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Mite Medications
- Thread starter Nanci
- Start date
diamondlil
Mice! They taste so nice!
Nanci, you are wonderful!
DAND
New member
Nix
Nix was designed to treat human head lice and their nits (eggs). The one characteristic that separates the Nix method for treating snake mites from other mite remedies is its effectiveness at killing live mites AND mite eggs. All other mite remedies to my knowledge do not destroy mite eggs. As such, I have found the Nix method to be extremely effective at eradicating serious mite infestations. I even know of a pet store manager who sells several commercially produced mite remedies, yet uses the Nix method on imported snakes arriving at his store. Another pro to using Nix is economics. Around $12 will produce 4 litres of solution – much more than the largest private collection will ever require.
There exists a popular reptile care site on the Internet that discusses the toxicity of Nix, but in the two cases cited, Nix was spread over the infested snakes in full concentration. Common sense should dictate that reptiles and amphibians coming in direct contact with any fully concentrated chemical that does not occur in their natural environment would yield deleterious, if not downright fatal, results. The use of Nix discussed below involves a diluted solution (1 part Nix to 68 parts water) that has never produced adverse reactions in any python or boa in my collection over the course of 6 years. In fact, some snakes in my collection are proactively treated every 6 months as they make appearances at semi-annual reptile shows and I am not willing to risk the chance of mites from other exhibitors making their way into my collection. Even routine treatments on these boas and pythons over the course of several years have yet to result in any negative effects.
Materials
• Spray bottle. Preferably one that has never been used, or at the very least, one that has never contained harsh chemicals and has been thoroughly rinsed.
• 56 g (59 ml) bottle of Nix. I have only ever found this one particular size of Nix, which can be sourced at most drug stores and some pharmacy sections of grocery stores for anywhere from $6-$12.
• 4L (1 Gallon) jug of distilled water. Distilled water should be used to extend the shelf life of the solution. With distilled water, the solution’s effectiveness is expected to last up to 12 months as long as the solution is stored at room temperature and in a covered box (light breaks down the active ingredient found in Nix). Although, with one treatment and sound quarantine practices, the first treatment should be all that is necessary.
Creating the Nix Solution
• Pour the Nix cream into the 4L jug of distilled water. Nix is a fairly thick cream substance, so it may take a couple minutes to transfer as much of the cream into the jug of distilled water as possible.
• Replace the cap on the jug of distilled water and shake until the Nix cream is evenly distributed throughout the water. Again, this may take a few minutes due to the thick consistency of Nix.
• Pour the Nix solution into a spray bottle.
Eradicating Snake Mites
• If snake mites are only found on one snake or only in one snake enclosure, it is wise to conclude that mites have infested ALL snakes and their enclosures that are contained within the same room. Mites may have also transferred to snakes housed in another room by "hitchhiking on your hands or clothes. Therefore, absolutely all snakes and their terrariums should be treated to ensure 100% effectiveness.
• First, remove the snake from the enclosure and place in a Rubbermaid container. Spray the snake liberally with the Nix solution. Do not avoid spraying this solution on their head, eyes and heat pits – in fact, this is where mites commonly hide so spraying the head area is essential.
• Remove all substrate from the terrarium and throw away. Do not leave the garbage bag containing this old substrate anywhere in the house.
• Spray the entire enclosure, inside and out, including all cage furniture (branches, hide boxes, water bowl, etc.) and glass viewing area. Make sure that all corners and crevices are well covered with Nix solution, as this is where mites and their eggs are often hiding. Even spray the outside back of the cage and a 2-foot perimeter around the cage on the floor. The Nix residue that forms after drying is thought to even be effective at killing mites hiding out elsewhere in the room that may attempt to re-enter the snake cage.
• Replace the substrate with paper, preferably paper towel, as it is easy to spot mites on this. It is essential to use paper until you are absolutely certain that full eradication has been accomplished. I suggest waiting 3 weeks after the last live mite is spotted before using non-paper substrate.
• Remove water bowl from cage and replace, filled with water, 24 hours later. This ensures that the Nix solution is not washed off the snake by soaking in the water bowl before the active ingredient has had a chance to destroy all mites hiding under its scales.
• Return the snake to its enclosure and spray it, the cage, furniture and paper one more time.
