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Drperetz · 01-07-05, 03:52 AM

Hey every1. I got my bp 2 weeks ago and today i noticed a huge tick or a mite., on my bp's neck. I took it off of course but found 5 more. Some impossible to take off what should i do.
Please help.
I cant stand my animal being torchured.
thanx.

also how big can a mite be, half of a pinky nail or thats a tick?

pinoiballer01 · 01-07-05, 04:15 AM

i think that what you have is a tick. all you have to do is visually take them out with a twizzer. thats the best way to go

Drperetz · 01-07-05, 04:23 AM

do they harm the snake in any way?

HumphreyBoagart · 01-07-05, 12:11 PM

It sounds like ticks to me. You've got to drown the tick first or it will hang on with it's gross little teeth and you'll just end up pulling out half of the tick and the other half that stays in the snake can cause an infection. put a big drop of mineral oil on the tick and wait a good 5 minutes or so. then firmly try to pull it out with tweezers without yanking it, it'll just break off. Use a dab of polysporin on the spot where the tick was after it's removed.
Good Luck.
Hump.

pythonmdk · 01-07-05, 12:51 PM

sounds like a tick to me too, What I have done when my dog gets ticks (he loves the bush) is to use a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol and then hold it over the tick for 5-10 minutes to make sure it is dead then I remove it by gently brushing with my finger from infront of the tick to its back. Try not to squeeze the tick to. Some when they are dead come of very easy when they are dead others can be more challenging. but make sure you get the head out, if it breaks off it can cause infection. To be safe it would be a good idea to take the mites to a vet, even a normal vet not a reptile vet just to ensure the head is attached. Anyways good luck with that, I guess he's a wild caught, hope he doesn't get to stressed out be they whole process.
~John

Drperetz · 01-07-05, 01:27 PM

thnx guys

zero&stich · 01-07-05, 06:01 PM

Ticks suck.

I manually pull each one out with tweezers, making sure the head is still intact to the body when removing it. I remember reading somewhere if the head snaps off the body of the tick an is still inbedded in the snake it can cause infection, hence the use of polysporin.

Each tick I've removed gets flushed and a spot of polysporin is applyied to the area with a cotton swap to prevent infection.

I suggest removing all subtrate and placing newspaper down and disinfecting all cage orniments. Newspaper is actually the best subtrate for BP's.

Good luck.

Edit you're positive it isn't mites? A mite outbreak requires a whole different drill. They are usually tiny black dots, usually found on the base of the head, under eyes and the underside of the snake and chin. A tick is more visable, like that of a deer tick.

sapphire_moon · 01-07-05, 06:11 PM

and if you really want to (since you don't post your location). In a pet quarters pet shop they have "tick removers" which is basicly a circle with a triangle cut out. it goes completely arount the tick and pulls it out into the bottom of the little round part....

lol, I hope I made sense!

Don't forget that ticks can be UNDER the scales as well as above them

Drperetz · 01-08-05, 12:16 PM

about the tick remover, i got 1 from a camping trip when 1 on my friends went nutzo when he descovered a tick on his body. The kid thought he is gonna die, tried burning the tick and doing crazy things to it but all he had to do is come to the main offices of the camping ground and get the tick remover. lol

well thanx for everything guys but when i was removing some ticks i couldnt pull them out compleatly.. Hopfully they come out with the next shed.

JdmAllMotorHatc · 01-08-05, 04:42 PM

probably ticks, but if it is mites or you ever have the problem ive been told to take something like a rubbermaid take like 1/4 of a shot glass of listerine (mouth wash) and mix it with water in the rubbermaid and soak the snake this may be true not sure maybe someone else could back me up

zero&stich · 01-08-05, 07:23 PM

The heads won't fall off with the coming shed. They need to be removed. If the body of the tick isn't isn't completely coming off, hence the head is still intact, try bein a little more gentle when tugging. It is a tedious job.

Try dabbing the tick with polysporin first and gently pull of the little bugger with tweezers.

About this tick "remover" you got from your friend. I would not recomend using it as the concentration of the chemical might be too strong for herps.

Try Provent A Mite. Also I have heard Nix works wonders to. There is a thread pinned bout using Nix in this forum, just scroll down to the bottom of it.

Edit Don;t know if I mentioned, but the enclosure should be sterilized to. Tick eggs aren't as a big a problem as mite eggs as the hatch rate IMO is slower but removing the ticks is only half the battle from the animal.

In the past I've use a 5% solution of bleech and water and soaked all cage furniture in the bath tub overnight and set up a temperary glass enclosure. Fortunatly I have extra lamps, pads and bulbs I use accordinaly with different herps in the past so my situation might be to an avantage over yours if this is your only herp.

Also lay down newspaper and remove all subtrate. Donate it to the seagulls.

zero&stich · 01-08-05, 07:58 PM

Bleech also evaperates. Wait til the bleech odar is gone before putting oriments in cage.

(my comp is messin with me. sorry for spam)