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Baldyman666
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
23 Posts |
 Posted - 12/12/2008 : 15:39:59
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hi all
just spotted what looks like a parasite (external) on ziggy
description
- a little smaller than those little red spiders you get on brickwalls in the summer - only its black and was crawling around her head and moved down to the middle of her body
it didnt look like a tick and i dont think ticks move ?? they get stuck in don't they
- does this mean i have to wash out both my viv's for both my snakes and treat them both - cant see any parasites on the python.
HEEEEEELLLLLLPPPPP , this is my first 'ewww' 'imperfection' blighting any of my snakes
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lewy
King Snake Admin
United Kingdom
25000023 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2008 : 17:30:40
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Sounds like it could be mites baldayman. Are they black and pin head sized, hiding under scales?
I suggest to quarantine your king (don't handle your python after handling your king)
change the substrate to white kitchen roll, you can see the mite better on this and mites lay their eggs in the substrate - so using kitchen roll will help.
If it is mites you'll need to get some mite treatment - zoo med mite off or similar is okay - If the mites keep coming back you can sometimes get a course of frontline from a vets (the stuff they use to treat flees on cats and dogs) if using frontline you need to make sure you don't get it near the snakes mouth or eyes as it can be dangerous (a lot of vets won't prescribe it for this reason) We've used it for evra as mite off only held the mites back for a few months. but they kept coming back.
The easiest way to apply frontline is to spray it onto kitchen roll and apply it by hand - it dries up pretty quick so you have to be fast (just miss the head as not to get it near the mouth and eyes)
You'll need to treat the viv by spraying ( mite off etc) and changing the kitchen roll daily - this is the best way to stop the existing mite laying eggs and carrying on their cycle.
You can kill them by squeezing them between you fingers to squash them, you'll need to treat regularly for a few months.
My suggestion is try the miteoff first and if it doesn't work and only seems to work for a while contact a vet and try and get some frontline.
Just make sure not to feed your python in the same tub, don;t handle and hopefully you can avoid passing them on to it (mites can really put a royal off food due to stress) If your using the miteoff you can probably treat the python as a precautionary measure but I wouldn't recommend using the frontline unless you need to. |
Lewy
THE KING SNAKE.co.uk Team
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Baldyman666
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
23 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2008 : 17:40:11
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yes m8 - its deffo mites - matches your description perfectly -AGHHHHHH!!!! DAMMIT!
i need to check my python - it was easy to spot on an albino snake - but the python might be harder
i do keep the milksnake in a different room thank god! gonna go buy some mite-off tomorow
will it kill my snake???
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Kazerella
King Snake Admin
United Kingdom
1512 Posts |
Posted - 13/12/2008 : 12:12:58
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No, Mite-off is really mild. It can be used on both the viv, accessories and snake, but like Lewy said it was more effective on mild outbreaks. You can do the viv with Mite Off every 3 days and you really do need to do it this often for it to be successful.
What Lewy forgot to mention was baths!. I bathed Evra every 3 days in warm water with a drop of olive oil in the water and that killed a lot. Let the snake soak for a good 20 minutes and put enough water in the tub to completely submerse the snake, but still with enough air space for your snake to breathe.
Then rub the snake down with a white towel and you should see some dead ones. I don't think it would get rid of them completely, but it definitely helps.
Some people treat mites by coating the snake with olive oil, but I've never tried this. Apparently it stops the mites under the scales from breathing. I didn't do it with Evra because I didn't think she'd like it, because she's a royal and easily stressed. Might be ok with a king though.
If you do resort to Frontline, you can use that on the snake and the viv too but only once every 2 weeks because it is so potent. I don't think it is really dangerous if you are careful, but I had to sign a waiver at the vets to get it prescribed to say that I understood that it was not tested for snakes and if anything happened to my snake the vets wouldn't be liable. It worked though, never saw any mites again after one treatment. Like Lewy said don't get it near the eyes and face, but also remove your large water bowl and replace with a small one. Just because it wouldn't be good for the snake if they soaked in the water after Frontline and then drank it.
Hope you get rid soon. They are awful things. You will know if your Royal gets them, because they go off food straight away bless 'em  |
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Carl
Hatchling
United Kingdom
498 Posts |
Posted - 13/12/2008 : 16:25:35
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| Whoah those mites dont sound nice at all m8, sorry to hear your snake has got them hope she makes a quick recovery. Does anyone know how a snake gets them in the first place, because I would like to know how to avoid this if possible? |
1.0.0 Mexi Black (Snoop)
1.0.0 Milk Pueb (Lestat)
0.2.0 Mexi Black (no name) |
Edited by - Carl on 13/12/2008 16:26:24 |
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Gingerpony
SerpentSeven's Evil Twin
United Kingdom
726 Posts |
Posted - 13/12/2008 : 21:38:59
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it tends to be from a new snake coming into your collection carrying them, or you can pick them up when holding other people's snakes that have them, for example in a pet shop. also second hand vivs and equipment that have been infested - plastic and ceramic goods are unlikely to harbour mites or their eggs though.
