. Good luck

[Kathryntheclean]

Yeah, already doing all that. Just freaking out, I guess. Having someone else say, "Yeah, your snake is infested" just upsets me so much! He's just the sweetest little creature! As a mother and multiple pet owner, I just want everyone to be as happy and healthy as I can get them. I feel very useless just watching and waiting for the pesky mites to die. I mean, there's only so much I can do.

[GyGbeetle]

I soaked my snakes for about 30 mins while disinfecting their tank and spraying their tank and all their accessories with Nix. When I'm done with the tank, I take the snake out of the water and spray them with Nix.

I also sprayed outside the tank, and the floor around the perimeter of the tank. I then put a line of olive oil along the top of the tank where the sliding tops are to prevent them from escaping. Water bowl stays out for 2 days after treatment.

The mite infestation takes awhile to get rid of. And it looks like you've only been at this for a week. I'd say give it more time, and if you want, soak your baby once a day for 30 mins to drown the mites. Treat once a week with Nix.

I don't know what your vet gave you, but we went to the pet store and picked up some JurassiMite. It's safe to use daily. I haven't used Nix daily, but I've heard on this forum that Nix is also safe once diluted with distilled water, so I guess you can use that daily too.

If you have any wood accessories, pull them out immediately, soak them with Nix, wrap them up in a plastic bag as sealed up as you can get, and leave it out of the tank for 2 weeks. Mites lay eggs in pourous materials, and can cause a re-infestation, not to mention being a great hiding place for adults to get away from the pesticides.

[Skipper7]

Continue with what your vet prescribed, as he is the medical professional. However, I would reccomend giving him a call and asking if it is ok to continue with Nix treatments once weekly.

You're not a bad snake mom for this, most everyone gets mites eventually with reptiles.

[Andy_G]

I think that the mites "getting worse" is either a matter of perception (most likely...more have hatched or more noticeable) or that the nix was used and administered improperly. It needs to dry in order to reach maximum effectiveness, so nothing should be rinsed or wiped very much (including the snake) so that the residue is left. The water bowl should also be removed for 24 hours after treatment. It should not be used daily, nor should any treatment. Some of the safer options will tell you to do so in order for you to overuse it and spend more money repurchasing.

I would agree to follow your vet's advice, but I would suggest omitting the olive oil treatments as if left on for a period of time it can actually cause other issues with snakes. It's a very old, outdated method of treatment.

This will take a while to do properly no matter what you do, unfortunately. Do your best to find a treatment method you like and are comfortable with, and stick with it until

[Kathryntheclean]

Thanks, everyone. My mind is a little more at ease with all of your help and advice. I just bathed Alex in a mild dishwashing soap and warm water bath. He was so happy to get the oil off, I think. I also sprayed down his cage with the mite solution given to me by the vet. Tons of dead mites came off. So, you are all totally correct. If I just keep this up, they'll be gone soon. I tend to go nuts trying to take care of my babies (human or animal). So, if I freaked out, it was only out of love! Just want to thank everyone for such kind words and support on this forum. Lucky to have such knowledgeable people out there!

[GyGbeetle]

Good to hear. Just keep in mind that most treatments should be administered for up to 6 weeks after first mites have been spotted. So hopefully the vet gave you enough for more than 1 treatment. I'm on month 2 of mite treatment right now, and I used the Nix method described in Tsubaki's mite treatment sticky posted above.

[Kathryntheclean]

Yes, my vet gave me a one month supply. But, after that's out, I'm going to be on my toes with these bugs. I just can't stand dirty things-hence my name, but on my pets, that just kills me. I swear, I should've been a Vet. I'd have made so much money at that. And the only creature I don't like is a spider-little demons! ��

[Andy_G]

Permethrin is most likely what the vet gave you, which is the same active ingredient in provent a mite and nix.

[Kathryntheclean]

He said what he gave me is more potent than the nix, so he gave me only a tiny vial of it and that can only be used in a very diluted fashion, but it sure is working! Never seen anything like it.

[afsgr88]

He said what he gave me is more potent than the nix, so he gave me only a tiny vial of it and that can only be used in a very diluted fashion, but it sure is working! Never seen anything like it.

I am glad to hear you're finally getting rid of those mites Kathryn! I hope it keeps that way :)

[Kathryntheclean]

Ivermectin is what the vet has given me. Now I'm reading about how dangerous this stuff is to our corn baby. As long as I am very careful with this and I dilute it properly, as the vet advised, should this stuff be ok to use?

