Mites- Listen Up!

[Zoe]

SCReptiles - I'm not trying to contradict you but I am curious about the person using Nix and losing snakes? Do you know how he was using it?
I use diluted Nix (1 tablespoon per spray bottle... lol not the most accurate, I know) and spray down the snake and cage (except water bowl). I use it on each new snake (and on all of them when I had mites) and it worked great with no side effects (I've used less than an 11$ bottle... I don't think that can be considered expensive :P, considering thats 3cents american).

But yeah I'd like like to see how he was using it.

I guess I'm just a little skeptical about this method because a) you leave dove gunk on the snake's scales for that long. b) the snake could easily take a swim and then drink the water. it may not kill a healthy snake, but it sure won't do wonders for a sick snake. c) Nix is so much easier! lol Can you tell I like Nix? Maybe it comes from having lice so much as a kid... joking

Zoe

[SCReptiles]

No, I couldn’t tell you the method he was using. A few years ago I was feeding live rabbits to my 2.2 burms and I would fight a battle with mites about 2 or 3 times a year. I was speaking with the lady at the local snake shop about new methods and she had mentioned the Nix lice treatment. She told me that she had used it and it worked, but the breeder she buys baby boas from used it and lost several snakes afterward. Since I have switched to frozen rabbits and I have not had a mite in about 2 years. (hint hint). I do like the old ways best! When my snakes had mites, I will dust the burms everywhere but the head with good old 7 dust. Leave it on about 15 minutes and spray it off. Then I would put the yellow no pest stripe in the cage. 100% success every time. This was the widely accepted method about 10 to 15 years ago, and I am well aware most people have moved away from it and claim the stripe has too much poison and 7 dust is bad….blah blah blah. It never gave me a problem and I am a firm believer in “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” Now I don’t think I would use this on fragile snakes like tree boas, but on big burms it worked great for me. Also, about 2 weeks a go I used it on 2 cottonmouths and a copperhead. Again, 100% success. I don’t consider $11 a bottle expensive, but that is relative. Someone on a hard run of luck may have trouble even buying the food for his herps. Someone in that spot would consider $11 too much, in which case the soap may be the answer for them.

[Zoe]

Yeah I've heard lots of stuff about those no-pest-strips. I guess there really is no fail proof method (except never to get mites in the first place or kill them all by hand :P) because someone will always have a problem, or make a problem, and then others will claim its amazing. Just look at the battle between provent-a-mite and black knight. Some swear by the former, others the latter. Crazy.

However i don't really think diluted nix poses much threat to a healthy snake. This person probably used too high a concentration or left the water bowl in, or had a sick snake, I don't know.

Yeah I hear what you're saying about the $ but you can't keep animals and consider 11$ to be expensive. I could see not wanting to pay 50$ for a can of black knight, but you have to be ready to pay. Of course, if a cheaper method exists, go for it.

What do you think of mineral oil?

[SCReptiles]

I love mineral oil. Always use it for difficult sheds. Aside from the desired effects on mites or sheds, I think it also is beneficial to the animal’s skin. Always had very positive results with oil. I know what you mean on the $11, but people sometimes hit hard luck and already have the animals. Not much you can do then, but try to scrape by cheap as possible.

[theroom101]

The one time I had mites I just got an IvoMec spray from my herp vet (it was only about 8$ and I still have more than half a bottle left), bleached the tank, and then bug bombed my apartment. It is a bit of a pain to have to move all of the animals out of the apartment for eight hours, but I'd rather do that than have to vacuum every day. Of course, I don't have dozens in my collection like some others do! ;-)

[T.O-SK8TER]

I never said I had no money and could not afford a mite removing formula, look at my enclosure it was $500 worth of wood and glass and I am in the process of dubling the size of it. That was not the position I was in. I was meaning that I tried every method to remove mites. I literally spent 6 months trying to get rid of the pests and the soap worked after this long struggle. If I was broke I think I would have settled for a more simple enclosure. Also before ever putting a herp in a wooden enclosure quarantine him/her for a couple months in a plastic cage or aquarium. My new burm has not stepped a single SPUR in my cage yet. Mites and ticks burrough and leave eggs in wood. You would have to through your cage in the garbage if ever got infested!
PEACE OUT

[Zoe]

What other methods did you try in those 6 months and how did you use them?

And don't worry, we weren't implying that you didnt have any money, but that your method could help someone that didnt have any.

[SCReptiles]

T.O-SK8TER, hey man I never said you were broke. I said your method could help out someone who was. Sorry is I offended you.

[MAN OF STEEL]

i got mites about 3 times, but since i bought black night i have not seen even one.
black night is not the cheapest thing,
but i do know it works and dont have to worry about them returning.
and i wash my snakes too, the rat blood and their own waste just does not belong on them. i even believe they like it!

[python_diva_06]

i also wash my snakes...plus i put them in warm water after feeding to calm them down...