DOES my iguana have mites???

Question

so i was watching my iguana today and i noticed small little bugs waling around on her. there are not a lot only like 3 that i could see but some were red and some were black. i built the cage myself out of 2x4's and chicken wire coated with rubber over the metal. none of the things i put in my cage were from outside and the bedding is just simple news paper. i need help what are they and what can i do to get rid of them?

Answer 1

If you are seeing them, then yes, your iguana does have mites, and they are much worse than you may think. When your reptile gets mites to the point that you start seeing them, then it is TIME TO TREAT.

Your reptile can get mites from anywhere, it is common, it happens all the time. Even the cleanest of cages can result in your animal getting mites. No matter how hard you try, all reptile owners have to battle mites atleast one time!

So your pet has mites, what do you do now? Here is some advice from a wonderful iguana owner, how knows all to well how to battle these pesky critters...

"Mites are black, brown, white, or red organisms that are close relatives of fleas and ticks. They are passed from one reptile to another and feed off of your iguana's blood by tucking themselves under scales and hiding in skin folds, like under arms and thighs, and also can be found between the spines. If you have to look hard to find them, then you have a moderate infestation. If you can see them crawling all over your reptile and find them on your hands when you handle your reptile, then you have a severe infestation and must call your veterinarian immediately.

Disinfecting your glass or plexyglass reptile enclosure

Remove your iguana and put it in a safe clean place. Remove all substrate, including any real branches or rocks, and throw them away outside in the trash so no mites will get into your house. Take out any heatpads, artificial branches, etc, that you have in your enclosure. Create a solution of one half cup of bleach to one gallon of water. Using a spong, rag, etc., wash cage thoroughly scrubbing sides and bottom, making sure the solution gets into every corner. Let sit for about 5 to 10 minutes then rinse thoroughly over and over making sure every bit of bleach is removed from the tank. It is very important to be sure you have rinsed all bleach away so that when you put your iguana back inside its cage it will not breathe the fumes from the bleach. Dry cage thoroughly and completely and let air dry at least an hour.

Disinfecting your wooden enclosure

I would not use the above bleach and water solution to clean a wooden enclosure because the bleach will soak into the wood leaving dangerous fumes for your iguana to breathe in. Create a solution of two cups water, a half cup lemon juice, and a good liberal squeeze of anti-bacterial dishwashing liquid. Using a sponge, rag, etc., wash cage thoroughly scrubbing sides and bottom, making sure the solution gets into every corner. Let sit for about 5 to 10 minutes then rinse thoroughly over and over making sure every bit of the solution is removed from the enclosure. It is very important to make sure all traces of cleaner are removed so that when you put your iguana back inside its cage it will not breathe in fumes from the cleaner. Dry cage thoroughly and completely and let air dry at least 3 hours. For wooden enclosures, if you feel there are many grooves that you cannot clean properly, you can put a "pest strip" or flea collar into the enclosure, cover it with plastic so it is airtight and leave it alone for about 4-6 hours. Make sure you NEVER use pest strips or flea collars in the same room as your iguana. The fumes can be deadly. Using a pest strip or flea collar to treat the mites ON your reptile is NOT recommended.

Be sure to clean all unplugged lights, pads, artificial branches, etc. and rinse off any soap or bleach thoroughly.

There is no "right" cure for killing mites on your iguana. There are only treatments that people have experimented with. Some have worked, some haven't. Again, please remember, any self-treatment you use to kill mites on your iguana (even those recommended by vets) comes with the risk of possible death because the mites have make it weak and sick. But you must take that risk because if you don't get rid of the mites, your reptile WILL positively die. Now you must make a decision on which treatment to choose. Read both before you decide.

Treatment Option #1

If your iguana will absolutely not soak in water willingly for more than five minutes, you will need to use this chemical method. Go to a pet store and purchase a mite spray for birds (one that is safe to spray directly on a bird - Scalex, Four Paws, etc.) Larger pet stores usually carry them. Your cage has been cleaned, rinsed, and is drying, so now you can take your iguana and spray him with the spray from neck to tip of tail. Stay away from head and eyes. Test spray into the air to see how strong spray comes out first. Don't worry about the ones that are crawling for safety on your iguana's head, you will get those later. Be sure to spray in armpits, skinfolds, and in between spines. Do not let your iguana l**k the spray, it is very mild but don't take a chance. Let your iguana dry completely. Do not put food or water near the iguana while it has spray on it. While your iguana is drying, wet a qtip with water and carefully dab off any mites on the head and around eye areas. Be careful not to poke eyes! After iguana is dry (about half hour) spray thorougly with plain warm water (about 80F degrees) making sure to remove all of the chemical. Do not put your iguana back into the holding tank he was just in while he was waiting for his to dry since now that enclosure has been exposed to mites. You can either a) put it back into its cage and hope you got them all, you will need to clean the cage out again anyway in a few days just to be sure you got them all, or b) put him in a new holding tank that was not exposed to mites in any way until the mite problem is corrected. Which ever option you choose, you need to also provide your usual lights, etc. Return food and clean water the next day. So make sure you offer food and water BEFORE you start treatment. If one treatment does not get all mites (it usually doesn't) you will need to repeat treatment again the next day. If a third treatment is needed, skip a day first. If you still find mites after three treatments, switch to treatment option #2. I would not recommend a fourth treatment with the bird mite spray.

Treatment Option #2

If you are afraid to use chemicals on your iguana and you think you can get him to soak, then try this treatment to drown the mites. Go to any drugstore and buy Betadine antiseptic. Fill a basin or container large enough for you iguana to fit comfortably inside with warm water (approximately 80F degrees/26C degrees). Pour the Betadine into the water so the water turns a medium brown color. Allow the iguana to soak from its neck down, HEAD IS OUT OF WATER THE ENTIRE TIME (juvenille 10-15 minutes, adult about 20 minutes). It is hard to put a time limit on this treatment; you can't keep the lizard in the water for a very long period of time or hold him there forcing him to stay under water, however you need to allow time for the mites to drown, so look for them floating on top of the water. Use your judgement but do not go much over the approximate times I have given. Do not let your iguana drink the Betadine water. Rinse iguana with a spray bottle of plain 80F degree water after soaking is over. Wet a qtip with water and carefully dab off any mites on the head around eye areas. Be careful not to poke eyes! Do not put your iguana back into the holding tank he was just in while he was waiting for his to dry. You can either a) put him back into his cage and hope you got them all, you will need to clean the cage out again anyway in a few days just to be sure you got them all, or b) put him in a new holding tank that was not exposed to mites in any way until the mite problem is corrected. Which ever option you choose, you need to also provide your usual lights, etc. Return food and clean water the next day.

Treatments I DO NOT recommend:

Using pest strips in your enclosure with your iguana still in it--fumes can be deadly

Flea powders, shampoos, or sprays for dogs and cats--much too strong for iguanas

Reptile Mite Sprays--they just don't work at all

Which ever treatment you use you will need to continue to check for mites on a daily basis for about 6 weeks. Mite eggs hatch, survivors could come out of the smallest crevices, etc. It is always good to check and recheck to be safe. If you have used either treatment 3 times and still find living mites - CALL YOUR REPTILE VETERINARIAN."

I personally suggest re-treating your cage once a week, for the next 6 weeks! This way you make sure you kill anything that may have survived. Keep an eye on your reptile, make sure they are drinking and eating well, any refusal of food, water, or if they become lethargic, take your animal to the vet ASAP.

Good luck!