And then...there were mites.

[Roan]

Now this is irritating...for myself and my BP. When I bought everything I baked what could be baked, I cleaned everything, and I meticulously checked my BP to make sure that it was ok before I bought it. And now...mites. He's been soaking to drown them. From what I've read I need to take him out, put him in another container after cleaning him up, and then clean the tank and all the stuff that goes in it. I'll buy new substrate (using shredded newspaper now, any other suggestions?), bake what can be baked again, and clean the hell out of the hides, water bowl, and fake ivy. I've read I should use a diluted bleach mix. How diluted is diluted? That with a brush first is what I've read. I've also read I should put a No-Pest insecticide strip in the tank for up to a few weeks, continuously spraying the tank with a mite killer. I have a book that lists other ways to handle mites but wanted to know what the experts here have had success with. I don't exactly have much of another setup to use for a few weeks. Could the mites have come from the food source, the mice from the store? Nyx didn't show any signs of mites until just now.

[HetForHuman]

First thing is DO NOT use a no pest strip, if not used right it will most likely kill your snake...

Read this, i and many other people on this site have used this with great success..

Nix Treatment for Snake Mites
by Nathan Curtis


Snake Mites
Mites are ectoparasites that subsist on blood. They are host-specific, which means that they only feed on one type of animal. Snake mites will not affect lizards, nor will they affect humans or other household pets like cats and dogs.

Mites can be identified as tiny black dots, much like a speck of dirt. However, unlike dirt, mites MOVE and will burst with a small red smear when squished against a hard surface (the remnants of their last meal). Mites can often be spotted crawling around a snake’s back or head area and on cage walls. For every mite you can see on your snake, there are likely dozens more that aren’t visible, that are hidden while feeding under your snake’s scales. These resilient parasites are commonly known as the “plague of snake keepers”. Really, with sound treatment and quarantine practices, this shouldn’t be the case.

Snake mites have been known to transfer disease in snakes, much like mosquitoes can with humans (malaria) and with dogs (heartworm). If unchecked, mites on just one snake in one terrarium can multiply geometrically and establish themselves in an entire collection of several terrariums and dozens of snakes in a matter of a week or two. This is a problem that is unique to snakes in captivity. Wild snakes are able to keep these parasites in check through shedding their skin and leaving most mites behind. On the other hand, captive snakes are forced in close quarters with their shed skin and mites, thereby facilitation reinfestation.

Mites will eventually overrun a snake in captivity to the point that their host becomes irritated, mildly anemic and therefore lethargic. Infested snakes are often found to soak for extended periods in water in a vain effort to drown the mites on its body, only to be reinfested once it emerges. Snakes in this situation will seldom eat, or even refuse to eat altogether, due to stress and discomfort.

Why Nix?
Nix was designed to treat human head lice and their nits (eggs). The one characteristic that separates the Nix method for treating snake mites from other mite remedies is its effectiveness at killing live mites AND mite eggs. All other mite remedies to my knowledge do not destroy mite eggs. As such, I have found the Nix method to be extremely effective at eradicating serious mite infestations. I even know of a pet store manager who sells several commercially produced mite remedies, yet uses the Nix method on imported snakes arriving at his store. Another pro to using Nix is economics. Around $12 will produce 4 litres of solution – much more than the largest private collection will ever require.

There exists a popular reptile care site on the Internet that discusses the toxicity of Nix, but in the two cases cited, Nix was spread over the infested snakes in full concentration. Common sense should dictate that reptiles and amphibians coming in direct contact with any fully concentrated chemical that does not occur in their natural environment would yield deleterious, if not downright fatal, results. The use of Nix discussed below involves a diluted solution (1 part Nix to 68 parts water) that has never produced adverse reactions in any python or boa in my collection over the course of 6 years. In fact, some snakes in my collection are proactively treated every 6 months as they make appearances at semi-annual reptile shows and I am not willing to risk the chance of mites from other exhibitors making their way into my collection. Even routine treatments on these boas and pythons over the course of several years have yet to result in any negative effects.
Materials
Spray bottle. Preferably one that has never been used, or at the very least, one that has never contained harsh chemicals and has been thoroughly rinsed.
56 g (59 ml) bottle of Nix. I have only ever found this one particular size of Nix, which can be sourced at most drug stores and some pharmacy sections of grocery stores for anywhere from $6-$12.
4L (1 Gallon) jug of distilled water. Distilled water should be used to extend the shelf life of the solution. With distilled water, the solution’s effectiveness is expected to last up to 12 months as long as the solution is stored at room temperature and in a covered box (light breaks down the active ingredient found in Nix). Although, with one treatment and sound quarantine practices, the first treatment should be all that is necessary.

