# Mites.. UGH!!



## Redneck (Feb 6, 2010)

I dont know if I should put this here or in the Not So Spineless Wonders.. 

My moms Red Tail Boa has these mites on it.. The pictures are blurry.. I had to crop them down... But you can see their shape in the photo.. Any thoughts?












Also.. I was told to soak the snake in something called betadine solution.. Is that a good idea? The mites are under the scales of the snake.. We have taken a tooth brush and started rubbing under the scales and are seeing a HIGH number of them come off.. 

Any thought reguarding this matter??

P.S. The snake is not in the same room as my T's..


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## Ariel (Feb 6, 2010)

I can't get the information right now, but my mom is the reptile specialist vet tech at the clinic she works at. We were jsut doing all kinds of research on reptile mites, I'll talk to her tomorrow to see what she thinks.  I'd go looking for her reptile information book, but I believe its in her room.


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## Redneck (Feb 6, 2010)

Ariel said:


> I can't get the information right now, but my mom is the reptile specialist vet tech at the clinic she works at. We were jsut doing all kinds of research on reptile mites, I'll talk to her tomorrow to see what she thinks.  I'd go looking for her reptile information book, but I believe its in her room.


Thanks Ariel!  This one snake I believe is my mother favorite one.. Psha! Too think she would trade her own kids for it!   Thanks again I will let her know there might be a good answer as to what they are, how to get rid of them, and everything else..


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## Ariel (Feb 6, 2010)

Alright, I talked to my mom and she said she'd never heard of using a betadine solution, she did give me an article about it though, this is from the NAVTA journal, the article is Handling and Care of boa constrictors, but this solution is good for any snake.

"Mites are another common external parasite of captive snakes. The most notable is _Ophionyssus natricis_ (which is likely what the snake has), which tends to inhabit the areas around the eyes, cloaca, and under the scales. This blood-sucking mite may cause pneumonia and septicema. The suggested treatment of mite is a common canine remedy fipronyl spray (AKA Frontline). Data from a study by Ernesto G. Mercado, DVM, MSc, indicated that a 25% fipeonyl dosage could be safely sprayed on snakes suffering with mite or tick insfestation. The application should be administered at a distance of 20 centimeters between the snake and the applicator bottle and should be left on the snake for one to two minutes, depending on the size of the snake. After the appropriate application period, the snake should be rinsed with warm water and the procedure may be repeated if necessary three weeks later. The snakes habitat should also be treated with a 90% fipronyl solution to aid in removal of all parasites"

My mom also said it is possible to using a bleach solution (1 part bleach, 10 part water) to clean the enclosure. I'm trying to get a hold of her (She left for work) to find out about weather or not the snake should be removed  while treating the enclosure, I think with the frontline (fipronyl) you wouldn't have to, but the bleach you would, but I'd like to talk to her first before I say any thing definate.

Also, something to be VERY careful of is, frontline is designed to kill arachnids, obviously, be very careful that this isn't done anywhere near your spiders, and make sure you wash your hands very well before going to work with your spiders! I'd hate to see you loose anymore. 

Anyways, I strongly suggest you find a local reptile vet first and talk to them, I guess their is also an ivermectin solution you can use but it doesn't mention it in the article and my mom couldn't remember the percentages off the top of her head, maybe she'll find out for me from the doctors.


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## <3exoticpets (Feb 6, 2010)

Definitely remove the snake from the tank while cleaning with a bleach solution.  The entire enclosure must be emptied and thoroughly cleaned and dried.  Throw out all substrate, remove any decor, bowls, etc.  If the items can be safely cleaned and dried, you can reuse them, if not, you need to throw them out and get new ones.  The tank will harbor the mites, so in combination with treating the snake, you have to be meticulous in cleaning the enclosure too.  I would recommend finding a good herp vet.  Good luck!


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## Redneck (Feb 6, 2010)

*Ariel -* Thanks for the information.. My mom said thank you as well.. We do have a really good vet. tech. around.. I did not know they would cause pneumonia.. We actually thought it was beginning stages of upper resporatory infection.. But seeing the amount of mite he/she has kinda shows that is something different.. The vet around here are not open untill Monday.. But she will be taking him first thing Monday morning.. Thanks again for the help.. Also tell your mom I said thanks to..  

