banded Cal King has mites

[Smilts]

ive heard several home remedys but wanted to know what everyone thought was the best one or if the vet is better

[Dark_Angel_25]

NIX ONE WORKED FOR ME, BUT RECENTLY IN CANADA THEY STARTED SELLING A SPECIAL SPRAY... oops, sorry for the caps..
But nix is fine

[MouseKilla]

Nix may be effective but it can't be good for any living thing, being that its's a pesticide of some kind. I've used diluted dishsoap, others use vegetable oil to coat the animal and smother the bugs. Whatever kills them without killing the snake is a good thing.

[mrsogle]

My husbands soaks his snakes in warm water. The water will mostly drown the mites, whatever is left he removes from the snake. While the snakes are in their bath he removes everything from the enclosure. He throws out the substrate, soaks and cleans the rocks and wood hide boxes and then sprays the Equate Version (Wal-Mart) of Nix in the enclosure but waits 24 to 48 hours before putting them back in. Any wooden items and rocks he will clean, then put in the oven @ 250 degrees. He replaces the substrate with clean substrate after the 24 to 48 hour wait. I know it's a lot to go through but it's worth it for the little guys. He's also used a brand called Seven dust @ 5%. If you look for the seven dust look for the one that says it's safe for dogs and cats. These are the methods he has used and out of 20 snakes not one has died yet. He's also tried the Reptile version that you see in stores, but it doesn't work as good in our expierence.

[marisa]

Nix is AWESOME!

The only two cases of a snake being harmed by NIX were two cases where it was not diluted. There has never been another problem with NIX for any animal at this point.

BoidKeeper heled me out, and gave me some excellent advice, and I had also used it two years ago on an ATB. It has rid my current "mitey" snake of all problems, and he even eats a day after treatment.

Using 4 cups of water, add about a loonie amount of NIX...(this is roughly 1/2-3/4 a teaspoon) mix it REALLY well.

Take your snake out and place him in a rubbermaid or other secure container with about an inch of NIX solution in it. Make sure its enough to cover his body, but not too much he cannot EASILY hold his head above water. Leave him in this for a half hour-hour.

While he is having his NIX bath, remove and throw out ALL substrate, hiding spots, water dishes (if the dishes are plastic you can wash them with NIX) Wash the ENTIRE cage, cage lid, dishes, and surrounding area with NIX.

Replace cage, put in paper towel substrate. Remove your snake from the NIX bath, and without washing it off, put him in the enclosure. Withhold the water dish for 24 hours so he doesnt soak it off.

Repeat in a week.

Marisa

[crazyboy]

mouskilla how could nix not be safe if it is meant to be used on humans. oh well

i would also suggest the nix method.

[Scotty Allen]

Provent-A-Mite

[emroul]

I use Black Knight. It works wonders for me. Here are a couple links to some facts and info on how to THOROUGHLY get rid of mites.

http://www.proexotics.com/FAQ_answers_get_rid_of_mites.html

http://vpi.com/9VPITipsAndTechs/TheWarAgainstSnakeMites/TheWarAgainstSnakeMites.htm

http://www.rodentpro.com/qpage_articles_02.asp

Good luck! :)
Jennifer

[MouseKilla]

crazyboy,

It's not that it isn't safe exactly but it is toxic when not diluted properly, as has been mentioned. People use Nix all the time without killing their animals but other things do work that don't have the same potential for harm. As I said though, whatever kills 'em.

[djc3674]

I've read on another site that NIX is actually used for "head lice" and it is a pesticide. Pesticides kill reptiles, so IMO I would not use it..even if it is diluted..why take the chance??

As a matter of fact, the site was bashing this one because of people on here recommending NIX as a treatment for mites. Just an FYI, I like this site and its annoying when you read statements like "People at ssnakess.com dont know SH**"

[Dark_Angel_25]

the easiest way to do it is but the NIX (Shampoo form) and you empty the whole bottle of nix into 4 Litres of Distilled water. Put some into a spray bottle, and the rest into a cupbpoard away from light. use what you need in the spray bottle. the 4L of water versus the 52 oz(?) of NIX is the perfect dilution. no risk of killing your snake)

Also Marisa,
I would not recommend you bathing the snake in a rubbermaid oin Nix solution, only because there is a GREAT chance they will drink the water, and this is NOT GOOD. Best thing to do is put the snkae in a container with regular warm water while you clean the tank etc... before putting the snake back in, spray the snake with the NIX then return to the cage. (with paper towel o newpaper non-printed) as substrate. Repeat again after a week, BUT do not change out the paper yet, wait at least 3-4 weeks, before you replace the substrate. just to make sure that the eggs were all killed.