Creating the Nix Solution
Pour the Nix cream into the 4L jug of distilled water. Nix is a fairly thick cream substance, so it may take a couple minutes to transfer as much of the cream into the jug of distilled water as possible.
Replace the cap on the jug of distilled water and shake until the Nix cream is evenly distributed throughout the water. Again, this may take a few minutes due to the thick consistency of Nix.
Pour the Nix solution into a spray bottle.

Eradicating Snake Mites
If snake mites are only found on one snake or only in one snake enclosure, it is wise to conclude that mites have infested ALL snakes and their enclosures that are contained within the same room. Mites may have also transferred to snakes housed in another room by “hitchhiking on your hands or clothes. Therefore, absolutely all snakes and their terrariums should be treated to ensure 100% effectiveness.
First, remove the snake from the enclosure and place in a Rubbermaid container. Spray the snake liberally with the Nix solution. Do not avoid spraying this solution on their head, eyes and heat pits – in fact, this is where mites commonly hide so spraying the head area is essential.
Remove all substrate from the terrarium and throw away. Do not leave the garbage bag containing this old substrate anywhere in the house.
Spray the entire enclosure, inside and out, including all cage furniture (branches, hide boxes, water bowl, etc.) and glass viewing area. Make sure that all corners and crevices are well covered with Nix solution, as this is where mites and their eggs are often hiding. Even spray the outside back of the cage and a 2-foot perimeter around the cage on the floor. The Nix residue that forms after drying is thought to even be effective at killing mites hiding out elsewhere in the room that may attempt to re-enter the snake cage.
Replace the substrate with paper, preferably paper towel, as it is easy to spot mites on this. It is essential to use paper until you are absolutely certain that full eradication has been accomplished. I suggest waiting 3 weeks after the last live mite is spotted before using non-paper substrate.
Remove water bowl from cage and replace, filled with water, 24 hours later. This ensures that the Nix solution is not washed off the snake by soaking in the water bowl before the active ingredient has had a chance to destroy all mites hiding under its scales.
Return the snake to its enclosure and spray it, the cage, furniture and paper one more time.
When the snake defecates during treatment, remove the paper and clean the messed area as usual, but be sure to re-spray the cleaned area and new paper with Nix solution.
Repeat in 5-7 days twice, for a total of 3 treatments. With all likelihood, the last live mite will perish within a few hours of the first treatment, but repeating treatment is good practice in case the outbreak is severe and mites are able to re-enter cages.
Preventative Maintenance
Any snake entering a collection should be quarantined for 2-3 months, ideally in a completely separate room from where other snakes are housed, but at the very least in a separate cage. It should be assumed that any new snake has mites, regardless of how well respected the previous owner or pet store is. I have personally been let down on several occasions by leading breeders in our hobby, and from personal friends. It is my experience that employing the “better safe than sorry” approach is of paramount importance in ensuring mite breakouts never occur.

Given the above assumption new acquisitions, in addition to their cage and cage furniture, should be treated with Nix solution 3 times (one full treatment every 5-7 days). Same should hold true when a snake enters your colony for a breeding loan, even if it is your own specimen that was lent out and is returning. As previously mentioned, it is also wise to treat snakes that attend shows, where other exhibitors and spectators may have mite infestations. With the large number of people that handle your animals, or even just touch the enclosure in which your snakes are housed, the chance that a mite is hitchhiking on at least one of these snake enthusiasts at the show is good. Don’t become complacent and cut corners in this area, or you may find yourself right back where you started.

Cage furniture and substrate purchased at pet stores can also serve as mite vectors and should be treated with caution. Mite-free substrate can be purchased from pet stores that do not carry reptiles, from a livestock feed stores, or from landscape centres. Newly purchased cage furniture should be sprayed liberally with Nix solution. Highly porous cage furniture (wood hide boxes, branches, etc.) should be soaked in a 10% bleach solution for a day, then rinsed thoroughly, sprayed with Nix solution, and allowed to dry for a week.

[jfmoore]

Hi Roan -

If that is the only snake that you have, then the starter supply of mites came home on it.

My suggestion is to buy a can of Provent-a-mite. Ask for it locally at a pet store which carries reptiles, or order it online. Follow the simple directions on the can and you should be safely rid of the mites in short order. If you have to order the Provent-a-mite and wait for it to arrive, make sure you provide a large enough container of water to allow your snake to fit entirely inside and get some relief in the mean time.