*<3exoticpets -* Thanks for the advice.. The snake was removed from the enclosure and placed in quarintene... Thanks again..


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## Ariel (Feb 6, 2010)

Redneck said:


> *Ariel -* Thanks for the information.. My mom said thank you as well.. We do have a really good vet. tech. around.. I did not know they would cause pneumonia.. We actually thought it was beginning stages of upper resporatory infection.. But seeing the amount of mite he/she has kinda shows that is something different.. The vet around here are not open untill Monday.. But she will be taking him first thing Monday morning.. Thanks again for the help.. Also tell your mom I said thanks to..


No problem, glad I could help.  I'll let my mom know you said thanks. Hope he gets better!


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## andy375hh (Feb 6, 2010)

the best way to get rid of mites is to get a product called pro vent a mite it comes in an aerosol can you spray it in the snakes enclosure and it will get rid of them after it is sprayed in the enclosure you put the snake back in and it kills them off of it also. You can find it at many reptile supply stores or even on ebay. Trust me it works.


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## Mack&Cass (Feb 6, 2010)

Ariel said:


> Alright, I talked to my mom and she said she'd never heard of using a betadine solution, she did give me an article about it though, this is from the NAVTA journal, the article is Handling and Care of boa constrictors, but this solution is good for any snake.
> 
> "Mites are another common external parasite of captive snakes. The most notable is _Ophionyssus natricis_ (which is likely what the snake has), which tends to inhabit the areas around the eyes, cloaca, and under the scales. This blood-sucking mite may cause pneumonia and septicema. The suggested treatment of mite is a common canine remedy fipronyl spray (AKA Frontline). Data from a study by Ernesto G. Mercado, DVM, MSc, indicated that a 25% fipeonyl dosage could be safely sprayed on snakes suffering with mite or tick insfestation. The application should be administered at a distance of 20 centimeters between the snake and the applicator bottle and should be left on the snake for one to two minutes, depending on the size of the snake. After the appropriate application period, the snake should be rinsed with warm water and the procedure may be repeated if necessary three weeks later. The snakes habitat should also be treated with a 90% fipronyl solution to aid in removal of all parasites"
> 
> ...


Wow great post Ariel. These mites look extremely similar to the ones on our bearded dragons. Would a similar treatment for them be effective? Manual removal has drastically reduced the numbers but I want to finish them off.
Mackenzie


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## Redneck (Feb 6, 2010)

Well we went to a reptile shop today and found out a temp. fix for the mite removal on the snake its self.. We were told to use extra virgin olive oil.. We gave it a go.. *Most* of the mites started to come off as we rubbed the oil on the snake.. We bleached the enclosure.. Baked the hide.. Got new substrate... Baked the substrate.. Now we are just keeping the snake in a plastic little box for now.. Untill we get *all* the mites gone.. We were told to use the olive oil for about a week.. By the end of the week the mites should be gone.. Monday we are going to take Yoda (The snake..) to the vet and see about getting some meds for the illness that the mites may have cause.. While we are there we are going to look into getting some of that fipronyl spray..

The snakes stay in a room across the house from my T's so hopefully no worries there.. I am actually thinking of holding off on that to see if the olive oil works.. If so no need to risk harming any of my T's some how.. 

Thanks again Ariel!


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## Mack&Cass (Feb 6, 2010)

Redneck said:


> Well we went to a reptile shop today and found out a temp. fix for the mite removal on the snake its self.. We were told to use extra virgin olive oil.. We gave it a go.. *Most* of the mites started to come off as we rubbed the oil on the snake.. We bleached the enclosure.. Baked the hide.. Got new substrate... Baked the substrate.. Now we are just keeping the snake in a plastic little box for now.. Untill we get *all* the mites gone.. We were told to use the olive oil for about a week.. By the end of the week the mites should be gone.. Monday we are going to take Yoda (The snake..) to the vet and see about getting some meds for the illness that the mites may have cause.. While we are there we are going to look into getting some of that fipronyl spray..
> 
> The snakes stay in a room across the house from my T's so hopefully no worries there.. I am actually thinking of holding off on that to see if the olive oil works.. If so no need to risk harming any of my T's some how..
> 
> Thanks again Ariel!


