What are some easy steps to get rid of Mites?

Question

I found Mites in the Snakes tank and I want to know how I can rid of the mites before they lay eggs..

Answer 1

P-A-M (prevent a mite) seems to be pretty successful and it will make sure the eggs are killed.  (do not put this on the snake!! this is to clean the tank).  Get one of the mite reliefs for the snake and the combination of both of these will take care of your problem in no time.

Answer 2

Unfortunately there isn't an easy safe way to do it.

Mites are a pain in the butt.  We brought mites home by handling snakes at the reptile shop one time.  Treating for mites is time consuming.  Take the snake and soak it in a plastic tub...enough water (lukewarm about 80 Fahrenheit) to cover the back of the snake.  Let the snake soak while you do the following.  Take all cage accessories out of the cage if you have logs you don’t have to throw them away…set them aside in a plastic bag tied at the top.  I’ll explain what to do with those last.  With the other cage accessories, bowl and hides put in the bath tub and completely cover with hot water.  Spray the substrate with reptile relief, to kill the mites so that they don’t fall to the floor while you are bagging it up, bag up the substrate tie the top of the trash bag and take it to the dumpster.  Liberally spray your tank with reptile relief…I mean spray it all over.  Take the lid to the tank outside and spray it all over also.  Let it sit for about 10 minutes.  If the tank is light enough carry it to the yard and hose it out then dry it completely, also hose off the top.  Bring the tank back in.  Spray the tank again lightly with reptile relief and use a towel to dry it off.  Put new substrate in the tank and put the water bowl and hides back in.  

Back to the snake now.  Make sure the snake has immersed his face for a second otherwise mites will just run up to his face…the eyes especially.  Take your snake out of the water take a q-tip or cotton ball and spray some reptile relief on it and use that to get on top of the snakes head…don’t get the reptile relief in the snakes eyes or nose or mouth but do get it on top of the head and under the chin.  Then spray your snakes body with reptile relief and use your hands to make sure it gets over the snakes whole body.  Use a dry cloth to get the excess off…you don’t want it dripping off of the snake but you do want it all over your snake.  Then you can put your snake back in his tank.  Also before you put your heat lamp back on take a cotton ball and wipe it down with a bit of reptile relief…mites get everywhere…they are evil!!!

If you have logs for your snake bake them in the oven (250 – 275 Fahrenheit) for 2 – 3 hours.  Allow to cool completely before using them again.

The bad news is you might have to do this every three days two more times to break the mites life cycle.  They are a bit like getting rid of fleas it takes more than one treatment.  Like I said we got mites from the reptile store but I did this and I had to do two treatments and the mites were gone.  If you don’t want to use the normal substrate until the mites are gone it won't hurt to use white paper towels for lining the snakes cage, white paper towels also allow you to see mites more easily so that you will know for sure when the mites are gone.  And then after you have eradicated the mites you can put the normal substrate back in.  If you use the cypress mulch substrate you can freeze it for a week prior to use and then bring it to room temperature before using OR you can bake it at 250 – 270 Fahrenheit for 2 hours in a baking pan.  I do both when I buy new substrate…I freeze it for a week then thaw it out then I bake it and cool it before I put it in my snakes cage.  I still do that just because I never never want mites again.    

It takes probably about an hour or 2 to do the whole process.

Reptile relief is the ONLY thing that is totally safe to use on the reptile other things can harm or even kill your snake.  This is time consuming but it really is the only safe way to be rid of mites.  

Good luck!!!!!!

  

Answer 3

Actually there is a cheap solution you can get form the vet.  The name escapes me at the moment, but it was under $20 per bottle.  I use it about once a month to keep the problem under control.  The solution is blue and it is safe for the snakes to drink.  Since I'm allergic to the mites I know they are gone.  Cleaning the cage when you treat them helps, but the mites only live on the snakes, not on us and not in the tanks.  

Since you are seeing them in the tank, you may want to consider taking a sample to a vet (use clear tape, or scrape them and put them in a baggie) so they can be identified.  Not all treatments work on all critters.   Also, I usually get a skin scrape done on any pets I think have issues like this.  You really need to know what you are treating for.  And if anyone says you just need to bleach the tank they are wrong!!  Mites live on the host, and that is the snake.  

Answer 4

A FEW DROPS   of dish soap in a spray bottle of water spray everything maybe even your snake counsult a vet than spray with pure water to rinse