Mites...

[Nicolak]

I was looking at my Ball Python. Lately he has been outside of his hide and I was curious, so I examined everything closely. I saw these really tiny mite-like white bug things (two of them) crawling on his hide.

What steps do you recommend I follow from this point?
I know I have to do a thorough clean, but what products and other tips do you suggest?

[Smilts]

Snake mites arent white, as far as I know so I would double check there color before panicking. Snake mites are either red or black generally show as black like tiny lil paper grains... But it may be some sort of critter in the bedding so I would consider changing bedding out.

Im sure others will be along with more advice shortly also!

[Nicolak]

Alright, maybe it was something from the moss I bought or the rats I fed him.

[Will0W783]

I hope it wasn't from the rat. White things are usually some type of maggot/larvae. When you say it was on his hide, do you mean his hiding box or his skin? If the bugs were just on the hiding box, they are probably from the bedding. I would remove the bedding, soak the snake in warm (85 degree) water for 10-15 minutes to drown parasites that might be on him. Scrub the cage out thoroughly with 10% bleach water solution and then rinse it really well and dry it. I would use paper towels as substrate for a while to see if more bugs pop up.

[Ackinator]

Make sure and do you're researche to see if it's wood mites, snake mites, mulch mites or ticks, chiggers or maggots. Act fast i lost a ball python a few months ago to parasites/mites...

[Will0W783]

No offense, Ackinator, but it would have to be a pretty darned bad infestation to actually kill the snake- didn't you notice??

[Smilts]

@Willow I actually bought a corn snake a lil snow not long back that ended up having a mite infestation. I checked thoroughly and didnt see them when I purchased the snake including its water bowl and as best I could by its eyes and nostrils where there worst, that was a white and pink snake... My only indication to treat was about 2 days after i had it i went to check on it and saw a nice big fat mite walking on its head and several more on its paper towel....

[Will0W783]

Sometimes you can't see them right away; when I bought an Irian Jaya carpet I didn't see any on him but found them in his water bowl the next day. Believe me, I know they are hard to see, but I know they would have to be really really bad to actually kill the snake...I just can't see how he wouldn't have noticed mites in the water dish or on the snake if they were a heavy enough infestation to actually kill it. Like I said, I wasn't trying to be mean, or even bitchy, I'm just shocked it got that bad.

[mykee]

They're most likely wood mites. No need to worry unless your ball pythons are made of wood. They are host specific. Just something you need to deal with during the warm months.