Provent-a-mite

Pliskin · 03-27-09, 10:25 PM

any stores sell this in the toronto area?

I was gonna order it online, but if I can just pick it up here I'd rather do that.

Chu'Wuti · 03-28-09, 07:10 AM

Look for Nix instead. Check out this thread--there's a great article there telling how to use it: Nix Treatment For Snake Mites. Here's the link:

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/gener...ake-mites.html

Pliskin · 03-28-09, 07:30 AM

thanks for the link Chu'Wuti ,

have you tried nix before?

Billyh · 03-28-09, 07:57 AM

I would never use a chemical like nix on a snake. Most of the time you wont have any problems using it but why risk it, besides it is expensive, so is provent a mite. Use pure olive oil. it is cheap and very effective. take your snake out and wipe it down from nose to tail with an olive oil soaked rag and put it a container by its self on some paper towels, in the mean time spray "equate brand bedding spray" (for bed bugs) in its cage on everything, repeat every 30 mins or so for a couple hours, then take everything out and wash it with soap and water, soak it if you can, clean the cage (you want to wash all bedding spray off). Spray the empty cage and all around it on the floor, let dry and clean the cage with soapy water, rinse, let dry, set your cage up and you should not see another live mite again. I have even done this in wooden cages, it is just harder to rinse. Dont rinse the snake, just change the water often. I have rescued several snakes with mites and never had to repeat this twice. But if you see another mite or have some extra time repeat in 1 week.

st3v3n · 03-28-09, 08:39 AM

y does the olive oil kill them? but good 2 kno thx

mykee · 03-28-09, 09:58 AM

I won't mince words. Olive oil is USELESS and DANGEROUS for reptiles. There are loads of reasons why olive oil is NOT a mite killer, but I'm not going to waste time explaining why. I'll use some common sense; snakes, as well as humans, breathe through their skin. Covering a snake in olive oil is bad. Think of the Exxon Valdese spill. Also, there is NOTHING in olive oil that will:
1. Kill mites.
2. Kill mite eggs.
3. Keep mites away.
Use Nix, there are loads of threads on both forums that you visit Pliskin explaining how it works and how to use it both effectually and safely.

Billyh · 03-28-09, 04:03 PM

Not to argue with nix, I was told many times to use it, it works great. But after talking to a wise old man who has seen many people kill snakes with lice treatments (probally only from not dilluting it enough) he told me about the olive oil, I tried it, and if it didn't kill every mite and egg on the snake, they all left the snake and cage, never to return. I also read that there is nothing in olive oil that will kill a mite, and went and bought provent a mite after I did the olive oil treatment because I didnt think it would work myself. The provent a mite has still never to this day been used. I also am unsure of the side effects of olive oil, I was told there were none but havnt been able fo find any info on the web. My snakes were fine even a baby. I am only saying what worked for me (just like everyone else says what worked for them) there has been little research on mites and snakes (hence why we use olive oil, nix, and pam). Mites are the worst to treat because every one tells you to do something different or something bad will happen to your snake. I think any treatment will work, you just have to do it right. Good Luck and post what ever you do and how it works, remember you wont know if the mites are really gone for a couple weeks.

Chu'Wuti · 03-28-09, 04:10 PM

Pliskin, I've never had a snake get mites, so I've never used a mite treatment of any sort. However, I know that Mykee and some of the other really experienced snake keepers/breeders on this forum recommend Nix, and I've heard that using oils is very bad for the snake.

To use Nix safely, just follow the instructions given elsewhere on this forum carefully.

citysnakes · 03-28-09, 06:08 PM

BillyH, equate bedding spray, nix and PAM pretty much contain the same active ingredient. although each one can kill if used improperly, PAM is the only product of the three developed specifically for use with reptiles.

i do not think that you can truely claim that olive oil has worked for you because you also told us that you use equate brand bedding spray in comination with the oil. therefore i believe that it was the bedding spray that exterminated the mites. i also feel that soaking the mite infested animal would have been beneficial and that using olive oil was pretty much a useless step in the process.

also, not every treatment will work and that is proved obvious by the many keepers out there who constantly deal with recurring infestations.