[GyGbeetle]

Ivermectin is what the vet has given me. Now I'm reading about how dangerous this stuff is to our corn baby. As long as I am very careful with this and I dilute it properly, as the vet advised, should this stuff be ok to use?

Proper dilution is the key. If it wasn't ok, you'd be seeing issues immediately. Like corkscrewing, white foam coming from their mouth, things to indicate toxicity in the snake. I think you're on point with your treatment since you haven't said little corn baby is exhibiting this. Just maintain the appropriate dilution, and if you have it in a spray bottle or sitting in a container prior to use, shake it up vigorously to confirm the meds are mixed in properly with the water.

I had a flea infestation with my first cat rescue years ago. I put this vet recommended product and saw the fleas literally jump off the cat, while dying. If that's what you're seeing, you're heading in the right direction. You can hold a viking funeral for the fallen later, when the mites have all been eradicated.

[Kathryntheclean]

Oh, thank goodness. Alex did kinda freak out when first sprayed with the mixture, but he calmed down after he got used to it. He has not acted strangely, so I suppose he's taking the ivermectin well. I make sure it doesn't get near his head/face and I spray his cage very well and wipe it down before putting him back in. The vet never said it could be poisonous to the little guy, which might have been helpful. But I'm very careful with him. And the mites are dying...slowly, but as long as they're dying..right?

[GyGbeetle]

Oh, thank goodness. Alex did kinda freak out when first sprayed with the mixture, but he calmed down after he got used to it. He has not acted strangely, so I suppose he's taking the ivermectin well. I make sure it doesn't get near his head/face and I spray his cage very well and wipe it down before putting him back in. The vet never said it could be poisonous to the little guy, which might have been helpful. But I'm very careful with him. And the mites are dying...slowly, but as long as they're dying..right?

mites are resilient a-holes. I've had only 1 infestation. Saw the mites, treated the mites, and then re-treated a couple more times, but not as thoroughly. Put substrate back in 3 weeks after, and a week after that saw another mite. So we went back to square one and are on a strict cleaning/treating regimen using Nix. We've done 4 treatments so far in a 5 week time frame. 2 weeks after restarting, we found a single adult fat mite. It was most likely dead when we found it, but I panicked because we've been dousing the tanks and the snakes, sterilizing EVERYTHING (windows and blinds, carpet around the tanks, the tanks themselves, the cats, the kids, bedding in the room, anything and everything. It's now a very clean room). that was 3 weeks ago. Everyone but 2 have been on paper towels (those 2 are "special" cases. They are on bath towels because the paper towel thing just wasn't working), and we have checked daily for those nasty mites, and keep their water dish clean.

I don't know how often you're treating, but when you treat, make sure to pull the water dish out for a minimum of 24 hours. We have only been treating every week (started off with Tsubaki's suggestion of every 10 days, but increased it to every 7 days instead), so the first day, we sterilize the tanks with medical equipment soap, inside and out, we spray the tanks with Nix inside and out, we soak the snake for about 30 mins, we spray the snake with Nix, put paper towels down, and put the snake back in. Our hides are plastic with no place to a mite to hide or lay eggs, so I sanitize the hides with soap and hot water, and put the hide back into the tank with the snake. Water dishes are all hard plastic or ceramic, so they get sterilized in the same fashion as the hides, and get pulled for 24-48 hours after treatment. The key is to not allow those jerks a place to hide while you're spraying. Accessories are a great place for them to hide. Anything wood I have, I spray the poop out of it with Nix and let it sit in a plastic bag for a week to 2 weeks.

2 more weeks of paper towels, and if we see nothing, mites are most likely gone, for now. They are the most invasive critters I've ever encountered; worse than fleas! And that's saying a lot, because fleas can live off of any mammal present, and even those were easier to get rid of than these stupid mites.

[Kathryntheclean]

I agree to these being the most terrible of infestors! I too, have had a flea breakout from my kitties, but those are rather easy to get rid of...but mites? Goodness, this house has never been so clean and disinfected! And it has been such a fun process! I just have to do this for 25 more days, according to the vet!

[afsgr88]

I agree to these being the most terrible of infestors! I too, have had a flea breakout from my kitties, but those are rather easy to get rid of...but mites? Goodness, this house has never been so clean and disinfected! And it has been such a fun process! I just have to do this for 25 more days, according to the vet!

Oh my, you really are worthy of your nickname, Kathryntheclean! Hehehe :D I wish cleaning was fun for me too xD

[GyGbeetle]

I agree to these being the most terrible of infestors! I too, have had a flea breakout from my kitties, but those are rather easy to get rid of...but mites? Goodness, this house has never been so clean and disinfected! And it has been such a fun process! I just have to do this for 25 more days, according to the vet!

