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Mite Question

schnebbles
11-13-2011, 05:13 PM
How do you know if your snake has mites? I don't believe any of mine do but I'd like to know what to look for on them. What color are they?

Thank you :)
AliCat37
11-13-2011, 05:19 PM
Well, since the petco snow had mites I can chime in :) They're TINY little grey/black dots that you'll see under the scales. The best way to find them is to hold your snake out and look under the scales. I would hate to try to find them on any dark snake. I used baby oil to drown them and rubbed each one out individually. I checked once a day for them and completely sanitized her tub before putting her back in it. New cardboard tubes and everything to prevent them from hiding. I have not seen any on her in 5 days, but she is still in heavy quarantine until I am a hundred percent sure they're gone.
schnebbles
11-13-2011, 05:32 PM
It sounds like they would be very hard to find. I'll have to look next time I get anyone out. I got them all from breeders so I think I'm good. I just wondered what I would look for.

thanks! I hope your girl gets rid of them. I would never have thought of a snake getting mites.
Fatman608
11-13-2011, 05:42 PM
Google is your friend.
beautifullywild77
11-13-2011, 06:25 PM
They are extremely hard to find on a dark snake! We rescued a spotted python who turned out to have mites. I held him for a good 45 mins in the store before we went ahead and god him the next day. I always spray down my new vivs with mite off and it seemed it brought them out in droves. I ended up putting him on paper towels for 2 weeks. Gave him a rub down with veggie oil and mite off. Changing the paper towels every day and spraying Prevent a Mite in his cage to help kill eggs. I also used Lice spray on the carpets surrounding his cage and put vasiline on the top of his viv as well.
AliCat37
11-13-2011, 06:48 PM
Oh, vaseline on the top is a good idea! Yeah, the snow will have them gone in no time. I figure if I see none for 3 months then all is good. I also want her to get a few sheds out of the way before joining the rest of the kids in the reptile room. I had a lizard once that had mites and got them all off him, so I'm hoping to have the same result with her.
snakewispera snr
11-13-2011, 07:47 PM
They will be on an approx 19 day cycle so yours haven't gone they just haven't hatched again. Mites look like poppy seed you will find them in the water bowl floating. That's usually the first people see of them. They only lay eggs in the 5th stage of their life. I would use PAM if I was you. Or if you can import it use callingtons as its much safer for you snake. If you use the search function you will see a life cycle I put up about them.
snakewispera snr
11-13-2011, 07:50 PM
BTW they are a carrier of some nasty snake related illnesses so best to quarantine any animals for at least 6months to save the rest of your animals.
JennaJ
11-13-2011, 08:08 PM
Snakes only get mites from other snakes (or transferred by a person between snakes), right? I've heard people say that mites can come in on your substrate (right out of the bag??), but this just seems so incredibly unlikely to me. Especially since snake mites are species (snake or other reptile) specific.
beautifullywild77
11-13-2011, 08:13 PM
Yes, quarantine! Always do that with new snakes that come in!
Fatman608
11-13-2011, 08:14 PM
Snakes only get mites from other snakes (or transferred by a person between snakes), right? I've heard people say that mites can come in on your substrate (right out of the bag??), but this just seems so incredibly unlikely to me. Especially since snake mites are species (snake or other reptile) specific.

I got mites "right out of the bag" of aspen. Of course, they were wood mites not snake mites.
JennaJ
11-13-2011, 08:18 PM
And wood mites were able to feed on your snake(s)?
AliCat37
11-13-2011, 08:33 PM
Nope, wood mites won't affect your snake.
JennaJ
11-13-2011, 08:34 PM
I'm using Reptibark (at the moment), and I don't see how mites adapted to feeding on wood (aspen, fir trees) could suck blood from a reptile. But, I'm no acarologist. Reptibark, at least, goes through a "triple cleaning process" but is not heat treated. So, I guess anything small and hardy enough could probably survive.
JennaJ
11-13-2011, 08:35 PM
Nope, wood mites won't affect your snake.

Oops, we posted at about the same time! :laugh:
Still, having wood mites in the house doesn't sound particularly appealing...
schnebbles
11-13-2011, 08:37 PM
I have never seen mites or anything in any of the water, I am sure I don't have them but I now know what to look for. Thanks to everyone!
snakewispera snr
11-13-2011, 08:56 PM
If the shop you buy substrate from has mites it is possible for snake mites to come in that way. You could microwave substrate before using or better still store your substrate in the freezer.
schnebbles
11-13-2011, 09:25 PM
My freezer is full of mice, lol! I don't have a separate freezer.
Fatman608
11-13-2011, 11:14 PM
If the shop you buy substrate from has mites it is possible for snake mites to come in that way. You could microwave substrate before using or better still store your substrate in the freezer.

That is why, you do not buy substrate from a pet store but a feed store. Then again were you have feed you mice and were you have mice you have snakes. I guess I am back to Wal-mart again. ;)
Fatman608
11-13-2011, 11:15 PM
Oops, we posted at about the same time! :laugh:
Still, having wood mites in the house doesn't sound particularly appealing...

Who said they were in the house.