Billyh · 03-29-09, 08:48 AM

I completely agree, I tried to wash the bedding spray off everything but It could have lingered around enough to kill the mites on the snakes too. Ever heard of clove oil to kill mites? It is sold at pet stores around here for mites on snakes, (although I have never tried it) you are supposed to rub it onto the snake too. And does anyone know where there is info on the web about natural oils and snakes? Unless I buy a snake with mites I dont ever plan on having to treat it but I dont want to give anyone bad advice. And I would like to know more about it.

Kmef07 · 03-29-09, 02:49 PM

What about Vinegar?? Will vinegar hurt the snake? I know you use vinegar to spray a big snake if it is trying to attack you as previously stated in another thread, but im wondering if it would irritate the mites enough to drive them off and possibly kill them. I know that spraying undiluted vinegar would piss off the snake and maybe harm it but the mites being so small could be affected by a diluted amount.

I only wonder about this because I use diluted vinegar to kill off bacteria and mold in my Cilantro, Oragano, and Parsley garden i keep in my room year round and it kills the little organisms in a couple hours. Im told that the vinegar, if absorbed in large quanties, will kill any organism. So is it possible that diluted it will be strong enough to kill the mites and not harm the snake????? Just a question so please don't crucify me if I am way off kilter here.

gonesnakee · 03-29-09, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykee

I won't mince words. Olive oil is USELESS and DANGEROUS for reptiles. There are loads of reasons why olive oil is NOT a mite killer, but I'm not going to waste time explaining why. I'll use some common sense; snakes, as well as humans, breathe through their skin. Covering a snake in olive oil is bad. Think of the Exxon Valdese spill. Also, there is NOTHING in olive oil that will:
1. Kill mites.
2. Kill mite eggs.
3. Keep mites away.
Use Nix, there are loads of threads on both forums that you visit Pliskin explaining how it works and how to use it both effectually and safely.

Agreed! DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT USE ANY OILS ON YOUR SNAKES!
Ever see a snake loose tons of its scales after being covered in oil, as for its effectiveness well... could use Peanut Butter or Mayo even maybe some 1000 Islands dressing they would all work in smaothering the mites. As for any smothering goes use water, they drown, its very safe.
As for eradicating mites quickly & effectively I would use NIX as per the link provided. Nuff said, Mark
P.S. I know folks that think Ivory Soap works & they are still farming mites here 6-7 years later (cough cough RC ZOE). They keep getting "reinfested" or so they think. They NEVER got rid of them to begin with & still have them years later, but hey NIX isn't safe & soap will work though right?

mykee · 03-29-09, 04:08 PM

Mark, thanks for hopping in here and laying down the law man. Sometimes it takes more than one person to get a point across, regardless of how much experience they each have.
As for your cough cough, did you know that she has a caresheet up with that shyt info on RC?
p.s. I love to lick thousand islands dressing off my snakes....off anything for that matter.
As for vinegar; it's good for french fries. That's it.
Not mites.

gonesnakee · 03-29-09, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykee

Mark, thanks for hopping in here and laying down the law man. Sometimes it takes more than one person to get a point across, regardless of how much experience they each have.
As for your cough cough, did you know that she has a caresheet up with that shyt info on RC?
p.s. I love to lick thousand islands dressing off my snakes....off anything for that matter.
As for vinegar; it's good for french fries. That's it.
Not mites.

Yeah I like how she is breeding her ATBs between Ivory Soap treatments

A local friend got her IJs like 6 years ago or so just CRAWLING & she was in full denial of it. Her snakes had no mites, well that she was AWARE of anyway. She sure talks about them lots still anyway. Internet Superstar LOL Funny how someone who has had no new snakes for over a year just has them magically appear agin eh? Funny how they turn up onec or twice a year out of no where? Silly Mite Farmers!

Mark

**Aaron_S** · 03-29-09, 08:35 PM

Now now boys. Let's play nice.

I used to know Zoe personally some years ago and I had seen her collection then in the flesh and it wasn't covered in mites. Key words are 'some years ago'.

I think part of dealing with mites is trying to obtain animals from very good sources where you can feel pretty good that they aren't coming with the animal. I still use paper towel and quarentine but otherwise I don't treat my animals.