-Joan

[sapphire_moon]

use news paper LAID FLAT as substrate, large water bowl, and 2 hides (get like cardboard box or something that can be easily cleaned or thrown away) the more stuff you have in the tank, the harder it will be to get rid of the mites.

[mykee]

In my opinion, I would not use Provent-a-Mite. I've used both P-A-M. and Nix, and I would personally stick with Nix; it's less harmful to use around the snake, it can also be used ON the snake as a double-whammy approach to ridding the mites, and it's a whole lot cheaper. I've heard too many sad stories about P-A-M (and the smell will kill you). Good luck, and keep us posted.

[Roan]

Thanks for the help. I'm off to the store today to get supplies. Time to tie on te Rambo headband and pull on some of those oh-so-cute yellow cleaning gloves. Will let you know how things go.

[jfmoore]

A little chemical common sense

I don’t have any ax to grind about any particular snake mite treatment that is safe and effective. The key is to follow the directions for product usage. But I think people who should know better often spread misinformation about the toxicity of Nix and other products. I’ve even read that Nix is just a type of soap that basically kills by mechanical means. This is absolutely not true.

Just so we’re all clear:

The active ingredient in Provent-a mite is permethrin (0.50%)
The active ingredient in Nix is permethrin (usually 1% or 0.25%)

So the mite killing ingredient in both is the same insecticide. It is safe for the intended purposes when used as directed.

[Stockwell]

Bingo! I'm with Joan
Provent-a-mite is a good product when used as directed. It's convenient and requires no mixing or measuring.
I use it and find it works fantastically in most cases, with only one application.

I have colleagues that also swear by Nix. makes sense because the active ingredient is the same thing

I think the key point is use what you have access to.
In some places Nix is not available, and others may find the same applies to PAM.
PAM is not a licensed for distribution in Canada, so you might have difficulty finding it here, however it can be seen at shows on occasion, and its a good thing to have on hand for the sheer convenience. I believe it doesn't really go bad, so one can might last you years.
Its like a good set of probes. A good thing to have in the herp arsenal just in case you need it.
But use it as directed.

[Roan]

I'm on the way with things. Nyx is soaking in a rubbermaid container for now while I clean the hell out of everything else. I've used a bucket and put together the bleach solution to soak the hides, a string of fake ivy, a couple of suction cups, and this little plug that goes in the bottom of the tank when you you're not using the hole to run heating elements through it. I've sprayed down everything within a couple of feet of where the tank goes in my room and put the Rubbermaid partially under a heat lamp with my temp probe hanging in to monitor. I'm washing out the tank and using the Nix brand (haha, Nyx and Nix) mite killer to clean it out thuroughly along with the tank's screen lid. Once I get that done I'll make sure the tank dries and put down paper towels and might thicken it up over the UTH and Ill check temps to make sure that is ok. I'll put a water dish in after 24 hours, like the directions say. I bought some of those disposable plastic tupperware kind. After that I'll do the 5-7 day cycle of misting with Nyx for a few weeks to make sure all the mites and eggs are dead. I'm taking a few pictures with the rest of my disposable film. Maybe someone can use them to point out to others what to do and what not to do.

[MouseKilla]

I've cured a mite infestation without bleach or Nix or any of that, just dishsoap.

The soapy water on the animal will kill the mites after a few hours and the rest of the job is just cleaning the hell out of the enclosure and then re-cleaning it several times over a couple of weeks.

[slitherman]

This post needs to be "pinned" somewhere permanently, where it is easy to find!!

[Roan]

I agree and think it would be spectacular to have a section somewhere on here that has all of the basics and considerations to make prior to purchasing a BP as well as answers to more common problems. By no means am I criticizing our community here or moderators or ssnakess.com. I was more than pleased to find the site and am learning quickly how to take care of my BP from a plethora of sources.

Now for another question. What I didn't get out of these directions, or didn't follow, was how often I should spray the tank and the BP. I see the 5-7 days where I should spray everything down a couple times, but would it be bad to spray more frequently or on a regular basis once I get things back to mite-free? I read where someone gives their snakes a regular Nix wsahdown to prevent mites. Does anyone else have experience with using an anti-mite solution to prevent mites?

By the way, Nyx is back in his tank with the most basics of basics. You know, it doesn't look all that bad to me, and now I'm considering going to newspaper or paper towels once I get this mite ordeal straightened out.

[mykee]

Joan, then why is it when I've sprayed Provent-a-Mite in an enclosure AS PER INSTRUCTIONS I got light-headed and couldn't remain in the room without gasping for air, and when I use Nix, no problems?