You and I need to meet and go bowling sometime. I keep telling my husband every weekend, as we break down all the tanks and disinfect the room for the 6th time, how much I enjoy this. He doesn't agree. Our bedroom has never been so clean.

[Kathryntheclean]

Ha! I only like doing it during Springy weather or when it must be done- like with the mites- then it's fun to me... not like when my husband says, "You need to clean this or that". So I guess I only like it if it's my choice and not someone's demand.

[Kathryntheclean]

Alrighty, Alex has had a shed. It took 24 hours and it was a complete shed. Is it possible to get rid of all mites with a shed? I gave Alex his regular warm bath and applied the diluted ivermectin, as the vet instructed. I wiped down his cage with the solution and got tons of dead mites out. I don't see any black specks left on Alex. I know the mites can get pretty deep in there, so I will keep medicating the rest of this month, as I was told. Just wondering if he could have possibly gotten rid of the little buggers?

[Andy_G]

In the wild snakes leave behind mites with their shed skin, keeping their numbers in check. In captivity, the snake stays in the same area so things aren't the same. Mites actually cause a snake to shed more often so it's easy to connect the two. A shed will eliminate all or most mites that were on him, but you have to take care of wherever else they are or they'll be back on him.

[Kathryntheclean]

Well, I didn't find any bugs on him after his shed today. I still cleaned, disinfected, and sprayed with the meds. Cage, snake, around on the carpet. I'll kill the nasty mites or die trying! Bother my snake, will they?

[Kathryntheclean]

Still no mites. Is it ok to put his hides back now? They were sprayed everyday, scalded, dried, and kept in another room away from the snake to make sure all mites died. I know he wants his plastic tree back, as he loves to climb on it. I went ahead and treated his cage and the carpet around it with the ivermectin/water mixture and wiped it down. Found only 3 dead mites. After Alex's bath I found no signs of mites on him or in his bath water. I'd like to put his tree and his 2nd hide back in. He's only got the little rock hide and his water dish now. Is it alright to put everything but the substrate in now? I'll wait another week to make sure no mites come back, then I'll bake his substrate before I put it back in. If that sounds right.

[GyGbeetle]

Still no mites. Is it ok to put his hides back now? They were sprayed everyday, scalded, dried, and kept in another room away from the snake to make sure all mites died. I know he wants his plastic tree back, as he loves to climb on it. I went ahead and treated his cage and the carpet around it with the ivermectin/water mixture and wiped it down. Found only 3 dead mites. After Alex's bath I found no signs of mites on him or in his bath water. I'd like to put his tree and his 2nd hide back in. He's only got the little rock hide and his water dish now. Is it alright to put everything but the substrate in now? I'll wait another week to make sure no mites come back, then I'll bake his substrate before I put it back in. If that sounds right.

I usually put the plastic items back in after treatment, because it's plastic. Mites lay eggs in porous products (wood hides), and if the plastic is curvy enough, they can also attempt to lay eggs in the curves. But if you sufficiently soak the plastic accessories, and sterilize them, any eggs will wash away with the water, since they have no place to hold onto, like they can with wood items.

I'm glad the mites are going away! In the future, I'm going to start investing in predatory mites as a prophylactic treatment. We have a lot of snakes, so it makes sense. With just one snake, you may want to look into it, and do a cost-to-benefit analysis on whether this will be a good long term solution. They can be costly, but it's all natural too, and can prevent a re-infestation in the future.

I'm happy to say that we've gone over a week now with no mite spotting. We found 2 mites in our last spotting. All the snakes were soaked in water for 6 hours and we found no evidence of mites. I think we've finally licked this thing too!

[Kathryntheclean]

We ended up putting everything in but the substrate and so far, so good. We'll check later today again and then tomorrow before his mouse. He's much happier, it seems, without the little buggies!

[Andy_G]

Seems like much too soon to me, but hopefully i'm incorrect and your problem with the mites has been resolved. Definitely keep the substrate out until you're sure.

[Kathryntheclean]

Yes, you're right. It is really soon. We will still clean everyday as though there were mites, as I don't want them back. I just don't see any signs. But I know there can be ready to hatch eggs....so I'm very wary and keeping my eyes open. I don't want poor Alex to be miserable. He seems to like climbing his plastic plants and he just stays under the paper towels if his plants aren't in there. Just want him to be comfortable.