Little black bugs ?

[Droptines]

:shrugs: All of a sudden I have these little,I mean almost a 1/32" in length floating around(swimming) in my snakes water dishes.I changed the water and they were back by morning :sidestep:
I don't believe they can cause any problem,but they sure are annoying to see.

 

[suecornish]

If your snake is on paper towels and you see one walking around kill it and see if it leaves a red smear. If it does you may have snake mites. If it's snake mites, do a search and there is probably a dozen posts on how to get rid of them.

 

[Nanci]

Those sound like mites to me- that's one of the places people notice them is in the water bowl. You have to treat the snake for them- they can kill the snake. Also, they travel easily from one viv to the next.

Nanci

 

[sargeoif]

yup thoes are mites my friend what you need to do is go out possibly to your local pet store and pick you up some mite killer. I personaly use natural chemistry reptile relief just spray some on a rag and wipe down the snake, you can all so use it to clean out their tank too.

 

[Shade]

Mites are the bane of most snake keepers lives. They're extremely difficult to get rid of, they reproduce rapidly, and if left unchecked they can kill the snake. I've had to deal with them a few times, and the best results I've had were by mixing NIX head lice treatment (shampoo) into a spray bottle filled with water, and using that to clean the cages and the snakes. I've heard it also comes in a spray form, but I've yet to see it.

Also, don't think you're out of the woods completely until you've been mite-free for at least a month. they have a nasty habit of springing back as soon as you think you're done with them.

 

[Plissken]

Mites.

Actually, they're not that difficult to get rid of - it's just a lengthy and thorough process. So long as you can be patient, mites are perfectly treatable.

I'd run a search on the forums. There are a ton of mite posts out there, including some by me, as I have experienced mites on my snakes before.

Good luck!

 

[Droptines]

HOW THE HECK DID I GET THEM ???
nothing new put in the tank ?,where do they come from ????????????????????? :eek1:

 

[Plissken]

Brought any new reptiles in to your house lately?

They can come from any number of places really, not just reptiles themselves. If you've been in to a shop which has mites you could have brought them home yourself. You'll probably never know where you got them. :shrugs:

 

[Droptines]

I didn't go to any shops or bring anything new,reptile or other wise,into the house.
I'm thinking they are NOT mites.I think they are something else.They are smaller than pepper,and I only see them in the water dish.I should be able to see them on my snake,right ?.She just ate a day ago,so in a day I'll give her a go look over.
If they are mites,whats the best way,(easy)to get rid of them ?.

 

[Plissken]

Nope, you may not necessarily see mites on the snake. When I had a mite infestation I found mites all over the water bowls, but I only ever saw ONE mite on either of the snakes! The water bowl is one of the most common and easiest ways to tell if you've got mites.

 

[Droptines]

Why in the water bowl ?,,I looking VERY closely around the tank and I can't see any.They don't drown in the water bowl ??.
If I have to re-do that tank(75gal.) :angry01:

 

[Nanci]

The longer you wait, the more they will multiply...Your description is classic for mites.

Nanci

 

[Plissken]

I never saw any moving around my tanks either.

And they do drown in the water bowl. Also the snake will sometimes drown them in there in an attempt to relieve the itching.

Nanci is right, the longer you leave the mites the harder they are to get rid of and the more irritated and stressed your snake will become. No point in waiting until your snake is ill before treating for mites, mites can and will make your snake sick and eventually kill it if they go untreated.

 

[Jcapicy]

look at it this way. you have to clean the tank out eventually. buy a rubbermaid to keep you snake in and clean the whole tank. spray the whole tank down with a mite removal chemical for reptiles and wipe the snake down with a papertowel that has the anti-mite on it and leave the snake in quarantine until the tank is all clean.

it can't hurt.

and pics might be another way to confirm.

 

[Jcapicy]

vBulletin Message
You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Nanci again.

 

[suecornish]

The only way I saw the mites on Gaia was little specks on the paper towel and when I mashed them they left a red smear. Then the next day I saw them on her head. I guess they can carry the eggs under the scales and when the conditions are right, grow.

 

[Droptines]

How did I get them ???.

 

[suecornish]

How did I get them ???.

How long have you had your snakes and where did you buy them?

 

[Drizzt80]

I don't believe they are mites. The one or two times I've had mites I've never seen them swimming around in the water dish. Mites in a water bowl tend to look like pepper sprinkled at the bottom. They die fairly quickly in the water.

Sounds to me like it's a gnat or small fly of some sort. I have a couple of tubs that tend to get them as it warms up each summer. I haven't been able to pin it down to anything specific, and they have never seemed to cause any problems that I can tell (other than committing suicide in the water dish). :shrugs: In that vain, I have chosen not to expose my snakes to any kind of chemicals to get rid of them either.

D80

 

[Droptines]

Suecornish,,I have had my snake(just one)since last Sept..Now new snakes or any thing in the house.
D80,,your reading on the same page as me.I think it some other little insect.I did see a small flying bug in the tank,and these things are NOT ending up at the bottom of the water dish.When I took the bowl out to clean it a few days ago,I noticed them spring or jump,like a flea would,,when I disturbed them in the water... :shrugs: