mites and vets ?

[paul]

Hi all
I have a BP that has mites and is also in shed don't know what to do im a first time owner I have heard a few suggestion on get rid of the mites but i noticed that she is in shed as well.

also would it be better for me to go to the vet to get some kind of shots instead of trying all kinds of different things

please help

thanks ahead of time

[Scotty Allen]

Let the snake shed and then completely clean out the cage. Trash all the substrate etc. that you can't disinfect. Keep the snake in a bare tank, just paper towel and a water bowl and hide. If the mites have not disappeared, get to your local supplier and get a can of Provent-A-Mite and FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS on the can. One application will usually do the trick.

Oh, did I mention FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS on the can. This stuff is the best mite eradicator since fire.

[paul]

can someone please give me some advice

thanks

[paul]

I have been looking for the Provent A Mite and don't know where to get it from
also I have been searching for vapona and can't find that either.

[snakekeeper]

I would soak the snake in warm water and dish soap after the shead. Then either clean everything with vinigar or a 3% bleech solution. Keep him/her on papertowel or newspaper. If you dont notice anything after 7 days check the cloaca, around the eyes, and throat. Just to be sure..

[paul]

does a shed get rid of most or all the mites on her if not should i wait to quarantine her.
Also what about a vet should I take her there or not a good idea

thanks in advance

[snakekeeper]

Her shead will probably come off in peices, because of the mites. I dont think the shead would get rid of most of the mites. You can take her to the vet, but I would try the prevent a mite or soaking her and cleaning out inclosure with vinigar or a 3% bleech solution first. The vet might give the snake something, but that does'nt slove the problem with the mites a home.

Quaritene: I personaly would quaritene now to prevent further infestation of any other animals, cause you dont want to take the chance of anything else getting mites imo.

[paul]

thank you for the advice
also can you tell me where I can find the Provent A Mite or the Vapona :(

[katey]

yep provent-a-mite all the way

www.reptilia.org

[snakekeeper]

you could try port credit or I think jeff had some at the ssnakess.com booth at the show. Not sure how far you are from missauga you are. Or try your local pet store and see if they can order it for you??

[BoidKeeper]

Stores like Canadian tire and farm supply stores. I have used it with great success but it is nasty stuff so make sure you only use a few one-inch squares depending on the size of your snake. I would fist put the snake in a rubber maid on white paper towel, now here is why. A Rubbermaid is about the easiest thing in the world to clean. You can literally clean it everyday in the tub with bleach to make sure you get all the eggs that the little buggers lay in the cage. White paper towel is nice because the mites stick out like a sore thumb on it. Mites like to hang out around the eyes and under the chin and in the pits that’s why I never soak a snake in anything but water. Speaking of water the vapona I'm told will get into the water so you have to change it very often. I was changing mine 3 times a day. And last but not least make sure the vapona is in a container that is sealed shut. Lots of air holes but make sure the snake can't get his tongue inside. This is what worked for me. Not everyone likes vapona but it is allot easier to find the provent a mite. I thought it was only available in the US but I may be wrong.
Good luck,
Trevor

[nuno]

Port Credit Pet Center should have some

[Big Mike]

When my snake had mites I took him to the vet and she gave him an oral injection. (could also have been intramuscular (sp.)) That along with the extra cleaning and disinfecting did the trick. I don't know the drug she gave him but it is suposed to get into the snakes blood stream and kill the mites when they feed on the snake.

It cost about $12 for the shot and 30$ for "exotic pet exam".

Mites don't lay eggs on the snake...and they can take a while to hatch so you should keep up the simple habitat and extra cleaning for at least a month maybe more. It may be overkill but you don't want them comming back.

[Lisa]

We used provent a mite and it worked great, didn't see a mite afterwards again. and like scotty said. read the instructions. read them 5 times just to make sure. and although the instructions say 15 minutes is fine, the active ingredient lasts for 30 days in the cage, so error on the safe side and wait a little longer... oh ya make sure you change and clean the water bowl... and it probably wouldn't hurt to do a cage cleaning at the same time (you don't need to change the substrate.)

you can read my indepth review of provent a mite at http://www.ssnakess.com/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=9

[royal]

How do you get mites?
Dirty cages, and other snakes with mites I know, but, other then that how do snakes get mites?

[Big Mike]

I'm no expert on mites but they usually come from other infected snakes. Unfortunately, wild caught snakes are all too common and usually infected with mites and/or other parasites. Pet stores that have WC snakes usually have mites, which can infect all the snakes they have.

If you have a collection of snakes that are mite free, you should not have to worry about mites appearing. This is why new snakes to the collection should be quarantined for a few months.