in the wild snakes would naturally have a 'mite burden' but as the snake moves on in search of food/shelter/warmth etc a lot of the mites and eggs are left behind (to be picked up by the next unsuspecting reptile!). as we keep snakes in relatively small vivs they are continually reinfesting themselves until everything is properly treated.
but looking on the bright side it CAN be treated  |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, Dumerils boas, BCO hybrids, Sinder Hypo boas, Day Geckos
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Baldyman666
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
23 Posts |
Posted - 13/12/2008 : 22:39:46
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wow - thanx for all the guidence and support everyone - there are to many comments to single out for 'quote' reply but i am overcome by the amount of information shared.. its better than the books (and i have been buying a lot lol :)
LEWY - i didnt catch one of the buggers - they were on ziggy's face and although big enough to catch, she (a she till she's sexed haha) was getting real stressed and is still to new for her to trust me touching her head.
KAZ - thanx for letting me no that mite off is safe - i now own a bottle and gave her a little bath (luke warm) which a couple of critters drowned (i was grinning and smiling watching them do backstroke is this wrong heh!)
LEWY N KAZ - i was able to take her back down to emsworth reptile in portsmouth where i bought her last week - and fair play to em' they used frontline on her and sorted it out for free for me :) it seemed to do the trick - i boiled and cleaned scrupulously her plastic raising viv , laid down some paper and will monitor for any i missed today over the next couple of days... then start to introduce the aspen bedding i keep her on usually
SERPENTSEVEN (GP) - she was on show for a while and probably got them in there where she will have been handled a lot i reckon - i do have stardust my python in a 3ft viv , but i have checked her and she seem clean - a good sign was that she has just gone up a size in feed today and shows no sign of stress or any mites in her water bowl - thank god i read up and quarentined the milk in a different room for monitering when i bought her - thats good advice
ITS ALL A LEARNING CURVE INNIT :)
THANX FOR ALL YOUR ADVICE and SUPPORT (CARL)
will let you know if its all worked next weekend! |
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Gingerpony
SerpentSeven's Evil Twin
United Kingdom
726 Posts |
Posted - 14/12/2008 : 10:22:36
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well done BM666 fastaction and getting on top of it early will certainly help!
and good on Emsworth Reptiles (although i'm slightly suspicious that they might (pardon the pun) have known there was a problem!) |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, Dumerils boas, BCO hybrids, Sinder Hypo boas, Day Geckos
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Grumpy
Hatchling
United Kingdom
138 Posts |
Posted - 14/12/2008 : 13:34:58
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| Hmm. I help out in a reptile shop, they did have white mites in there recently. I'm told they are not as bad, and I use F10 or the hospital hand clean stuff every time I finish handling theirs or ours. Is there a risk I could transfer anything home? |
IanT
Blair's grey band
Albino cali female
Albino grey band female
Chocolate Cali
Taiwanese Beauty female |
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Baldyman666
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
23 Posts |
Posted - 14/12/2008 : 16:56:49
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| hi grumpy - just a quickie - i live in portsmouth but am a shrewsbury lad... i noticed you work in telford :) |
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Grumpy
Hatchling
United Kingdom
138 Posts |
Posted - 14/12/2008 : 17:47:06
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quote:
Originally posted by Baldyman666
hi grumpy - just a quickie - i live in portsmouth but am a shrewsbury lad... i noticed you work in telford :)
Lol, close, originally from South London, been in Telford since 1987, retired disabled since 1997. Just about still in Telford, daughter lives in Shrewsbury not far from hospital. |
IanT
Blair's grey band
Albino cali female
Albino grey band female
Chocolate Cali
Taiwanese Beauty female |
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Baldyman666
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
23 Posts |
Posted - 14/12/2008 : 23:05:53
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| ahh near the hospital up at copthorne...thats the posh bit (lol)... nice to meet you grumps :)good idea with hand wash... its got isopropanyl alcholol in it hasnt it... the missus uses it for her care in the community work... so im gonna nick a bit for when i have to handle both my snakes close together |
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francessweeney1
Snake Mite
Ireland
16 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2009 : 13:01:57
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| HELP HELP HELP My young son owns a nine or ten month old kig snake and I am possitive 'Strangles' has mites, I have read the advice posted and want to use 'Frontline' to be sure they go. However before I start I want to be sure 100% that what I am about to do is right! Should I take Strangles out of his cage and place him in a warm bath for twenty mins and then empty the enclosure of everything, wash the leaves, climbing stuff,hiding pllace and rocks with what? This is what I am unsure of so I don't use a soap that will make him ill, I presume I must wash the enclosures walls and floor with the same? When cage is dry do I then wipe Strangles down with the 'Frontline' and put him back into a cage with kitchen paper on the bottom. When do I need to do it again or do I? What strength 'Frontline' do I use on him? How far from the head do I keep away from as I read the mites will be in his eyes and sensor pits? Does olive oil work as regular precausion when we are cleaning out as normal and when can we replace paper towels with the usual lining? Please help as I am desperate to give him some help but dont want to hurt him in the process. |
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Parasite ????
