ticks on python help

[mrbass111]

i bought a wild caught ball python about 6 weeks ago. yesteday i found 2 ticks on him removed them and then found one crawling on him. checked for more but could not find any. i was wondering if there is any thing else i can do. i changed the bedding and rinsed the cage with boiling water. ive read that there not as bad as mites. but i wanted to make sure.

[gonesnakee]

You probably have mites too if it took you 6 weeks to discover ticks (shakes head). I'd recomend reading up on aquiring new specimens & spending a lot more time handling/observing yours. This is obviously your first snake? I would check VERY closely to see if it also has mites & treat them ASAP if so. There are plenty of threads of info here already so I won't get into it. The lesson here kids is not to buy WC crap from people that can't even be bothered to "detick" them. I wouldn't be surprised if it is carrying some internal parasites as well. If they don't treat them externally they ain't been treated internally either. Might want to find a good reptile vet & go for a fecal & an exam just to help you get back on the right track. I would not make any more purchases from this animals seller either IMHO. Mark
P.S. not trying to be too harsh here, but yes I am disgusted >(

[WRX]

After that beat down, here is what to do.
Get rid of the bedding and use newspaper. Wash the enclosure. Go to the pharmacy and buy some Nix head lice shampoo. Get a 1 L spryer and use a coulple tbsp's of the Nix. < I could only find Nix in a non concentrate>. Shake the sprayer vigorously. Spray the WHOLE inside of the tank, including the snake. This worked 100% for mites in my case. Ticks will probably die, but you may have to remove the dead ones with tweezers. Look in the cavity under the snakes lower jaw. Mites tend to gather there.

Nix works great and it cheaper than the 30.00 prevent a mite, that is WAY more of a PITA to administer.

BT

[Vanan]

WRX forgot to add another important note abour "Nixing" your snake. Repeat spraying the Nix solution every week for about 3-4 weeks. That way you're sure any young mites from eggs which may be present will be killed too. Nix doesn't kill mite eggs.

[Tim_Cranwill]

I would recommend not just spraying the snake but soaking a few paper towels in the nix solution and rubbing the snake down from "head to toe".

Make sure everything in the cage is disposable and throw it all away after each treatment.. Take out all "decorations" and stick to the very basics in the cage for the next while...

Good luck!

[WRX]

WRX forgot to add another important note abour "Nixing" your snake. Repeat spraying the Nix solution every week for about 3-4 weeks. That way you're sure any young mites from eggs which may be present will be killed too. Nix doesn't kill mite eggs.


Right, sorry about that! :)

I think Nix does kill the mite eggs though, as it kills lice "nits" :confused:

BT

[gonesnakee]

If it does have Mites (?) that require treating here is a link to a full Nix treatment explained in full detail with all the facts. Nix does kill the mites eggs thats why it is the best IMHO & that of many others. I still recomend a vet trip & a fecal also. Good Luck

http://www.kingsn*ke.ca/TARAS/contents/care.htm you will have to replace the astrix with an a for it to work.

P.S. Beat down, hardly LOL Ticks are something that should be discovered within minutes not weeks, irreguardless of experience.

[Vanan]

Apologies for my ignorance. I assumed that, that was the reason repeat spraying was needed.

[WRX]

Right gonesnakey!

Ticks are, for my old eyes, easier to spot. Mites are tougher. I admit to not seeing mites on my BRB's until I pulled them out for an inspection from under thier hide box. I was appaled @ myself as they were pretty much covered with mites. The Nix treatmeant you posted is and was the best treatment I found. It worked 100%.

Where the frik do they come from? I had other snakes that never showed mites, then all of the sudden, the BRB's were covered. Do I assume the breeder I bought them from has / had mites @ some point?

Thanks

BT :D

Apologies for my ignorance. I assumed that, that was the reason repeat spraying was needed

Haha...ignorance is my middle name! I think repeated spraying is probably a good idea, and will do no harm. The Nix treatmant is much less "toxic" than Prevent a Mite, which is also WAY expensive. Also, P a M is not good for an enclosure that has a high humidity, but that was my biggest issue, as the BRB's like it wet.

[gonesnakee]

Ah but Vanan repeat sprayings are nessicary just to make sure like CYA ya know. WRX sometimes you pick them up on yourself while handling specimens at petsores or other places where reptiles are kept or have others bring them to you from their snakes. "Tagalongs" are a good reason after shows etc. to give any specimens that attended a quick treatment just because. Not something you want to discover later with hundreds of snakes exposed. That'd really suck. I always change/shower before handling my stuff after having been handling things elsewhere. Boids are harder to get rid of them because they love their faces especially the pits. Big Pythons love being sprayed directly in the face too LOL Mark
P.S. remember kids if one snake in a room has them, assume that they all do. Better safe than sorry. :p