Help!!!!!! Mites!!!!!

[snakekid666]

my 16 month old spotted python was due to shed soon i went in there today to do the usaull checkup and i noticed small peices of skin all over the cage. in the tree all over the rocks and everywhere else. he was in the water bowl and their were small peices of skin still on him. From what ive heard this is a case of mites how do i get rid of them. HELP!!!!

thanks
jake

 

[dickyknee]

Mites ??
A bad shed does not mean mites .
Have you actually seen any mites ?

 

[snakekid666]

no i dont know what to look for. what do i look for?

 

[Jessica85]

they look like little tiny black specs that move around going under the scales of the snake! the best way to spot them is to look around the sides of the snakes mouth, thats the best place to spot them!!!

 

[Jessica85]

they look like miniture fleas, they are really tiny, so you need to look really closely!! hope this helps!!!

 

[AaronR]

Bath the snake in luke warm water. try to hold it after he has been in the bath for a little while let him move around in your this will help him shed the rest of his skin it will also I hope move the mites from him to your hand(be firm but not to tight). clean his enclosure out and clean every nook and cranny clean it with a spray like top of decent or a mite spray(let it air out).

 

[whcasual79]

hey mate, look out for little white spots (mite faeces) on the snake's scales..... or little black spots (mites) seen in the cage or in the water bowl (drowned) ... the are usually found around the snake's head, cuz snake doesnt keep it's head under water...

good luck!

 

[dickyknee]

Dont go spraying for mites , until you find any , but it probably had a bad shed / sitting in bowl as the humidity may be to low ...in future try a bigger water bowl or move it closer to the heat , always works for mine if they have a bad shed .

 

[snakecharma]

sounds like a bad case of "crusty shed" can be many reasons for this humidity being the main one, but mites can be a cause as well.

When you bath it use a clear or white tub cause after you have removed all the shed you will be able to see any mites in the bottom.

Dont treat for mites unless you have them. Fix the shed first then look for mites as i really dont think you have them and if you do its a fairly simple means of sorting it out so dont stress too much.

Enjoy bath time lol

 

[snakekid666]

has anyone heard of orange medic its a substance used to get rid or headlice my uncle said to use it and he has had thousands of snakes before. he said to spray everything in the enclosure and the snake with half of it and half water

 

[dickyknee]

Do you even have mites though ??
dont spray till you find any ...no idea on the orange medic stuff though .

 

[snakekid666]

i was told to spray it with that stuff even if i dont just to be sure

 

[elapid66]

has anyone heard of orange medic its a substance used to get rid or headlice my uncle said to use it and he has had thousands of snakes before. he said to spray everything in the enclosure and the snake with half of it and half water

do not use orange medic to kill mites it will kill your snake unless its the old formular wich is good stuff

 

[snakekid666]

how do you know whats what

 

[Jessica85]

ive also heard not to use orange medic, i heard everyone started using it and thought it was the best stuff, then all of a sudden snakes started dying, so i wouldn't go using it if i were u!! find out if its got mites first b4 u go spraying everything! theres no need for it if it hasn't got mites!!!

 

[Den from Den Pythons]

Bad shed.... Question 6 in Wiki.
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/...1006#Why_is_my_python_not_shedding_correctly?

Use Top of Decent to treat mites, most online stores stock it.....
GVRS-Reptile Health & Hygiene products

All the best mate.

 

[snakekid666]

true ill chech. whats the easiest way to chech just give it a bath and see iff mites come off or is their a better way

 

[serpenttongue]

Snakekid,
Relax, and listen to what dickyknee said.

It would have to be one big bloody infestation of mites to cause the shedding problems you describe! And if that's the case, then you would have mites crawling all over your arms when you hold the snake.

Mites are like tiny replicas of ticks, except in higher numbers. The most common places to find mites on your snake are inside the fold around their eyes (this can cause some noticeable swelling) and inside the fold/slit that runs from their chin, down to the throat. You will see them as dark grey/brown specks.

I suggest treating the enclosure with Top of Decent while the snake is in the enclosure. Only administer a few puffs of the spray, and dont aim it directly at the snake.

 

[mungus]

Snakekid,
Relax, and listen to what dickyknee said.

It would have to be one big bloody infestation of mites to cause the shedding problems you describe! And if that's the case, then you would have mites crawling all over your arms when you hold the snake.

Mites are like tiny replicas of ticks, except in higher numbers. The most common places to find mites on your snake are inside the fold around their eyes (this can cause some noticeable swelling) and inside the fold/slit that runs from their chin, down to the throat. You will see them as dark grey/brown specks.

I suggest treating the enclosure with Top of Decent while the snake is in the enclosure. Only administer a few puffs of the spray, and dont aim it directly at the snake.

Snakekid.........
Calm down, listen and ready what has been written.
Your humidity would have been low, can and does happen in the winter months.

 

[mungus]

Snakekid,
Relax, and listen to what dickyknee said.

It would have to be one big bloody infestation of mites to cause the shedding problems you describe! And if that's the case, then you would have mites crawling all over your arms when you hold the snake.

Mites are like tiny replicas of ticks, except in higher numbers. The most common places to find mites on your snake are inside the fold around their eyes (this can cause some noticeable swelling) and inside the fold/slit that runs from their chin, down to the throat. You will see them as dark grey/brown specks.

I suggest treating the enclosure with Top of Decent while the snake is in the enclosure. Only administer a few puffs of the spray, and dont aim it directly at the snake.

Snakekid.........
Calm down and read what has been written.
Your humidity would have been low, can and does happen in the winter months.