:)

[gonesnakee]

NIX kills them & their eggs. If used properly will not harm your snakes in any which way shape or form. Speaking from multiple experiences over the years, not formulating my opinion based on internet babble. NUFF SAID Mark I.

[marisa]

NIX is most effective when left on for time. Spraying the snake will not get under its chin or other small areas. If you are concerned about your snake drinking it then place him in normal water first until he drinks his fill.

Nice post Gonesnakee....I have now used it once two years ago, twice on a ball python recently...and all three times have lead to great results, and healthy animals. So when the time comes for a fourth snake needing treatment, it will be with NIX.

Marisa

[gonesnakee]

THX Marisa! Also I should point out that if you are treating your snake, while doing so take away its water dish. This will prevent it from soaking in it & than drinking NIX tainted water. Offer your snake fresh water daily still, but don't leave it in the cage. If your snake is thirsty it will drink water when offered. NIX is fine externally, but internally is a no-no. Once you are 100% sure the problem has been eradicated, wash your snake off to remove any leftover NIX residue & than business as usual again. Mark
P.S. maybe someone can post a link to some detailed intructions for NIX treatment as it has been posted many, many times before. I have handouts that I can give to locals. saves lots of time explaining the smae old over & over again.
P.P.S. A NIX treatment is a standard quarantine practice for many herpers & whether NIX is involved or not all new specimens should be quarantined.

[Pookie]

NIX!!!!! I personally used it (diluted of coarse) and it worked like a charm! I tried soaking warm water but the mites always seem to come back. Do a search for "mites" in the forums and i bet you'll get a really good instructional sheet on how to properly use Nix. I think i even started a thread on that topic a few months ago.

[Tim_Cranwill]

I like to have at least two separate boxes/enclosures for a snake I'm treating.

First I thoroughly clean the snake by bathing it in a small amount of 1/64 Nix-Water and wiping the snake down from head to tail several times with several different 1/64 Nix soaked paper towels. Pay close attention to the vent, eyes and underside of the head. Then I put the snake in a new box with disposable hides, water dish, substrate and etc. I keep the cages as simple as possible. No branches or other “useless” junk. Your snake can live without them for a couple weeks. Just stick to cardboard box hides (macaroni and etc), deli cup water dishes and paper towel.

The next day I repeat the same steps as above but I put the snake in an entirely new box with disposable hides, water dish, substrate and etc. I also clean the entire area where the enclosure is. Then I clean the old box with 1/64 Nix and keep it away from the new “clean” box. In the first week I would probably treat the snake about 3 times and then again one week later.

If you are meticulous about your cleaning methods, you "should" be mite free after the first few treatments but extra caution is the name of the game. Treating for mites once is bad enough but when you have to do it several times because you didn't clean every single inch of your enclosure really sucks! :)

That is my experience with Nix. Worked for me! :D

[Invictus]

Here's the best Nix article I've ever read. Written by Nathan Curtis here in Calgary:

http://queensnake.ca/TARAS/contents/nix.doc

Of course you will have to fix "queensnake" and replace "queen" with "king". :)

[Smilts]

what about for the eyes i cant find many on the body but have seen what looks like them behind the eyes

[marisa]

Yes for sure. The mites love the eye, chin and mouth area...nostrils...etc. Any tiny tiny fold.

But this is why you spray the snakes head, and make him soak. To get in every nick and cranny....just grab a spray bottle at the dollar store to use for this anytime you need too.

Marisa

[Smilts]

Cool so it wont hurt to get his head as long as he's not drinking it

[Tim_Cranwill]

If your soak the snake (in shallow water... and supervise) AND rub it down with a 1/64 Nix soaked paper towel, you "should" be able to get a lot of the hard to reach places such as the eyes, mouth, chin and vent.

[Smilts]

cool thanks He's going blue and not eating so i just want him to get better he hasnt ate yet s it worried me

[Andy_G]

I would not treat any snake going into shed. Their skin has more of an absorbant quality at that time and they will absorb any chemicals you treat them with. Treating then while in shed will probably also damage the underlying skin. I would wait at least 48 hours after it sheds before you treat it. JMO

[Smilts]

All right thanks he doesnt seem infested bad just a few so far

[Dark_Angel_25]

also, if he is in shed, then as soon as he is finished take him out! chances are that no mites will be on him because they will be on the dead skin. (there may be a couple still but all the ones on my Boa came off with the shed skin) so I didn't have to treat her, just pray her before I put her back in just in case.

[jwsporty]

Coy,

The few you see just shows that you have the problem, it doesn't reveal the hundreds/thousands you don't see. Nix is the ticket. Has worked for me as well.

Jim