• When the snake defecates during treatment, remove the paper and clean the messed area as usual, but be sure to re-spray the cleaned area and new paper with Nix solution.
• Repeat in 5-7 days twice, for a total of 3 treatments. With all likelihood, the last live mite will perish within a few hours of the first treatment, but repeating treatment is good practice in case the outbreak is severe and mites are able to re-enter cages.
Preventative Maintenance
Any snake entering a collection should be quarantined for 2-3 months, ideally in a completely separate room from where other snakes are housed, but at the very least in a separate cage. It should be assumed that any new snake has mites, regardless of how well respected the previous owner or pet store is. I have personally been let down on several occasions by leading breeders in our hobby, and from personal friends. It is my experience that employing the "better safe than sorry" approach is of paramount importance in ensuring mite breakouts never occur.
Given the above assumption new acquisitions, in addition to their cage and cage furniture, should be treated with Nix solution 3 times (one full treatment every 5-7 days). Same should hold true when a snake enters your colony for a breeding loan, even if it is your own specimen that was lent out and is returning. As previously mentioned, it is also wise to treat snakes that attend shows, where other exhibitors and spectators may have mite infestations. With the large number of people that handle your animals, or even just touch the enclosure in which your snakes are housed, the chance that a mite is hitchhiking on at least one of these snake enthusiasts at the show is good. Don’t become complacent and cut corners in this area, or you may find yourself right back where you started.
Cage furniture and substrate purchased at pet stores can also serve as mite vectors and should be treated with caution. Mite-free substrate can be purchased from pet stores that do not carry reptiles, from a livestock feed stores, or from landscape centres. Newly purchased cage furniture should be sprayed liberally with Nix solution. Highly porous cage furniture (wood hide boxes, branches, etc.) should be soaked in a 10% bleach solution for a day, then rinsed thoroughly, sprayed with Nix solution, and allowed to dry for a week.
Nix was designed to treat human head lice and their nits (eggs). The one characteristic that separates the Nix method for treating snake mites from other mite remedies is its effectiveness at killing live mites AND mite eggs. All other mite remedies to my knowledge do not destroy mite eggs. As such, I have found the Nix method to be extremely effective at eradicating serious mite infestations. I even know of a pet store manager who sells several commercially produced mite remedies, yet uses the Nix method on imported snakes arriving at his store. Another pro to using Nix is economics. Around $12 will produce 4 litres of solution – much more than the largest private collection will ever require.
There exists a popular reptile care site on the Internet that discusses the toxicity of Nix, but in the two cases cited, Nix was spread over the infested snakes in full concentration. Common sense should dictate that reptiles and amphibians coming in direct contact with any fully concentrated chemical that does not occur in their natural environment would yield deleterious, if not downright fatal, results. The use of Nix discussed below involves a diluted solution (1 part Nix to 68 parts water) that has never produced adverse reactions in any python or boa in my collection over the course of 6 years. In fact, some snakes in my collection are proactively treated every 6 months as they make appearances at semi-annual reptile shows and I am not willing to risk the chance of mites from other exhibitors making their way into my collection. Even routine treatments on these boas and pythons over the course of several years have yet to result in any negative effects.
Materials
• Spray bottle. Preferably one that has never been used, or at the very least, one that has never contained harsh chemicals and has been thoroughly rinsed.
• 56 g (59 ml) bottle of Nix. I have only ever found this one particular size of Nix, which can be sourced at most drug stores and some pharmacy sections of grocery stores for anywhere from $6-$12.
• 4L (1 Gallon) jug of distilled water. Distilled water should be used to extend the shelf life of the solution. With distilled water, the solution’s effectiveness is expected to last up to 12 months as long as the solution is stored at room temperature and in a covered box (light breaks down the active ingredient found in Nix). Although, with one treatment and sound quarantine practices, the first treatment should be all that is necessary.
Creating the Nix Solution
• Pour the Nix cream into the 4L jug of distilled water. Nix is a fairly thick cream substance, so it may take a couple minutes to transfer as much of the cream into the jug of distilled water as possible.
• Replace the cap on the jug of distilled water and shake until the Nix cream is evenly distributed throughout the water. Again, this may take a few minutes due to the thick consistency of Nix.
• Pour the Nix solution into a spray bottle.
