Mites?

[NannyCloud]

I noticed last night that there were small bugs in my Corns cage and in the Aspen shavings. I've also noticed that he likes it more when I rub him and he rubs his nose(I guess he's itchy which is a bad sign, he hasn't taken to soaking from them yet). Do to all this I think there is some kind of pests or mites in his cage and on him. What is the most efficient way to get rid of these little guys an how can I prevent them from coming back?

I would appreciate answers ASAP as I want to deal with these bothersome bugs before I put him up for hibernation with will be in a week or two at the most.

Again, I would like your help ASAP if possible. ThankYou for reading this thread.

 

[RobbiesCornField]

Olive oil. COVER him in it once, and change his substrate to paper towels. Wait a couple weeks and cover him again. This is a way that's a bit safer for your corn, as most mite sprays will dehydrate him.
When you notice all of the mites are gone, switch back to aspen, but microwave it first. Put a cup of water in the center, and microwave it for about a minute and a half. This should kill off any mites and mite eggs.

 

[Widget]

First off, make sure it's actually snake mites and not some sort of substrate bug that is harmless, just annoying. Snake mites are REALLY small. Maybe .25mm across and probably smaller.

I recently got to go through this with my MBK...and let me just say that black mites on a black snake are VERY hard to see.

I tried Reptile Relief with limited results. It would kill the adult mites but I would have new mites about every 3-4 days. I picked up Provent-A-Mite and with 1 treatment she's been mite free after almost 2 weeks.

You don't treat the snake at all, just the enclosure. And can be used 1x per month as a preventative.

Like all opinions, your actual mileage may vary. Good luck.

 

[Nanci]

Are the bugs black and tiny or white/grey and pin head size?

 

[NannyCloud]

the bugs are very small and a dark grey color. That are about the size of one and a half pin heads and there are quite a few on the substrate. I plan to buy new aspen today and clean out the whole cage and use a solution that my friends mother(and fellow snake owner) recomended to rinse my snake in.

 

[Nanci]

Sounds like aspen mites to me. They aren't on the snake, right, uinless one just crawls on him by accident?

 

[tom e]

I agree with Nanci. If you are seeing them all over and not on the snake (under scales, around eyes, in the chin 'folds') it's probably not the type you need to worry about a major cleaning with. I would just dump the substrate, clean the viv and start again with fresh stuff. They sound like they might be a little big for snake mites too.

 

[caz223]

If they seem to hang out around the water bowl, then chances are it's just wood mites.
If you're seeing this, I'd put your bedding in the deep freeze and store it there until a few days before you need it, or microwave the bedding before you use it.

 

[NannyCloud]

Yes, you are right...they were aspen mites. I got rid of the old bedding and washed the whole cage out and even gave the snake a rinse just in case and there aren't any more.

Yes, they were hanging around the water. So, I also cleaned his plastic hide and washed his water dish well.

Thanks for all the good sugestions and oppinions...they were all appreciated extremely!