Thread: Mite Treatments

A lot of people seem to have problems with mites so here sum help .

Here is a link which has the details of a mites life cycle The Life History of Snake Mites | Vida Preciosa International, Inc.

Mites can cause a snake to go off food or to have a bad shed, these may be the first signs to take a close look at your snake. A snake may also bathe as they will be uncomfortable, some mites may appear in the water when they have drowned. They like to be around the eyes and mouth of your snake but this is by no means the only place you should look as they will settle anywhere. They can travel long distances to lay their eggs so the snake may not seem to have many but there will soon be more. Young mites may appear white or red after a meal, adults will appear black, they are about the size of a poppy seed when adult.

To prevent mites you need to freeze, bake, soak or disinfect everything that goes in your snakes enclosure.

All new snakes must be quarantined as far away from others in your collection as possible.

If you get mites, depending on your choice of treatment, the enclosure should be thoroughly cleaned, anything that can be thrown away should be, anything that can't should be treated. Hypoaspis mites (details below) require substrate to live in so the enclosure should be left as it was.

Treatments for mites are available from vets and reptile shops and there are several forms, you can treat the snake or the enclosure or both. Listed below are a few but if anyone has any to add please do.

1) Hypoaspis mites, a natural pest control used for Sciarid Fly by gardeners but that also prey on snake mites. They attack all stages of the mites life cycle. They need higher humidity to survive and will just die off when there is no more mites for them to eat. Reviews are very positive. Hypoaspis mites can also be used on tarantulas, scorpions, other invertebrates and lizards, making it safer than other products if you have other animals in your collection whereas some chemical products can be fatal to other animals.

2) Ardap/Provent A Mite spray, used to treat the enclosure but is not safe for use on the animal. The spray should kill on contact any mites that are in the enclosure and the remaining fumes should kill any that are on the snake. The spray protects the enclosure for up to 6 weeks so is long enough to defeat the life cycle. It can also be used to treat the home but cannot be used near any fish, invertebrates or amphibians, it is best to check if it will affect any other animals before use. Water bowls must be removed before treatment.

3) Insect/Fly paper, a small piece can be placed in a match box or camera film container with a small hole in and placed in the enclosure. Depending on the size of the enclosure you should only need one or two pieces about an inch in length. The containers are better suspended from the ceiling so the snake can't reach them. The chemical in the strip can be harmful to reptiles but there are people who swear by it if used properly.

4) Zoo Med Mite Off/Bye Bye Mite, can be used directly on the animal to kill the mites, they are even safe to use on the snakes eyes, they can also be used to treat the enclosure. These products are fatal to tarantulas, scorpions and other invertebrates. This treatment may need to be repeated every 5 days for a period of at least 4 weeks if you choose not to treat the enclosure with chemicals and just clean it thoroughly.

5) Ivermectin, this is an injection that must be administered by a vet and after the first treatment the snake should be observed by the vet for at least 30 minutes for signs of adverse affects. It is a course of 3 injections, once a week for 3 weeks. It can also be used as a diluted spray. The enclosure must also be treated when treating the snake this way as the infestation may return. There are, however, reports of Ivermectin causing neurological problems in some species of reptiles.

I am sure there are more options but these seem to be the main ones I can find details of.

I would like to add pictures of what to look for but have been unable to find any online. If anyone has or has had a snake with mites and has taken photos or can take some i'm sure it would be appreciated if you could add some as they are difficult to see, especially if you don't know what to look for.

If I have missed anything please feel free to add. Hopefully this will make things a bit clearer when people find their snakes have mites.