[MITES] where can i get nix??

[Fox Hound]

3 months ago i had a mites problem... what i did was.... i thoroughly cleaned out my snakes tank... and for the 3 months they were gone...

somehow they came back and i need something that kills them... i i remmeber reading about some kind of insect eating mites, where can i get some? Also where can i get nix? Is it a spray bottle? If so can i spray my snake with it?

[ChristinaM]

Nix is available at most drugstores.
It is a head lice shampoo.

[Oliverian]

You have to dilute nix with water though, don't spray it on by itself. I don't know the exact mix as i've never had mites but someone here should be able to tell you.

-TammyR

[mykee]

Shoppers Drug Mart. You'll probably have to ask for it, it's usually behind the counter (???????).

[gonesnakee]

FOXHOUND I bumped the "NIX treatment for mites" thread up on this forum everything you need to know is there. Mark

[Lisa]

I wouldn't use NIX (a pesticide) directly on your snake. It has the same active ingredient in it that both black knight and provent a mite use and with both of those you take the reptile out of the tank and treat the tank.

Lots of people swear by using nix on their reptile and that it caused no ill effects that they immediately saw. how ever you don't always see problems with kidneys and other organs right away, it may be an accumulative effect or just stunt/enhance the growth of an organ.

Now there is a reason that both provent a mite and black knight are more potent. Both are an aerosol and are more of a vapour then a liquid that nix is and are better at penetrating the contents of the cage.

[Fox Hound]

it doesnt say how much to put in the spray bottle...

[Vanan]

Enough to make it a lil cloudy and a few bubbles.

[Scales Zoo]

Use 1 full bottle / 1 gallon of water.

You can mix it up, and use just part of the solution. It stores well in a cool dark place. Make sure to mix it up really well. I like short sentences.

Ryan

[gonesnakee]

Lisa do you even know what NIX is LOL It is not a pesticide for one it is a creme rinse for humans that is used in the treatment of head lice & yes a cumlative buildup of any chemical in the liver/kidneys can cause complications in any animal (Active ingredients maybe the same but in much different concentrations). The 2 products you suggest are way more likely to do this then NIX ever is. When used properly NIX is extremely safe & 100% effective. Do you really think that federal health authorities would allow this product to be used in full concentration on human heads multiple times in a row if it did what you suggest 2 ounces mixed with a gallon of water would do? I'll leave this for everyone to decide on their own LOL Mark

[Fox Hound]

can i spray at his head??

[gonesnakee]

FH yes you can but do not spray it into its mouth. Sometimes when being sprayed in the face they will open their mouths & hiss. make sure you spray between hisses LOL It, the head, is the most important area IMHO as the mites just love pits & eye sockets & the snake can't usually "shake" these ones on its own just by soaking. Good Luck Mark

[HeatherK]

You can, however it seems quite uneccessary when you use the Nix solution according to the directions for snake mite treatment (the link has been posted, please read before using the nix). You could spray the snake to get to the mites directly that are lurking in the scales, right along the length of the animal. If you aim the sprayer nozzle upwards it won't upset the snake as much as a direct hit

[Lisa]

Originally posted by gonesnakee
Lisa do you even know what NIX is LOL It is not a pesticide for one it is a creme rinse for humans that is used in the treatment of head lice & yes a cumlative buildup of any chemical in the liver/kidneys can cause complications in any animal (Active ingredients maybe the same but in much different concentrations). The 2 products you suggest are way more likely to do this then NIX ever is. When used properly NIX is extremely safe & 100% effective. Do you really think that federal health authorities would allow this product to be used in full concentration on human heads multiple times in a row if it did what you suggest 2 ounces mixed with a gallon of water would do? I'll leave this for everyone to decide on their own LOL Mark

Any chemical meant to kill insects is a pestacide. whether it's meant for human use or not doesn't change this. take a look at muskol, it strips paint yet we put that stuff on us to ward off bugs.

The other sprays I mentioned are NOT applied to the reptile so they are safer then a chemical you apply directly to the snake.

As for the federal health department banning stuff that are bad for you, they allow addictive drugs such as morphine, demerol and codine that do damage to the liver and kidneys over time when there are less harmful and less addictive alternatives available. Heck an overdose of tylonal can fry your kidneys yet it's available over the counter at any pharmacy.

Just because the government allows something doesn't mean it's good for you... the government allows tabacco yet it's proven to be 100% harmful to you. Nicotine is a straight out nerve toxin and the government lets people smoke as much as they want.

[marisa]

"The other sprays I mentioned are NOT applied to the reptile so they are safer then a chemical you apply directly to the snake."

Yes but doesn't this cause the mites to be harder to get rid of? You can't possible nip them entirely in the bud unless you treat the living adults on the snake.

With NIX it can take one treatment of snake, cage and done. No more exposure to anything. I also believe there have been QUITE a few reported and unexplained deaths from using Black Knight while I haven't heard ONE bad remark about NIX.

And considering all the other products are used at full strength, while NIX is diluted in a gallon of water. If I had lice I'd be using NIX with no ill effects FULL STRENGTH on my head!!!!

Marisa