Eradicating Snake Mites
• If snake mites are only found on one snake or only in one snake enclosure, it is wise to conclude that mites have infested ALL snakes and their enclosures that are contained within the same room. Mites may have also transferred to snakes housed in another room by "hitchhiking on your hands or clothes. Therefore, absolutely all snakes and their terrariums should be treated to ensure 100% effectiveness.
• First, remove the snake from the enclosure and place in a Rubbermaid container. Spray the snake liberally with the Nix solution. Do not avoid spraying this solution on their head, eyes and heat pits – in fact, this is where mites commonly hide so spraying the head area is essential.
• Remove all substrate from the terrarium and throw away. Do not leave the garbage bag containing this old substrate anywhere in the house.
• Spray the entire enclosure, inside and out, including all cage furniture (branches, hide boxes, water bowl, etc.) and glass viewing area. Make sure that all corners and crevices are well covered with Nix solution, as this is where mites and their eggs are often hiding. Even spray the outside back of the cage and a 2-foot perimeter around the cage on the floor. The Nix residue that forms after drying is thought to even be effective at killing mites hiding out elsewhere in the room that may attempt to re-enter the snake cage.
• Replace the substrate with paper, preferably paper towel, as it is easy to spot mites on this. It is essential to use paper until you are absolutely certain that full eradication has been accomplished. I suggest waiting 3 weeks after the last live mite is spotted before using non-paper substrate.
• Remove water bowl from cage and replace, filled with water, 24 hours later. This ensures that the Nix solution is not washed off the snake by soaking in the water bowl before the active ingredient has had a chance to destroy all mites hiding under its scales.
• Return the snake to its enclosure and spray it, the cage, furniture and paper one more time.
• When the snake defecates during treatment, remove the paper and clean the messed area as usual, but be sure to re-spray the cleaned area and new paper with Nix solution.
• Repeat in 5-7 days twice, for a total of 3 treatments. With all likelihood, the last live mite will perish within a few hours of the first treatment, but repeating treatment is good practice in case the outbreak is severe and mites are able to re-enter cages.
Preventative Maintenance
Any snake entering a collection should be quarantined for 2-3 months, ideally in a completely separate room from where other snakes are housed, but at the very least in a separate cage. It should be assumed that any new snake has mites, regardless of how well respected the previous owner or pet store is. I have personally been let down on several occasions by leading breeders in our hobby, and from personal friends. It is my experience that employing the "better safe than sorry" approach is of paramount importance in ensuring mite breakouts never occur.
Given the above assumption new acquisitions, in addition to their cage and cage furniture, should be treated with Nix solution 3 times (one full treatment every 5-7 days). Same should hold true when a snake enters your colony for a breeding loan, even if it is your own specimen that was lent out and is returning. As previously mentioned, it is also wise to treat snakes that attend shows, where other exhibitors and spectators may have mite infestations. With the large number of people that handle your animals, or even just touch the enclosure in which your snakes are housed, the chance that a mite is hitchhiking on at least one of these snake enthusiasts at the show is good. Don’t become complacent and cut corners in this area, or you may find yourself right back where you started.
Cage furniture and substrate purchased at pet stores can also serve as mite vectors and should be treated with caution. Mite-free substrate can be purchased from pet stores that do not carry reptiles, from a livestock feed stores, or from landscape centres. Newly purchased cage furniture should be sprayed liberally with Nix solution. Highly porous cage furniture (wood hide boxes, branches, etc.) should be soaked in a 10% bleach solution for a day, then rinsed thoroughly, sprayed with Nix solution, and allowed to dry for a week.
diamondlil
Mice! They taste so nice!
Nanci, it's ok. I've spoken to a UK member who breeds corns (Cornmorphs) and he's told me how to use Frontline spray safely. (Which I've got both the version for cats and for dogs already in the house.)
DAND, thanks, I'd read your post about NIX, and was going to find out it's UK equivalent by looking up it's ingredients onluine and talking to a pharmacist.
Pancho's blue at the moment, so I think I've got to wait until he's shed before I can use any chemicals. In the meantime I'll dunk him daily and scrub his tub to help control the situation.
DAND, thanks, I'd read your post about NIX, and was going to find out it's UK equivalent by looking up it's ingredients onluine and talking to a pharmacist.
Pancho's blue at the moment, so I think I've got to wait until he's shed before I can use any chemicals. In the meantime I'll dunk him daily and scrub his tub to help control the situation.
diamondlil
Mice! They taste so nice!