Vasoline seemed to work well for us, I think it and olive oil affect them similarly, probably suffocating the parasites. Hopefully the olive oil works for you. Chemical free and far cheaper than a vet bill!
Mackenzie


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## Ariel (Feb 6, 2010)

Mack&Cass said:


> Wow great post Ariel. These mites look extremely similar to the ones on our bearded dragons. Would a similar treatment for them be effective? Manual removal has drastically reduced the numbers but I want to finish them off.
> Mackenzie


Yes, it should work for your bearded dragon too. 



Redneck said:


> Well we went to a reptile shop today and found out a temp. fix for the mite removal on the snake its self.. We were told to use extra virgin olive oil.. We gave it a go.. *Most* of the mites started to come off as we rubbed the oil on the snake.. We bleached the enclosure.. Baked the hide.. Got new substrate... Baked the substrate.. Now we are just keeping the snake in a plastic little box for now.. Untill we get *all* the mites gone.. We were told to use the olive oil for about a week.. By the end of the week the mites should be gone.. Monday we are going to take Yoda (The snake..) to the vet and see about getting some meds for the illness that the mites may have cause.. While we are there we are going to look into getting some of that fipronyl spray..
> 
> The snakes stay in a room across the house from my T's so hopefully no worries there.. I am actually thinking of holding off on that to see if the olive oil works.. If so no need to risk harming any of my T's some how..
> 
> Thanks again Ariel!


I've never heard of olive oil for removing mites, I might have to tell my mom about it. I'd still reccomend the snake being seen, but glad to hear its helping.


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## Matt K (Feb 7, 2010)

Ok.  I have been keeping numerous reptiles for over 25 years now, and heard every sort of "cure" under the sun.  All of them are rediculous, time consuming or difficult and ineffective.  The only thing that works for the mite in the photo is any spray with 0.50% Permethrin.  On the expensive side you can pay $17 for Provent-a-mite, or you can go to Walgreens or other chain pharmacy and buy a spray can of a product called RID (normally used to treat furniture with lice).  It is 0.50% Permethrin in a spray for $5.99.  DO NOT spray the animal or any surface it may drink from as it is toxic to ingest, but not otherwise.  Take the animal out of the cage, wash the cage, dry it, pray it almost lightly with the spray and let dry for an hour or two.  Replace the newspaper or paper towels in the cage and spray the paper for around 4 or 5 seconds with the spray.  Let dry completely for an hour.  Then pop the snake in and you are done.  In really bad infestations you may have to repeat the process in 10 days.  

Now your done with mites!


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## burmish101 (Feb 7, 2010)

Soak the snake in water for a few hours, the mites will drown. Make sure the snake can easily keep its head above the water, while its soaking sterilize the cage and scrub everything throw all the substrate away bag it up and get it outside.


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## Redneck (Feb 7, 2010)

Ariel said:


> I've never heard of olive oil for removing mites, I might have to tell my mom about it. I'd still reccomend the snake being seen, but glad to hear its helping.


I dont know what it was doing to the mites.. But they were coming off.. Either way.. She is still going to be taking him/her to the vet.. There is no way she is going to get around that.. She wont even try.. The vet opens Monday.. I believe thats when she said she will be taking him/her there..  She dont care how much the price is.. Its not worth loosing the snake just to be cheap.. 

The olive oil was just to ease the irritation of mites over the weekend.. It seemed to work.. Not only could you see *alot* of mites coming off the snake.. But he looks more relaxed under the heat lamp..  

About the enclosure... The enclosure was soaked in bleach for 24 hours... Scrubbed clean.. The hide was removed and baked at 400F for 45 minutes.. The substrate.. Was spread out on a cooking pan.. In thin layer and baked at 400F for 45 minutes.. I dont think mites will live through any of this.. Am I wrong? Dont wanna take the risk of getting them off the snake just to reintroduce him/her to a mite infested enclosure..

