Mites [Archive] - sSNAKESs : Reptile Forum

WRX

03-20-04, 07:53 PM

I don't really know the proper forum to post this, but my BRB's have mites.
Not a MAJOR infestation, but I need to get rid of it. I got rid of all the hideboxes / furniture, washed out the cage with bleach, etc.

Now, I was told that the head lice shampoo Nix is a good, safe way to eliminate mites. Has anyone had experience with this?

And, where the hell do they come from. The enclosure has been kept VERY clean, and they < BRB's> have not had contact with any other reptiles?

Thanks

Bill T:(

lolaophidia

03-20-04, 10:53 PM

Here's a good site that has information on "the war on mites"
http://vpi.com/
Look under the Basic Herptoculture Series.

I've never used Nix but when my snakes got mites I bought a can of Black Knight spray on the classifieds of another site to treat them. I believe the mites came in from some live pet store feeder mice or the box they came in. The pet store has definitely had problems with mites, as I learned when I asked them about it after I'd treated my snakes. My BRBs only ate live mice when I first got them (got them switched to frozen in a month or so) so that's why I had to buy live.

Black Knight is very easy to use. I cleaned all the cages (I kept 11 snakes at the time), hides, water bowls (basically with boiling water and soap), replaced substrate with plain white paper towel which I normally use, sprayed the cages and surrounding area with BK. I'd soaked all the snakes in tubs of warm water to relieve some of the irritation and to drown some of the mites. Added the snakes back to the cages and lightly (!) sprayed the snakes and the substrate. I did have one snake that was in shed at the time and I did not spray that snake down- just the cage. Added the water bowels back in in an hour or so. Repeated the treatment weekly for the next couple weeks to make sure I got any hatching mite eggs. No more mites after that. I've still got most of the can left so if it ever happens again, I'm prepared.
Be aware that if one snake has mites and you keep other snakes that mites can travel quite a distance- so you'll need to treat the whole room and all snakes and cages.

Good luck!