Getting rid of mites

Andy mac · 07-08-13, 05:10 AM

My python has been on newspaper for years but the bloke at the pet shop said put bark in there and now he has loads of mites crawling around his tank. I have removed the bark and cleaned and disenfected the tank but some still remain. What should I do?

KORBIN5895 · 07-08-13, 05:11 AM

First off identify the type of mites. Wood mites are harmless.

Lankyrob · 07-08-13, 05:48 AM

If you used reptibark then you most likely have wood mites, i get tehm all the time and after about a week of the new bark being in the tank the mites have all drwoned themselvse in the water bowls.

marvelfreak · 07-08-13, 06:48 AM

Nothing and i mean nothing works better than Provent A Mite spray.

formica · 07-08-13, 09:38 AM

unless they are parasitic mites, you dont really have to worry too much, mites are a vast group of arachnids that are mostly harmless, feeding off everything from mold, to substrate to faeces, to reptile food or blood (parasitic ones) or even eating other mites (some mites are actually good to have - but not generally needed in a reptile enclosure)

Are they black/yellowish-brown and crawling on your snake, or white/grey and just around the tank? Parasitic mites, (darker color) crawling on your snake, can transmit diseases and annoy he hell out of your snake and need to be dealt with, the light white/grey ones in the tank arent a major issue.

Beforing adding any substrate to an enclosure, you may want to heat it up in an oven, 100C for an hour will kill any mites. That said, there are mites everywhere, and they will find their way in - you only have to worry about the parasitic ones, which will only be present if you have other snakes in the area hosting the mites - always a possibility with substrates bought from pet shops

KBHicks2012 · 07-08-13, 10:19 AM

I prefer using the NIX for mute removal, worke awesome for me in the past and can be bought at any local Walmart in the pharmacy section. I want to say it was a 4oz bottle to 1gallon of water. It will be way more then what you will need, but if you use distiller water, and storage the extra in a dark place the mixture will remain good for 6 months.

Andy mac · 07-08-13, 01:35 PM

Thanx for the feedback. The mites look black and only came when I put the bark chippings in so I think I'm gonna stick to newspaper because I had the same problem years ago when I used bark. My carpet python is over 15yrs and has been on newspaper for most of his life. I suppose at least he has something to read.

Amadeus · 07-08-13, 02:28 PM

Pam.......

KORBIN5895 · 07-08-13, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KBHicks2012

I prefer using the NIX for mute removal, worke awesome for me in the past and can be bought at any local Walmart in the pharmacy section. I want to say it was a 4oz bottle to 1gallon of water. It will be way more then what you will need, but if you use distiller water, and storage the extra in a dark place the mixture will remain good for 6 months.

It's actually 2oz per gallon.

KBHicks2012 · 07-14-13, 09:38 AM

Thank you, I wasn't quiet sure at the time.

Ivanator · 07-14-13, 03:48 PM

I've had a lot of luck with No-Pest-Strips that you get from pest aisles in hardware stores. When I get them, I first clean the cage and all the decor and put newspaper, then I break the pest strip apart and cut the piece into small strips and place it in the enclosure and just store the rest in a plastic bag. I then just leave the strip in there for a month and I never see the mites again.

Amadeus · 07-14-13, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ivanator

I've had a lot of luck with No-Pest-Strips that you get from pest aisles in hardware stores. When I get them, I first clean the cage and all the decor and put newspaper, then I break the pest strip apart and cut the piece into small strips and place it in the enclosure and just store the rest in a plastic bag. I then just leave the strip in there for a month and I never see the mites again.

The sticky fly catchers? If so, that is horrid.

marvelfreak · 07-14-13, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ivanator

I've had a lot of luck with No-Pest-Strips that you get from pest aisles in hardware stores. When I get them, I first clean the cage and all the decor and put newspaper, then I break the pest strip apart and cut the piece into small strips and place it in the enclosure and just store the rest in a plastic bag. I then just leave the strip in there for a month and I never see the mites again.

I try that before and it does work but not worth the risk.

Plus you left out a couple important steps.

1) It should be put into a container with small air hole so the snake can't com in directed contact with it.

2) Also you need remove the water while the P.S. is in the cage or it can poison your snake. I killed a Green Patternless Burmese years ago because i for to remove the water.

KORBIN5895 · 07-14-13, 07:33 PM

I've heard of a few people that have killed their snake with pest strips.

No Amadeus. Not sticky traps.

Abraxxos · 07-14-13, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marvelfreak

Nothing and i mean nothing works better than Provent A Mite spray.

I don't know if it's a regional thing or what but I can't get a hold of this in florida. From what I've been told it's only sold to companies and stores.