I asked myself that! I can only think they hitch-hike in on 1 affected animal, and from the horror stories I've been reading they are very mobile and can infect the whole lot very quickly. Pancho had white rings around his eyes when I got him, which I thought was retained eyecaps, but post shed the rings have gradually built up again. From a description I've read on here that's probably mite feces around his poor eyes.
diamondlil
Mice! They taste so nice!
Is it safe to use the chemicls before he sheds? I've searched so many 'mite' threads now my head is spinning, but I think I read to wait until afterwards?
Yvonne112
Mom of HEI\IDRIX
Poor Pancho! It must be awful to have those little things hanging out around your eyes. I was just reading an article on getting rid of mites (just in case I ever had a problem with them) It was an interesting experiment that seemed to work for this person...so take a look and see what you think...
here it is:
When Bugs Get Bugs:
Invertebrate keepers, too, are plagued by mites. However, when bugs get bugs, the "standard" treatments that reptile keepers often use are not possible. One cannot treat their insects and spiders that are plagued with mites with insecticides or chemicals, as these will invariably kill both. It is a common practice among invertebrate keepers to use a particular species of predatory mite to treat mite infestations. The predatory mites prey upon the "bad" mites, then die off after their food source disappears. They are harmless to the host animal.
About three months ago, I found mites on my giant centipede, Scolopendra subspinipes. I found myself going on-line to order some predatory mites (Hypoaspis sp.) to take care of the problem. "Hypoaspis sp." means that the mite is an unspecified species belonging to the genus Hypoaspis.
I then began to wonder if the same treatment would be effective on reptile mites. I asked around, and could find no one who had tried this method. I sent an e-mail to the company from which I was ordering the predatory mites to ask if they would be effective against Ophionyssus natricis, the common snake mite.
The biological supply company replied that yes, the Hypoaspis would indeed prey upon 0. natricis. They did not know if the predatory mites would prey upon the eggs of the snake mite.
My First Experiment:
I then decided to do my own experiment. Before I go into the details, I would like to preface by saying that I recognize that this was not a "proper" scientific experiment. I did not have enough animals for control groups, nor did I compare against other mite remedies, but I believe my findings are of some merit.
Since I had no snakes with mites, I borrowed three ratsnakes, all with a moderate mite problem. I set each animal up in a separate cage, with paper towel substrate, and a water dish. I then introduced the predatory mites into the enclosure.
The predatory mites are shipped in plastic containers filled with vermiculite. I shook the container to distribute the mites throughout, and put two tablespoons of the mixture in each cage. I checked the snakes daily, and saw both mites crawling about the paper towels. Two weeks later, I saw none of the Hypoaspis, but a considerable number of 0. natricis -- not at all what I had expected.
My Second Experiment:
I contacted the biological supply company, who instructed me to put the snakes on a bedding that would allow the Hypoaspis to burrow and breed. I ordered another shipment of Hypoaspis and I put the ratsnakes on bed-a-beast. When I received the mites, I again put 2 tablespoons of the mixture into the cage.
Two weeks later, I again thoroughly checked the ratsnakes for snake mites, and found none. It appeared at this point as if my experiment was successful. As well as preying on the adult form, it would appear that they Hypoaspis mites either prey upon the eggs of the snake mites, or upon the juveniles shortly after hatching.
Conclusions:
Now, two months after the project began, there is no sign of snake mites in any of the snake enclosures. The experiment, in my opinion, was successful. It appears that predatory mites are a very safe method of treating snake mites. No chemicals are involved, and therefore no danger to the snake. The Hypoaspis mites remain in the substrate for a while, then begin to disappear, when their food source does.
I have concluded that predatory mites are the best way to treat an infestation of snake mites. While they are more expensive than many of the common "home remedies", there is no risk of respiratory or neurological illness from chemicals and insecticides. My source of predatory mites was an online company found at <http://www.biconet.com>.
here it is:
When Bugs Get Bugs:
Invertebrate keepers, too, are plagued by mites. However, when bugs get bugs, the "standard" treatments that reptile keepers often use are not possible. One cannot treat their insects and spiders that are plagued with mites with insecticides or chemicals, as these will invariably kill both. It is a common practice among invertebrate keepers to use a particular species of predatory mite to treat mite infestations. The predatory mites prey upon the "bad" mites, then die off after their food source disappears. They are harmless to the host animal.