If you dont think that is enough I will be sure to spray the tank down.. 
I am just trying to avoid the chemical route.. Just to avoid any losses of my T's.. 

The snake is in a small plastic shoe box type thingy... Will stay there untill he/she has had a vet visit & is completely clear of mites.. It is in a competely different room than the other snakes.. They are still mite free.. Going to keep them like that..


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## BrianWI (Feb 9, 2010)

Permethrin (can cause more irritation than some other choices) will work, but Fipronyl will work better as it is persistant in the animal (do remember it will be an "off label" use on a reptile). Ivermectin will also work, would be my second choice after Fipronyl.


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## dirty munky (Feb 10, 2010)

The best way to get rid of snake mites is NIX the cream shampoo for lice found in most stores buy the 2 oz container and mix it with 1 gallon of water. Remove snake from cage and dispose of all substrate then soak all hides water dishes ect in 10% bleach solution making sure to cover all items completely with solution soak for at least 1 hr. After dissolving 2 oz of nix in gallon of h20, spray snake down completely especially pits on head if dealing with pythons and place snake in container with bottom covered in nix solution allow snake to soak in solution for a minimum of 3 hours. After cleaning cage spray with NIX solution and return snake to its cage without water bowl I prefer to wipe the snake down with a white towel before returning to cage to remove dead mites  I do not do this with my venomous "not worth the risk with a 14' king "but with all my nonvenomous. I mist around the cage to make sure none have escaped and mist twice a day for 2 days to be sure to kill all mites then return h20 bowl and wait at least 1 week before returning substrate. This is the best method I have found I have never lost a snake due to the NIX. BE VERY CAREFUL NIX WILL KILL YOUR T'S but I have treated cages within 10 feet of my t's and so far so good just be sure to wash your hands before interacting with t's after using NIX. I work part time at a reptile shop that carries all types of commercial mite killers and nothing is better than NIX. Good luck hope this helps mites are a huge pain in the A$$


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## Galapoheros (Feb 10, 2010)

They make stuff specifically for getting mites and ticks off of reptiles like was mentioned in a couple of other posts.  I have a brand called "NATURAL CHEMISTRY", works great, the stuff is called "Reptile Relief".


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## Redneck (Feb 10, 2010)

Thanks everyone for the replies.. We went to the vet yesterday.. Well Monday.. They couldnt get us in then soo we had a schedule setup for Thursday.. I will deff. look at getting some of these spays yall mention.. To get rid of the mite problem.. Thanks again everyone!


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## Galapoheros (Feb 10, 2010)

Here's the bottle of stuff I bought.  I'd try to keep in mind this stuff is made to kill inverts ..I'd even think about treating them outside so none of it would drifts to any inverts in the house.  But it doesn't seem that toxic, seems kind of weak actually.  I treated the few snakes I have inside with no probs but I prob should've done it outside.


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## BrianWI (Feb 10, 2010)

Honestly, just buy Frontline spray and throw the rest out. You'll have the bottle a long time, will work on dogs, cats, birds, reptiles....


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## <3exoticpets (Feb 10, 2010)

BrianWI said:


> Honestly, just buy Frontline spray and throw the rest out. You'll have the bottle a long time, will work on dogs, cats, birds, reptiles....


Just be aware that Frontline has a different percentage of active ingredient in each bottle (you buy for cats separately from dogs and then each go by weight).  You can't just place any Frontline product on any animal.


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## Giantsfan24 (Feb 21, 2010)

Honestly, the only two treatments I have heard nothing but good reviews when using CORRECTLY are NIX and Hypoaspis. Hypoaspis is a predatory mite that feeds on the snake mites and then dies. It does require a little substrate(eco earth etc) to burrowing in and lay eggs but do a google on it...nothing but positive results. PLUS Hypoaspis can be used with inverts as the pred. mites just eats the bad mites and leave the invert alone. 

But Nix also sounds good. I can tell you from personal experience mites on snakes SUX!!!!!!!! I wish I new about NIX and Hypoaspis then. 1 thing I can tell you that bleaching the cage and washing your snake will not eradicate your problem alone. NIX is nice because you can spray everything and it kills the eggs too.


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