Possible mites - diagnosis?

[n3xia]

I think my year-and-a-bit old male children's python has mites I was just handling him and I noticed a really tiny fleck of pale yellow moving around on his nose, and more wedged under his scales. I just looked up mite removal techniques and apparently mites are brown/black though :/ These... creatures are so tiny I can't make out an abdomen or legs or anything. They just look like flecks of dust.

I have a feeling they might have come from the wood flakes I am using as a substrate, but the last lot I put in there was literally the last of the packet... so unless they somehow got into the packet via the cupboard in my bedroom that I've always stored it in, I don't know how they got into the enclosure. I haven't introduced any new snakes to his enclosure, although a friend had her new snake at my place, in its own portable enclosure, on a different table not connected to the one mine is on. The two snakes never came into contact with each other.

Does anyone have any idea what these creatures might be, and if they are harmful to my snake? It's hard for me to get to a vet as I work long hours, but I will take him if it's too hard to diagnose otherwise.

 

[junglepython2]

You won't get snake mite from wood flakes if they haven't been in contact with another snake, but you can transfer them from simply handling an infected snake then handling your own.

 

[Wild_Storm]

Just a question... Have a look in your enclosure- Look for more of them in the wood flakes, or in the enclosure. I believe you may be talking about what I think it dust mites. If they are... I am sorry, I don't know if they will do anything to your snake... Any other ideas??

 

[funcouple]

a tell tail sign of mites is your snake spending alot of time soaking in its water bowl. if its a light coloured bowl and your snake has mites you wiil see small black mites in the bottom of the bowl.

 

[JasonL]

May also be juvie ticks... mites look like little blood filled balloons, and don't move that fast.

 

[tenacres1100]

1/2 fill a container with a lid with warm water about 32c add a few drops of dishwashing liquid and let it swim for 20-30 mins keeping an eye on it. if you have mites you will see them floating in the water. Also check for small specks in the water bowl in the enclosure as well. Mites will travel from one enclosure to another by crawling out at night down into the carpet and can come up anywhere from there, so they could have come from the other python.

 

[n3xia]

They're definitely not black. I saw him curled around his water bowl when I came home from work, part of him was actually touching the water, but not much. The creatures are the same colour as the flakes, so I wouldn't be able to see them on the flakes if they were there. I'll google what dust mites look like...

I did handle the other snake, but didn't handle mine until at least the next day, after I'd had a shower etc. Both enclosures were/are outdoors. Would this make it harder for the mites to travel between enclosures?

 

[Emmalicious]

Oh yucky.... you need to get that sorted out! whatever it is. I thought mites were browny black also! never had a snake with mites tho... so i really wouldn't know!

 

[seumas12345]

I'd take him in to see Greg on friday at GnT pets in Palmerston... He is only in on Fridays, but he is a pro and will tell you straight away, and whether you need to go to the vet for antibiotics.

 

[tenacres1100]

whether you need to go to the vet for antibiotics.

??? for mites???

if you have mites get TOP and use only by their directions.

what ever they are if their under the scales you need to get rid off them

 

[tenacres1100]

http://wehaveitall.com.au/store/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=651


This is from the TOD web site
Directions For Use
-Remove water bowl/tub from the enclosure before spray, clean it and leave it out for 24 hours
-Remove the reptile from the enclosure
-Spray the interior of the enclosure to form enough fume in the enclosure
-Suggest spray 2-3 seconds for a standard 2 x 3 foot size enclosure
-Leave the enclosure closed for 10-15 minutes, and then return the reptile
-After 24 hours, return the water bowl/tub to the enclosure
-After another 48 hours, clean out enclosure and destroy any substrate (it helps remove mite eggs)
-Spray the enclosure surrounding area as well
-Do not rinse the enclosure and the reptile after spray
-Re-spray the enclosure about seven days later after first application, a third application might be necessary depending on the infestation
Other Tips
-After treating the reptile and the enclosure, spray a line around the enclosure to create a barrier
-Frequently (every day or two) spray around the enclosure to keep the barrier working during treatment
-Suggest use paper as bedding during treatment so that changing bedding is easier