What does one mite mean?

[saximus]

My Jungle has been acting a little strange lately and he has been sitting in his tub of water that I put in specifically for him to "swim" in. This worried me a little but I just assumed it was because of the heat. Last night, though, I found a single mite floating in the water. So I'm just wondering if finding just one means the infestation has only just begun or is it typical not to actually see many? I couldn't see any on him either. I've ordered some ToD but obviously that will take a day or two to come so just want to know if I should be concerned.
Cheers

 

[caliherp]

Hate to tell you this but if there is one there is more then likely more.

 

[solar 17]

One means you only found one and to remember they only have a 12 day gestation cycle and for what its worth l believe Permoxin to be far superior than TOD and bullet proof......solar 17

 

[saximus]

Ok thanks guys. I knew it meant more are around but I just wanted to know how many more. I've never experienced them but I would imagine if it's a full blown infestation should I expect to find more than that

 

[solar 17]

IMO mix up 50mls of Permoxin in a 10 litre bucket of barely warm water then get a spray bottle and fill that then vaccuum your enclosure out ....spray it .....then give your herp a good bath in the bucket making sure to clean the skin fold under the lower jaw them put it back in the enclosure and repeat in 11-12 days (most important) to break the gestation cycle.....solar 17

 

[caliherp]

I agree with solar. I'd repeat 3 times though for good measure. Take all the wood and cage furnishings out. Clean them well. Bake the wood. Then use newspaper or paper towels as substrate. I wouldn't put the wood back till the treatment is done. I'd also only use plastic cage furnishings till the treatment is done so its easy to clean the mites out and off.

 

[Monitor Madness]

From what I've been told by my vet permoxin is deadly to cats. Not sure if you have one but might be worth keeping it away while you use permoxin.

 

[RedFox]

Yes permoxin is toxic to cats but they have to come into direct contact with it. Ie you use it on your dog then the cat touches the dog. Cats shouldn't ever come into contact with your herps or find themselves in the enclosure so should be fine.

 

[Monitor Madness]

Yes permoxin is toxic to cats but they have to come into direct contact with it. Ie you use it on your dog then the cat touches the dog. Cats shouldn't ever come into contact with your heels or find themselves in the enclosure so should be fine.

If you put permoxin in a bucket to wash the animal as suggested and leave the bucket somewhere the cat could get it. It was just a warning as other people might read this and use this idea

 

[saximus]

Cheers for the warning. I don't have a cat any more so that's not an issue in this case.

Can anyone answer the original question? Does the lack of visible mites mean I've likely caught it at the beginning or could they have been around for a long time?

 

[caliherp]

Cheers for the warning. I don't have a cat any more so that's not an issue in this case.

Can anyone answer the original question? Does the lack of visible mites mean I've likely caught it at the beginning or could they have been around for a long time?

More then likely the beginning, but they burrow under the scales and they are hard to find/see so you never know. Trust me these are a pian to deal with. Treat it like a infestation. I had a ball python that had mites, thank god for proper QT. it took me a month to get rid of them and get all her stuck shed off but it payed off in the end. They dident get to my collection, that would have been a nightmare.

 

[-Peter]

From what I've been told by my vet permoxin is deadly to cats. Not sure if you have one but might be worth keeping it away while you use permoxin.

The product just gets better and better.

 

[JM1982]

The product just gets better and better.

SO.. dont spray the cats out the front of my house that wake me every other night fighting with it? (insert evil laugh)