Help!

[Trygon]

Hi,
I was able to take a close look at one of my emps for the first time in weeks today (as they have been held up in burrows). It is absolutely coved in mites!!! It is acting very sluggish and i think the mites are covering over its lungs and stuff. I am still very new at this and i need some advise. If this guys going to survive i think ill have do do something more drastic then drying out the encloser etc... he needs those things off.

I hope those things arnt going to spread to my other tanks... ugh

thanks in advance
-trygon

 

[fusion121]

Hi,
I was able to take a close look at one of my emps for the first time in weeks today (as they have been held up in burrows). It is absolutely coved in mites!!! It is acting very sluggish and i think the mites are covering over its lungs and stuff. I am still very new at this and i need some advise. If this guys going to survive i think ill have do do something more drastic then drying out the encloser etc... he needs those things off.

I hope those things arnt going to spread to my other tanks... ugh

thanks in advance
-trygon

Put the scorpion in the fridge for 10mins to slow it and the mites down, get a cotton bud and moisten it, use this to remove the mites from the scorpion. Take the enclousure, empty it completely, clean it (and all the decoration) with a bleach solution and rinse very well and then start afresh. You can also do a search for "predatory mites" for another method. Also get some fresh crickets(or other food stuff) as the ones your using are probably the source of the infestation. As a preventative measure always microwave your substrate before putting it in the enclousure and remove dead crickets/remains continually.

 

[WorldTour]

Another way is to remove them from the enclosure and put them in a temporary setup with 100% peat moss, which is much higher in acidity(sp?) and mist the surface once you have put the scorps in there. Allow them to dry out a bit and you should notice the mites start disappearing.

-Mark

 

[Trygon]

I'm giving it a shot

Thanks for your suggestions... I'm trying some of them out.

I tried to remove the mites with cotton after cooling the scorp down... It just didnt work, the mites all clung to the scorpions belly too strongly. Is there any other methode of physically removing the mites that may be more effective (keep in mind there are thousands of them... sigh)??

I have removed the substrate and decorations and have cleaned the encloser.. right now the scorpions are "drying out" with no moist substrate or cover... I will get peat tomorrow and see if that works. How long can emps survive in low humidity conditions??

So.. I think at the moment i still need to take more action against the mites... then its wait and see.

Thanks again,
-Trygon

 

[Trygon]

one more thing

One more thing...

There isn't any secret mite remedy... is there? like.. lemon juice or something... that kills or loosens the mites but leaves the scorpion alive???

heres hoping

 

[Menthu_Rae]

Excuse the thread hiijack - but are these mites a problem in Australia too? I just got a scorpion and I have no idea about these mites, what they do/where they come from/how to avoid them...

Anyone got any links to info? Also best of luck removing the mites mate - pity the scorpion cant fk them up, unlike everything else, with his claws/stinger, heh...

 

[Brian S]

The best way to get rid of them is to use the predatory mites. Do a search and you will find some threads on this subject. From what I hear they will knock them in the head

 

[SyN]

What causes these mites?

This will be very useful to me, as im using soil for my enclosure and i want to prevent it as much as possible