About three months ago, I found mites on my giant centipede, Scolopendra subspinipes. I found myself going on-line to order some predatory mites (Hypoaspis sp.) to take care of the problem. "Hypoaspis sp." means that the mite is an unspecified species belonging to the genus Hypoaspis.
I then began to wonder if the same treatment would be effective on reptile mites. I asked around, and could find no one who had tried this method. I sent an e-mail to the company from which I was ordering the predatory mites to ask if they would be effective against Ophionyssus natricis, the common snake mite.
The biological supply company replied that yes, the Hypoaspis would indeed prey upon 0. natricis. They did not know if the predatory mites would prey upon the eggs of the snake mite.
My First Experiment:
I then decided to do my own experiment. Before I go into the details, I would like to preface by saying that I recognize that this was not a "proper" scientific experiment. I did not have enough animals for control groups, nor did I compare against other mite remedies, but I believe my findings are of some merit.
Since I had no snakes with mites, I borrowed three ratsnakes, all with a moderate mite problem. I set each animal up in a separate cage, with paper towel substrate, and a water dish. I then introduced the predatory mites into the enclosure.
The predatory mites are shipped in plastic containers filled with vermiculite. I shook the container to distribute the mites throughout, and put two tablespoons of the mixture in each cage. I checked the snakes daily, and saw both mites crawling about the paper towels. Two weeks later, I saw none of the Hypoaspis, but a considerable number of 0. natricis -- not at all what I had expected.
My Second Experiment:
I contacted the biological supply company, who instructed me to put the snakes on a bedding that would allow the Hypoaspis to burrow and breed. I ordered another shipment of Hypoaspis and I put the ratsnakes on bed-a-beast. When I received the mites, I again put 2 tablespoons of the mixture into the cage.
Two weeks later, I again thoroughly checked the ratsnakes for snake mites, and found none. It appeared at this point as if my experiment was successful. As well as preying on the adult form, it would appear that they Hypoaspis mites either prey upon the eggs of the snake mites, or upon the juveniles shortly after hatching.
Conclusions:
Now, two months after the project began, there is no sign of snake mites in any of the snake enclosures. The experiment, in my opinion, was successful. It appears that predatory mites are a very safe method of treating snake mites. No chemicals are involved, and therefore no danger to the snake. The Hypoaspis mites remain in the substrate for a while, then begin to disappear, when their food source does.
I have concluded that predatory mites are the best way to treat an infestation of snake mites. While they are more expensive than many of the common "home remedies", there is no risk of respiratory or neurological illness from chemicals and insecticides. My source of predatory mites was an online company found at <http://www.biconet.com>.
diamondlil
Mice! They taste so nice!
That's interesting, I've also found some articles on diatomaceous earth that sound promising.
http://www.hydromall.com/happy_grower16.html
This seems to me that it'd be a good idea because my snakerack is next to my 4-foot tropical fishtank, and I've got the pac-man and treefrog tanks in my room, so something non-chemical as a preventative would be useful. If I use the d-earth in the snakes' tubs, I don't have to worry about the amphibians or their mealworms and crickets being affected
http://www.hydromall.com/happy_grower16.html
This seems to me that it'd be a good idea because my snakerack is next to my 4-foot tropical fishtank, and I've got the pac-man and treefrog tanks in my room, so something non-chemical as a preventative would be useful. If I use the d-earth in the snakes' tubs, I don't have to worry about the amphibians or their mealworms and crickets being affected
diamondlil
Mice! They taste so nice!
I've got no reservation about using the frontline on the cat and dog, it's a godsend. I've been told it can be safely wiped on the snake from a cloth. It's just with the fish and the amphibians and their insect food in the room I can't be comfortable about using the long-term preventative stuff on the carpet in there.
diamondlil
Mice! They taste so nice!
I'm going to give the frontline a try, seeing as I've got it in the house already. Then I'm going to look in more detail at the diatomaceous earth. Apparently it can be fed to animals to kill internal parasites too, with no records of ill-effects except to the worms etc from the articles I've had a chance to read so far.
I really like the sound of fossilised diatoms making an inert, safe substance for pest control
I really like the sound of fossilised diatoms making an inert, safe substance for pest control