Treating Reptile Beddings Such As Aspen

[infernalis]

Originally Posted by mikoh4792

So what other way than keeping a "dirty" cage would cause a mites infestation? In other words, what other "sloppy jobs on husbandry" would bring in/harbor mites?

Mites feed on blood, not soil. Soil is nothing to be afraid of.

Sloppy husbandry would entail lack of YOUR hygiene.

First of all, I don't handle other peoples reptiles, I keep my hands off mine unless I'm taking care of them.

Wash your hands if you simply must handle someone else's reptiles.

Mikoh4792, you don't know me yet, but I have photo galleries dating back years from me getting up close and personal with hundreds of snakes in the wild, I crawl around on the ground shoving my camera right up on them, 4000 pixels wide HD, and in all of those animals, not one displayed mites.

Reptiles have a natural defense against mites, they will shed the skin off, and leave the mites behind with the shed.

However, in captivity, we keep the snake locked in a cage WITH the shed, so the mites just go back home on the snake.

Mite infestations usually originate in hoarders and sloppy breeders collections, and then spread from there.

#1. rule, inspect any new animals very closely before bringing them home, quarantine new purchases before placing them in the same room.

I was not trying to sell anyone on the bio active cages, although you would do yourself a favor looking into it.

[Terranaut]

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

As I said, really rare.

Well seeing as the store has closed I guess I can mention that the guy at this store... on Victoria in Kitchener said "I think all my snakes have a few but it's not a big deal". When I spotted one on their boa. I bailed out and stopped shopping there. Wasn't just countering what you said. I keep great husbandry and practice good hygene but it still happened to me so it can happen to anyone and it not be their fault. Best to learn all about killing them and to never get them than get them and then figure it out.

[Mikoh4792]

Originally Posted by infernalis

Mites feed on blood, not soil. Soil is nothing to be afraid of.

Sloppy husbandry would entail lack of YOUR hygiene.

First of all, I don't handle other peoples reptiles, I keep my hands off mine unless I'm taking care of them.

Wash your hands if you simply must handle someone else's reptiles.

Mikoh4792, you don't know me yet, but I have photo galleries dating back years from me getting up close and personal with hundreds of snakes in the wild, I crawl around on the ground shoving my camera right up on them, 4000 pixels wide HD, and in all of those animals, not one displayed mites.

Reptiles have a natural defense against mites, they will shed the skin off, and leave the mites behind with the shed.

However, in captivity, we keep the snake locked in a cage WITH the shed, so the mites just go back home on the snake.

Mite infestations usually originate in hoarders and sloppy breeders collections, and then spread from there.

#1. rule, inspect any new animals very closely before bringing them home, quarantine new purchases before placing them in the same room.

I was not trying to sell anyone on the bio active cages, although you would do yourself a favor looking into it.

Very informative. I never thought about that(snakes having a natural defense against mites/parasites). Wish snake mites would just go extinct. They really are a nuisance.