I Have Mites

SnoopySnake · 10-22-15, 11:01 PM

Well, I got my white lip out today and afterwards I noticed tiny black bugs crawling all over my hands and of course they're mites. I don't know how I missed it before it got to the point where it is, but luckily it doesn't seem to have hit my other snakes too bad yet. I did however just redo a bioactive viv that I really don't want to tear down, so I'm going to dry using predatory mites. Has anyone had good success with this?

**Minkness** · 10-22-15, 11:24 PM

A good remedy to mites is 7-dust. It is 100% animal safe, even for snakes. Just but a little bit in the bottom then put their substrate down or paper towels or whatever you use. Any mites that fall off are killed, eggs are killed, and larvea are killed. You can also use it in a bioactive tank. Just mix it in with the dirt.

I did this method with the rescue who I got infested with mites, and they weren't moving after about 2 weeks. Some got stuck under the scales but came off with the 1st shed. Not seen a mute since!

Jim Smith · 10-23-15, 02:40 AM

SnoopySnake,

I have been fighting with mites on one of my snakes for the past seven months. I have tried all the "tried and true methods" all to no avail. Several complete cleanings with a good spray of PAM and then the same thing with NIX, etc. etc. etc. That said, I have not tried 7-dust yet as I hadn't heard of it as a remedy before Minkness mentioned it. Right now, I am using the predatory mites, but the jury is still out with them. I put the mites in the cage and immediately saw some of the predatory mites on the front plexiglass of the cage. About a week later, I noticed two snake mites on my snake, so I removed her from the cage and wiped her down with "animal safe" mite products and placed her in a tub with newspaper bedding. She is mite free, but I've left the cage empty with all it bedding and decorations for the past three weeks to let the mite wars continue. In another week or so, I will try the 7-dust in the substrate to kill every thing and leave it for a week or so and do another complete cleaning and sterilization. These things are really tough to get rid of, but I'm going to be successful, one way or another. Good luck!

**Tsubaki** · 10-23-15, 07:02 AM

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/gener...ve-thread.html

I have described how to work with predatory mites in bioactive tanks, might be worth a read for you if you're considering using them.

SnoopySnake · 10-23-15, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minkness

A good remedy to mites is 7-dust. It is 100% animal safe, even for snakes. Just but a little bit in the bottom then put their substrate down or paper towels or whatever you use. Any mites that fall off are killed, eggs are killed, and larvea are killed. You can also use it in a bioactive tank. Just mix it in with the dirt.

Wouldn't this kill off my other beneficial bugs? Sounds similar to diatomaceous earth.

Tsubaki, would this be a bad time to switch over to soil? I was planning on putting the rest of my snakes in bioactive tubs with no plants but now apparently they have mites. Would the soil be more suitable for predatory mites anyway? Then just hold off on my clean up crew till the situation is taken care of? I'd much more prefer to try mites before harsh chemicals, but I don't want to waste soil either.

**Minkness** · 10-23-15, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnoopySnake

Wouldn't this kill off my other beneficial bugs?.

Sadly yes. I forgot that bioactives have clean up crews. =(

SnoopySnake · 10-23-15, 11:28 AM

So I know I've mentioned before how my white lip was off food. He didn't eat from Aug. 24th to Oct. 13th. Could mites have made him drop weight much quicker?

**Tsubaki** · 10-23-15, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnoopySnake

Wouldn't this kill off my other beneficial bugs? Sounds similar to diatomaceous earth.

Tsubaki, would this be a bad time to switch over to soil? I was planning on putting the rest of my snakes in bioactive tubs with no plants but now apparently they have mites. Would the soil be more suitable for predatory mites anyway? Then just hold off on my clean up crew till the situation is taken care of? I'd much more prefer to try mites before harsh chemicals, but I don't want to waste soil either.

Predatory mites thrive more easily in natural bedding/soil, however i have had them live just fine on newspaper as well. As long as they have appropriate places to breed they're going to thrive. Also, it takes them more time to clean up a mite infestation than chemicals, but i still prefer them.

Ivanator · 10-24-15, 12:06 AM

I've always just used "no pest strips" and within a few days all mites are gone. I just cut it into whatever size strips I need and place it in the cage. They're good for 3 months so I just remove it when I mist then place it back in after and replace it every 3 months. Haven't seen mites since.

toddnbecka · 10-24-15, 12:20 AM

Those strips contain chemicals that have been determined to cause neurological damage in snakes. Many years ago, before the internet, the no-pest strips were recommended for treating mites. Even then I didn't like the idea of using chemicals, and when I discovered that my baby burmese python had mites I used Crisco vegetable shortening to kill them. I simply smeared it all over the snake, then put him/her into an empty 10 gallon tank for a couple days. The mites and their eggs were suffocated by the shortening, and the snake was given a warm bath with a bit of dish soap in the water to remove the rest of the Crisco after being cleaned up with paper towels.

SnoopySnake · 10-24-15, 03:29 PM

So has anyone ever used diatomaceous earth to treat mites, along with NIX? I want to try the diatomaceous earth for my bioactive enclosure since I can't use NIX on it. I'll be getting whatever bugs out that I can first, of course.

Pogie · 10-24-15, 05:31 PM

I don't think that will work. It kills by drying out the critters. If it's in a natural setting it would be damp I would think.

Ivanator · 10-25-15, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toddnbecka

Those strips contain chemicals that have been determined to cause neurological damage in snakes. Many years ago, before the internet, the no-pest strips were recommended for treating mites.

Can you provide a link of where you heard this? I've been using the strips for at least 10 years and none of my snakes have ever shown any signs of stress or damage. Ik many keepers that use them as well and I first heard of it bc a veterinarian suggested it as a cheaper alternative to mite specific sprays they sell.

murrindindi · 10-25-15, 03:27 PM

Hi, here`s an article regarding the use of pest strips...
http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9mSs...snDCy3CsC7lG4-

**Tsubaki** · 10-26-15, 06:05 AM

I had a burmese python that was treated against mites by its previous owners using those strips, this animal seemed to have neurological problems (Head twitching) and eventually died at the age of 1,5. Was it because of the strips? I have no way of knowing for sure, however I don't trust those strips even the slightest. Prefer 100% natural treatment with predatory mites, which i do preventively yearly. for newcomers who are going to be on newspapers for quarantine, i prefer to use nix (I always treat preventively). And even if people say that nix is harmless, i use it like it is a harsh chemical, nothing on the head, air it out, no water in the tank for 3 days. I rather be extremely careful than lose a single snake by my own doing.