After two weeks, if there isn't any sign of live mites anywhere, you can go ahead and add the regular substrate. As a precaution, I would spray the substrate and let it ventilate for a few hours before adding it to the cage.
I see your point Phillip, but this is not a new treatment, as it has been around for over 20 years. But it is hardly true to say something like sevendust is tried and true, when everyone involved knows it is not used according to it's intended application. Great breeders they may be, but bio-chemists or veterinaries they are not. I am merely a experienced hobbyist, who knows people who do the research in this area. There is always better and new ways to do things, and people should do their research before they just resort to some ancient technique, that is obviously lacking in safety.It's not just my opinion, and a couple of sources of the info. are Roger Klingenberg, D.V.M., Scott Stahl, D.V.M. , and John Rossi , D.V.M. M.A. All these guys are pioneers in the field of reptile med. treatments. I would never denigrate someones idea of a safe treatment.............I just think it is a good practice to keep up with new info., and not just rely on old stuff, which in some cases is obsolete. Some breeders I know have a degree in biology, but none are as capable as the mentioned vets. to recommend a safe and effective treatment. And the oil treatment...............I think you know, I meant that for the in-experienced, it HAS caused problems when they tried to apply it to the nostril area, not by soaking in it. I mean..........any animal is much more sensitive to thick oil in the lungs, than a water based treatment. And............there has been deaths in humans, so how could you "prove that there has not been deaths with seven dust? " Just because something does not die, does not mean it is ideal for it or has no adverse affect. Again, breeders are not qualified to make this assumption. I hope you are as tired of this subject as I am.
) does indeed contain some pretty potent stuff but so do all the other mite treatments around. It however has the advantage of being more effective than nearly anything on the market short of the old roach spray that can barely be found and would certainly be as harmful if not more harmful used around inverts. To call the statement about it being tried and true false is absurd as anyone who has been keeping snakes for any length of time has surely heard of this method. The Loves, Applegate, Hollister, Vandenvetter, and a list far longer than I wish to type have all used it with no ill effects for many many moons if you wish to drop names. These people have played key roles in pioneering snake husbandry as well and they know their stuff just as well as Stahl and the vet crew do.I see your point Phillip, but I think you miss mine. I totally agree about the knowledge about the breeders, as I know many as well, and did not drop their names. But............If I did not "name drop" as you say, about the research, you would have surely come up with, where do you get your info.?, or, how do you know? It's better to have quality research than not, to back up a claim, otherwise it is just pure conjecture, and anecdotal. And while breeders are very good at what they do, and obviously a small number are pioneers in their field of knowledge, most do not have the background and education to surmise this is bad, or this is good. As you know..............more people are interested in making money, than funding research, hence the lack of research in reptiles and arachnids. The funding is VERY hard to come by. And while some breeds are difficult to breed, it's not rocket science for the most part. 98% of snakes breed very easy, even when they are half dead. People think they are brilliant because of this, when the snakes are just doing what they do. It is obvious, that you do not have to have a diploma to be exp. or great at your field or endeavor. But..............I believe that people should read the inserts to these chemicals, in all cases, before they make a decision. We all have to make our own choices, and in some cases things are found to be effective that were not intended for said purpose. I just think people should think long and hard, before resorting to something which is not approved in any stretch of the imagination for application to ANY living organism. Read the info. That is the reason that reptile treatment is still in the dark ages, because people do not choose to spend their 30 years of snake keeping reading research, instead worrying about getting 5 more eggs from the next clutch. Maybe if they worked with the vets a little more, and shared their data, they could enlighten them. As for the misspelling, I was kinda in a hurry, and I like the band called "Seven Dust", so that was where that came from. If you wish to be a proof reader on here, you will be here 24/7. In closing, use what you wish, what works for you, and hopefully it is safe and effective for your snakes. If it is, I am happy for you. But I choose not to ignore the data which states Sevindust is a proven carcinogen ( Cancer causing agent) , not approved or PROVEN to be safe for any organism. While Ivermectin HAS been proven safe and effective for certain organisms. The evidence is irrefutable.
I see the other side of the coin, but I think BOTH sides should get equal credence, that is all. There is a BIG difference between anecdotal info., and irrefutable factual research. Cigarettes don't cause cancer either, right? There is science........and there is hearsay, take your pick.