mice with lice

[lanalizard]

i recently found lice on my 3 mice that are my breeders...what do i do?

[lordkovacs]

crap...try NIX.
i konw it works for lice, and i know it's safe for snakes cause that's what you use for mites... BUT you must dilute it. you can not use it as you would use it on a human head, it's too strong. are you sure they are lice? as for how much to dilute it, i'm sure someone here has tried it... i haven't used it on mice...i just know not to use NIX without adding water. good luck,
MIKE

[Linds]

What do they look like? Rodent mites are brown. I had some a while back and pro exotics recommended vapona. I hate to recommend the stuff....but it seems the best option. You don't want to put anythng on your rodents that they may lick off, or that your snakes will eat :eek: Just place a small square outside the cage, out of reach of the animal :( Change their water several times daily, or better yet just use bottles. There is a commercial rodent mite/flea treatment. Again though.....you don't want your animals ingesting this, which is why I am weary of any topical treatments. Maybe you could drown them with just water? (the mites not the mice....lol). Vapona is terrible stuff :(

[Stockwell]

Yup, I've had huge problems with rodent mites, as they love humans too. They look very similar to snake mites but they are different and don't bother herps, but do bother other mammals.
My wife and I both had the things on US, and it took several weeks to irradicate the problem. They get between your toes,travel in slippers, and go for the "hot spots" and you track them all over the house, and into the bed too.. They usually chew at night, and leave a characteristic 2 or 3 bite mark often in a triangular pattern.
I had to destroy a bunch of rodent racks , repaint the room, and use provent-o-mite in some mice cages. It works great on rodent mite, with only one application but the incidence of tumours on the mice went up following application.
I found Vapona didn't work on the mouse mites I had, as it tried that first. They reappeared in a few weeks
Mice also get Fleas and they of course will bite humans too.
The crap us herpers have to endure!!!
I've been on Flagyl before too... That stuff is terrible
I've often wondered how many pathogens life long herpers pick up along the way, as like a good host, ... I sit here munching down a big tub of cashews!! Hummm

[ChunkyMunky]

If, you freeze the mice after killing them, wouldn't that kill the mites/lice and make them harmless? Or will it still effect the snake?

[Stockwell]

Sure it will, but that isn't the concern. It isn't the herps you have to worry about. It slowly destroys the mouse colony and welll, most of us don't want to toss the better half into the Fridgidaire! (;o)

[Lisa]

For our blues (they don't go as feeders) we've used Eqvalan aka ivermectin. they get isolated and fed a rice grain sized dose of the stuff every 2 weeks for a month. From what I've learned from rat lists, forums and chats is that the mites are usually pretty host specific and you only have to treat those that show signs. fortunetly they've only shown up on a couple of our blues and not our feeders.

[Jungle Jen]

Ivermectin works very well, and will be excreted from the rodents body in time. If you can find a veterinarian in your area to sell you some, and give you the correct dosage (as it does come in different strengths), treating every 2 weeks as Lisa suggested should work wonders.
Advantage is a flea control product that has been used successfully in treating parasites in rodents. The problem being is as topical treatment that is made to last with full efficacy for 30 days, it would take a considerably longer time to ensure there is no residue of the product left on the mice.
I have heard that Tea Tree Oil works great for getting rid of mites/lice and is a bit more of a 'natural' way to go, but I have not seen any discussions of it myself so I would recommend doing your research on that one.

Good luck getting rid of the nasty parasites!

[Lisa]

Oh and further note ivermectin is a dewormer for horses so you're probably more likely to see it from a country vet then a city vet. On the syringe (there's no needle) it will treat up to 600kg of animal, needless to say that's alot of rats (about 1200). If you have to treat a whole colony of rats that are used as feeders i would only treat the studs and the pregnant mothers. and i would avoid using any of the offspring immeadietly. The syringe does warn about using on any animal meant for food. Maybe some one out there knows the effect of ivermectin on snakes and can fill us in.

[lanalizard]

i have ivermectin that i recently got from the vet for my rats with lice....i got the rats from a petstore that had lice..ugh, i hate it.

[The_Omen]

crap...try NIX. i konw it works for lice, and i know it's safe for snakes cause that's what you use for mites

Not quite true.

Nix Ingredients:
Active Ingredients Permethrin

Permethrin is very deadly for snakes and other reptiles.
Even when diluted it should NEVER be used directly on a snake or any of its' food sources, water bowls etc.

Sure, it IS the active ingredient in Provent-o-Mite, but even the directions on that can says to treat the cage, not the snake.
It can cause many problems, from irreversible neurological issues up to and including death even in small amounts.


we've used Eqvalan aka ivermectin

Ivermectin has its' good points and its' bad points.
For animals that are never going to be feeders, internal dosing is fine.
For animals that are destined for the dinner plate, a different approach is needed in using ivermectin.
Dilute with tap water and mist it onto the animals fur.
The mites, tick etc will die off in droves.
You can wash/bathe the rodents in a few days, then give them a few days to renew that rodent smell, then whack and freeze or feed.

Other bad points for ivermectin, include the possibility of killing off any bugs you have as pets or feeders, if any over spray reaches them.

If a hots keeper, then you should know this already - Ivermectin is deadly for pit vipers. Do not use it in any way shape or form, in, on, around or in and on their food.

Vapona, it's effectiveness depends on just how close of a proximity it has with the host animal.
Too far away, no good.
Close enough to work, good for the host, bad for the snake that may be eating it later. It is deadly for snakes to injest, so it should be used for treating non feeder items, such as pet rodents.


There is a commercial rodent mite/flea treatment.

Again, not to be used on feeder rodents. Pets only.

Yup, I've had huge problems with rodent mites, as they love humans too.

True, and with the rodent mites being drawn to warm blood, then no danger to the snakes at all.

Advantage is a flea control product that has been used successfully in treating parasites in rodents.

Yes, BUT there is a proper way and an improper way to use Advantage.
For pet rodents, a small drop on the back of the neck, same as treating a cat or dog.

For feeders, it needs to be diluted.
A large tube (for big dogs) mixed in one (1) gallon of water.
Misted on the fur, substrate, all over the cage basically to ensure killing all the mites quickly. (Keep the spray bottle well shaken as Advantage seperates easily)

Give them a few days and bathe/wash, whack and freeze/feed.

When mixed in this ratio, Advantage is also safe for boids in the treatment of mites/ticks.
Same plan, dilute and spray all over the snake, substrate, cage etc.
I have used it myself, successfully, in eradicating a mite infestation.

[Linds]

Originally posted by The_Omen
Permethrin is very deadly for snakes and other reptiles.
Even when diluted it should NEVER be used directly on a snake or any of its' food sources, water bowls etc.

Sure, it IS the active ingredient in Provent-o-Mite, but even the directions on that can says to treat the cage, not the snake.
It can cause many problems, from irreversible neurological issues up to and including death even in small amounts.


As far as I know the only death or injury resulting from Nix was using the product completely undiluted on the animal. It is commonly sprayed on the animal in its diluted form (15 ml to 1 liter water) as well as cage. This has been its common usage amongst breeders and keepers with no negative issues. PAM on the other hand has had more deaths resulting from improper use, and in some cases even proper use.

[The_Omen]

Nix = POM= Permethrin.
Deadly even in diluted form.
It may take a while longer as in diluted form, but it is deadly.

It IS relatively safe when NOT applied directly to the reptiles, or when ingested by the reptiles during feeding.

Why take the risk when there are safer means of ridding food of mites?