mites in bark

[pdomensis]

i've heard that reptibark can house mites. i was wondering if the bark could be baked or some other treatment to kill any parasites.

[KORBIN5895]

Use prevent a mite on it.

[Bloedig]

I saw someone in the forums here mention baking theirs in the oven before using.

[Aaron_S]

Mites have a 48 hour lifespan WITHOUT food.

I don't see how they just happen to be in bags of sealed substrate and alive. Why would a mite leave it's food source knowing it doesn't live for long?

It's an excuse for people's bad husbandry or their friends or whoever they got their last animal from.

EDIT: I didn't explain myself in my speed to post.

[ilovemypets1988]

just a simple question, but is it possible they can lay eggs in the bark and then they hatch, its plausible afterall

[Aaron_S]

just a simple question, but is it possible they can lay eggs in the bark and then they hatch, its plausible afterall

Why would they leave their food source to lay eggs for their babies to hatch without any food? Way to keep the species going. They aren't that dumb.

Besides, how do they get into SEALED bags?

If you open a bag and see mites they are wood mites. NOT snake mites.

[ilovemypets1988]

the op did say mites and didnt clarify what type of mites, as mine was a general question about general mites

[Chu'Wuti]

Curiosity drove me to do some research (sorry, guys, research is my life!), and I found this:

The Life History of Snake Mites | Vida Preciosa International, Inc. (http://vpi.com/publications/the_life_history_of_snake_mites)

in which they state Eggs are rarely laid on the snake hosts of the adult mites. They are usually laid somewhere in the enclosure, sometimes high in the cage. Whenever possible, female mites choose to lay eggs in dark, humid places. Mite eggs may be laid on the bodies of large snakes, particularly boas and pythons, usually in the space around the eye or under the anal scale.

While baking the reptibark might not be a bad idea, it probably won't eliminate mite eggs if the above-quoted material is accurate.

However, I'm confused by disparities in life-span claims. Here's why: VPI says adults may complete their life cycle in 13-19 days in the typical temps maintained for snake habitats, but some adults may live 32 days, and at cooler temps they can even live up to 40 days. So is VPI in error? I thought they were a pretty credible source.

[Aaron_S]

Only wood mites. I would believe we're talking about reptile mites if we're on a REPTILE forum.

Anyway I made sure to separate the two.

[pdomensis]

the op did say mites and didnt clarify what type of mites, as mine was a general question about general mites

I wasn't aware there was a distinction. As for where they come from, I assumed that eggs were laid in the bark and kept dormant until conditions were favorable. I'm just looking for some education here.

[Lankyrob]

Been using reptibark for three years, numerous bags of the stuff, the only thing i have found in it are small flies which annoy me by drowning in the snakes' water bowls >)

[Chu'Wuti]

Sorry, my post & query for clarification were incomplete. VPI adds that males and females feed 3-4 times during their lifespan; males for 1-2 days, and females for 4-6 days. Even for females, if they live 32 days under optimal conditions, 4 feedings for 6 days (a total of 24 days) would mean there would be 3 time periods when they were not feeding. 32-24 is 8 days for about 2.5 days between feedings. Under some conditions and for males, the nonfeeding time would be even longer. But Aaron_S says they can live no more than 48 hours without feeding. This is the disparity about which I'm confused.

Certainly the time period sealed in a bag of bark (if such were to happen, which I doubt would happen with snake mites due to the nature of the processing of the wood) would definitely be too long--think of processing, packing, handling, shipping, and store shelf time in terms of, most likely, weeks. As for wood mites, I haven't yet found any definitive info about life cycle, though there are so many different species that it's possible to have a broad range of life cycles, so they would certainly be a possibility.

Curious . . . anyone else with more information?

[jarich]

Nothing too confusing, Aaron is just wrong. They can live for quite sometime without blood, though not indefinitely. Temperature will make a difference to the amount of time though.

As for baking your bark, yes any temperature over about 130 will kill them in seconds, at any stage of life. The possibility of you getting snake mites from a bag of bark though is about as likely as you going to the moon tomorrow. Wood mites are possible, but not snake mites.

[DeadlyDesires]

The possibility of you getting snake mites from a bag of bark though is about as likely as you going to the moon tomorrow. Wood mites are possible, but not snake mites.


i was told that wood mites are ok? that they are part of the bio-active stuff?

[Chu'Wuti]

They help decompose the wood, but they won't hurt the snake.

[poison123]

i was told that wood mites are ok? that they are part of the bio-active stuff?

Yes they are safe. Though the bioactive is mostly the bacteria in the soil wood mites are just an extra

[DeadlyDesires]

They help decompose the wood, but they won't hurt the snake.


aahhh yea, i have no wood mites in my snakes enclosures just in my sav's onthe wood lol..