MITES!!!

[Jimmy C.]

What is the most safe way to treat my collection?? I had a few bad reactions to the Black Knight spray. Thank goodness my littleones are ok now but I found a few more bugs in another area.
Anyone has a tried and proven method I would love to hear about it. Thanks
Jimmy C.

[CowBoyWay]

A safe and effective Organic method,
no toxic reactions with this stuff!

( a little cut and paste magic from another post of mine) :)

Food grade Diatomaceous Earth, isn't dirt or earth, not even colored like it. It consists of the broken up shells of tiny critters, called diatomes, that lived long ago and died in groups so massive that they can, today, be mined and bull-dozed.

"DE", as it's abbreviated, has the neat quality of killing insects. It is 100% ecologically safe to the environment and non-poisonous to man and beast. In fact, if you've eaten anything made with flour (like Bisquick), you've eaten DE. So, how does it kill insects?

DE works by slicing open the exoskeleton (outer, hard covering) of insects, causing them to "bleed" to death. (Actually, their insides leak out, they dehydrate and die.) Imagine walking barefoot through a room that has millions of razorblades embedded in the floor. You've got the picture.

When DE is sprinkled around it slices and dices the insects that walk through it.
And it won't hurt YOU when you ingest it, 'cause the 'sharp pieces' are too small to cut you.
In fact, many organic farmers deliberately mix DE with animal feed to kill internal parasites in farm animals,Usually 2% by weight.
(The DE in the animal feces even kills the fly maggots that invariably appear in the cow patties.)

I throw a small canfull out in the yard and my chickens love to take dust baths in it and it keeps them parasite free.. They just love this stuff in the organic/natural foods industry.

I use a little sprinkle now and then in my mouse and snakes substrate as a
Preventive mite measure,
repeat in three weeks to nail the next generation of mites that may have hatched.
Mite infestation can be a booger to recognize in early stages, as they're so very tiny.

Badly infested snakes should be "powdered down".
Pull there water for a few hours.
That should be enough exposure time for the mites to march threw the dust and kill the little buggers.
They will actually dehydrate eventually.
It's not an instant gratification like toxic poisons, but they will die.

Be sure to treat the Corns environment too,as some are hiding and waiting to jump back on board the snake.

Be sure to use "FOOD GRADE" Diatomaceous Earth available from health food stores or online.

DO NOT USE THE SWIMMING POOL GRADE OF D.E.,as that has a very high silica content and is dangerous to you and your critter.

[poccodiablo]

I was shocked reading the post till that last part. I was an apprentice brewer at one time in my life and used DE for filtering beer. The DE we used at the brewery was very dangerous.. like bleeding lungs dangerous, and cancer causing dangerous. We got that stuff from a chemical whole saler.. where do you get food grade DE?

Jeff Robertson

[bmm]

I have also heard using a locally availbel product (check your harware store) Seven Dust. Its supposed to be safe and effective.

bmm

[Jimmy C.]

Hey Guys,
Thanks for your advice!! I will try them.
Jimmy C.

[Susan]

I just came back from the North American Veterinary Conference and a new product is on the market that is supposed to be extremely safe and effective. Their flea spray for dogs and cats can be used on newborns (a definate first!). The product is called De Flea Reptile Relief made by Natural Chemistry Inc. and distributed by TRI V Services (1-888-688-2404). The rep said he used it on his Burmese, even sprayed the snakes eyes (although the label says to avoid this), and the mites were dead and off the snake within 24 hours and no ill effects. Active ingredients are: Dioctyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate 2.1%, Undecylene Acid 0.5%, Other Ingredients 97.4%. I have a bottle with me, but no snakes with mites to try it on. I opened the bottle and took several good whiffs...pleasant scent, a hint medicinal, but not insecticidal smelling at all. There is also an e-mail address for questions...answers@naturalchemistry.com. Their website is www.naturalchemistry.com and their phone number is 1-800-668-7760. Sounds like this company isn't afraid of being contacted and may be worth a look.

[Jimmy C.]

Thanks alot Susan, I will check to see if it's available in Toronto.
Jimmy C.