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Bobo21   Kojak  
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 #1513479


Bobo21
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 Mites i need help

So sad day my ball python just died of mites because i didn’t think i needed to get anything for him, i cleaned and when they came back they pretty much killed him fast, but i have a question for anyone that thinks they know, i did try to wipe him down with a rag ( stupid i know) and i left the rag on my floor. I’m also a lazy and don’t clean my room is there anyway that i just spread mites all over my floor and in my clothes?
11/14/07  06:04am

 #1586668


Kojak
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   Message To: Bobo21   In reference to Message Id: 1513479


 Mites i need help

I recently found that one of my Sonoran gopher snakes had mites. Of course when I bought her, I didn’t see any on her. That’s part of the danger with mites. You might not see any adults, but if there are eggs present, it can be up to 30 days before they hatch.
I ordered a couple of cans of "Provent-A-Mite", made by Pro Products out of New York. It is very effective, very safe as far as insecticides go, and is the only product I know of that kills the adults AND any eggs.
To answer your question...yes. If you had an outbreak of mites and they were in your snake’s enclosure, then they are in your room as well. That is why you can treat for mites and get rid of them, but a month or two later, they’re back. If you have any other reptiles in the same room, you can almost expect that they will get mites soon if left untreated. Or if you introduce another reptile into the same room, then you run the same risk.
The only way to be rid of them for good is to treat with a product such as I mentioned, or remove all animals from that room and use an insecticide containing the chemical Permethrin. That way you kill any adults, eggs and larva. You can also treat the enclosure on the inside as well as the outside. Permethrin kills mites and ticks on contact, so when they crawl across any surface that has been treated, they will soon be dead.
Sorry to hear about your snake, hope you can solve the problem. The Provent-A-Mite is a bit on the pricey side, but it works. You can find it on line through different distributors. If you do decide to use it, follow the directions on the can. If you have any questions, there is a phone number on the can as well. I am making it standard procedure from now on to treat any new snake that comes in my home as if it already has mites, whether I see any or not. Prevention is the best way to avoid an infestation!
01/20/08  10:31am


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