[Roan]

Speaking as a firefighter and first responder, I would say that the products have different compositions. This is something of a guess seeing as I don't have a bottle of PAM around and used the Nix brand. While the active ingredient is the same, they may have varying "inactive" ingredients, which very well may have an adverse effect on you. They also have differing concentrations of the active ingredient. Someone said the smell of one is worse to them than the other. What causes that smell, while it may or may not be dangerous in any concentration or under any sort of exposure, may be enough to make you lightheaded, sick to the stomach, or even pass out when inhaled. Your biological chemical composition varies from mine, and the next guy, and the next girl, and so on down the line. What triggers a response in each of us varies, though some people share very common responses to very general circumstances (such as allergies in the spring). Sometimes it doesn't take much. Personally, I felt assaulted by the bleach I used to clean off tank furniture but had no problem whatsoever with the Nix brand mite killer I used. Everyone else in my apartment said they could smell both products but the bleach was more annoying. The key to using any chemical agent is to avoid confined spaces, and if you must use a confined space, take the precautions necessary, such as setting up a fan for ventilation, opening several windows througout a building to create drafts. Keep in mind that you may have pets or other people around that may not respond well to the product you are using, especially if they are the 6'6", 300lb kind or your favorite kitten you've had for fifteen years. And by all means, be careful what kind of chemicals you use in conjunction. I don't joke about bleach and amonia being in the same place. It'll knock you out in a matter of seconds.

[Stockwell]

Mykee, in regard to your question to Joan:
It's probably because PAM is an aerosol and the other is a liquid concentrate. You should avoid inhaling the atomized mist, just like you would avoid inhaling spray paint , raid, hair spray or any other aerosol. It is toxic there is no denying that, and aerosols in the lung, have a direct route into the blood stream/central nervous system. This is also why the can says to let it dry before putting the snake back in, so they aren't inhaling the mist.
You should simply hold your breath or wear a mask while spraying a large cage.

PAM has no significant odor. I used some last night and made note of the fact it has no odor, especially when compared to Raid and most other pesticides.

[Cruciform]

Regarding the no-pest strip, which people advised not to use. If indeed you were to use one, the book Understanding Reptile Parasites: A Basic Manual for Herpetoculturists & Veterinarians recommends that the strip never be put in the cage for more than 2 hours, three times per week. I don't have the book with me at the moment but if I remember correctly it also stated that you only want a 1 inch segment per 10 gallons of tank volume.
The strip should be put in a container with ventiliation holes. At no time should the animal be able to come in contact with the strip.

I imagine you're going to follow the advice of the people who posted above, but I thought adding this information might come in handy for someone who finds the thread in a search and opts for the pest strip approach.

[Roan]

Thanks for the additions. I decided not to go with the strips, although I have a pretty basic book on Pythons that has a description of how to use them. Can't say that I could recommend not using them since I haven't tried it myself but seems like the safer bet for my experience level was to go with either an aerosol or dilute solution.
I appreciate all the advice and will update as I go.

[sapphire_moon]

safer? What if the snake happens to come in contact with it? It wouldn't be to safe to try and pull that strip off the snakes eye.

If you do the nix by the instructions, then you should have no problems.

You could also go with others advice about dish soap.

And I personally used cooking oil, put it on a plate, let the snake go through it, put it on the snakes back, and used a cotton swab to put it around the snakes eyes/nose/heat pits. I did it twice a day. for about 1 wk, and the mites were gone.

And it is always a plus to do your reasearch BEFORE getting the snake. :)

[ixhuntaxi]

Did you but your guy from PORT CREDIT PETS? They are renowned for mites...anyways..I just had a mite problem when i purchased my guy at PORT CREDIT PETS...for me what works best is Prevent a Mite.. If you need help in finding it pm me...i know Reptilia carries it for $40.

[Roan]

I bought mine at a chain. I guess now I understand a bit better the reasons for buying or not buying at a chain or pet store or local joint or where-ever. One of those if I knew then what I know now kind of things, but what is done is done and I'm good to read ahead and learn more as I go. Helps to have wonderful people with lots of experience here to guide. I still wonder, though, if the mites came in on the snake or on something I bought in the same store. May never know, but what I do know is that from now on I'll clean tank goodies a lot more carefully than before (probably to a paranoid degree). I'm reading more about prevention methods for various problems.

[Roan]

New question that falls in with the same thread: When would it be appropriate for me to handle my BP again? I haven't seen mites for nearly a week. I've been cleaning the tank out with the mite solution and spraying down my BP. I've also resplaced the paper towels and have been careful to make sure my temps are where they need to be. I don't want to have to start all over, but I would also like to get the little fella out...he's fun to handle.