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Robert
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
957 Posts |
 Posted - 25/10/2009 : 21:38:45
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One thing we all dread is snake mites !! I bought an adult corn snake earlier this year which looked very healthy but a few weeks later showed signs of mite !!, initially it was a snuffling from her nose and then she started bathing in her water bowl and there were the signs as in BE's picture in his sticky on 'treating with Frontline', my heart sank as two weeks before this we had bought a Royal Python and the last thing I wanted was for the mites to spread to her.
I cleaned out the viv the corn was in and sprayed everywhere with Beaphar insect spray (Ivermectine) then I sprayed some on a paper towel and treated the corn snake but she was still snuffling and there were small encrustations around her eyes. I am not too happy about using toxins around my snakes and as they seemed to be in and around her nostrils and eyes it wasn't possible to use chemical treatments especially there !
I decided having done some research to use hypoaspis mites, I had read that they were a natural predator and thought this a much better solution if it worked so I ordered some from www.defenders.co.uk
They duly arrived 2 days later in a small cardboard drum along with a helpful leaflet on how to treat snake mites (they are normally bought as a biological control by garderners and growers against plant pests) I have asked if I can reproduce the leaflet here and I am awaiting a reply. I bathed the snake in warm water with a little drop of soap solution added (hand soap - carex) for about half an hour and then returned her to the viv
I got a small plastic tub and filled it with sterilised compost, (I sterilised it in the microwave oven) and when it had cooled moistened it and applied a layer of the vermiculite from the drum that contained the hypoaspis mites and placed that in the viv opposite the hide to act as a breeding area for the mites, I then put the rest of the container around the hide in clumps about 7cm wide and 2 cm deep and using an atomiser filled with warm water I dampened them.
I continued to dampen the mites down 3-4 times a day never letting them dry out completely. after 2 days the mites were active and crawling over the hide and within a week were actually observed on the snake which was not stressed by this at all, they are very small and very voracious when it comes to eating their prey :)
Within two weeks the Corn had shed and there were still hypoaspis mites there, the corn's eyes had completely cleared and she was looking less stressed and had stopped bathing, two more weeks passed and I was still misting and checking for mites, both snake mites and hypoaspis ones. There was no sign of the snake mites and the hypoaspis mites had dramatically reduced in number as a result of their prey not being present.
At this point I decided the job was done, the viv was thoroughly disinfected and then the base was sprayed with Ivermectine as a precaution and then covered in substrate, the areas around the viv were also sprayed, 4 weeks passed and no further sign of snake mites.
During the whole process we didn't handle her so as to ensure the hypo's were left to do their job, she fed normally throughout and is now a very placid and happy mite free snake :) as the mites were able to get to areas on her safely where chemical pesticides should not go.
We were also scrupulous with our hygiene so as not to transport anything to our new Royal who fortunately was in another room at the other side of the house and was never infected. I would certainly use this method again if I was unfortunate enough to have a snake mite problem it does work so long as you can keep a healthy colony of hypoaspis mites going for the period of the snakes infestation and the life cycle of the snake mite.
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Edited by - Robert on 08/11/2009 21:02:48 |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 26/10/2009 : 06:32:42
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| Thanks Rob, did you get any photos of the process? |
 
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Robert
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
957 Posts |
Posted - 26/10/2009 : 09:28:15
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| Sadly I didn't take any photos, I wish in retrospect I had but at the time I was more concerned about getting her clear of them. I perhaps should also add that when I cleaned the viv out on both occasions I used a vacuum cleaner and sprayed invermectine into the nozzle on completion so that any mites in the vacuum cleaner would be killed. |
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Robert
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
957 Posts |
Posted - 28/12/2009 : 20:15:59
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I have just treated my new pastel who came home with snake mites, she has been in isolation since and treated with hypoaspis mites and seems to be looking ok although she is a little feisty and has tagged my partner a couple of times but so far left me alone, will take some pictures this time and post them, I think I will be able to move her into the room with the others in another week, she is feeding well and has doubled in weight since I got her.
My Pastel is now clear of mites and has joined the rest of the gang :) This is the second time I have had to treat a newly acquired snake for mites the first was a corn snake but this is the first Royal I have brought home that had them.
First things first keep all new snakes away from your established collection, yes that means quarantining them as far away as you possibly can, this way you will minimise any infections or infestations.
Our little hatchling pastel weighed 86g when we bought her on the 21st November,we called her Popsicle (Popsy for short) there is a picture of her in the photos forum. She fed the first evening we got her home, but then all our Pythons have done that, and we left her for a couple of days to settle in which is when we saw the mites !!!
Firstly we bathed her in warm water with a little 'Carex' soap solution added to act as a wetting agent and then rubbed her down with olive oil replacing her aspen bedding with white paper kitchen towels. I then introduced a pot of hypoaspis mites into her faun. As with the corn snake I sprayed the hypoaspis mites down two or three times a day to keep them moist and watched as they wandered all over the faun. The royal would often sit on top of the container of mites which was an added bonus :)
Periodically I would change the paper toweling and examine it for mite activity and also look for the presence of snake mites. Within 3 weeks she looked clear and after 4 weeks the hypoaspis mites were no longer present. We kept her in isolation for a further week and then thoroughly checked her and the faun, no snake mite !!
Throughout the whole period she fed normally and had water as we used no acaricides or chemical treatments at all except to disinfect the faun when we cleaned her once a week. she is now a healthy 235g at her last weighing post poop a week ago and has already transitioned from medium mice to rat weaners without a problem :)
I am completely convinced this method of treatment works so long as you keep the colony of hypoaspis mites going until the snake mites have been eradicated, once the adults have died the hypoaspis will kill and eat all the eggs and larvae, just keep them moist and keep them going until their food supply runs out :)
Below is her log for the period and as you can see she fed really well and shed twice.
21st November 2009 fed small mouse 19:05
22nd November 2009 fed small/med mouse 20:45
25th November 2009 she has snake mite !! bathed in warm soapy water
26th November 2009 bathed again and rubbed in olive oil
27th November 2009 no sign of mites pooped – weight 116g
30th November 2009 first strike feed 19:15
3rd December introduced hypoaspis mites to treat for snake mites.
5th December - mites active and numerous strike fed 20:20
9th December pooped weight 135g eyes blue
11th December 2009 – strike fed 19:30 started shedding
14th December 2009 – strike fed mouse 21:05
15th December 2009 shed complete
17th December 2009 Deep clean numerous aspis mites present no sign of snake mite
19th December 2009 strike fed mouse 21:40
23rd December 2009 strike fed mouse 17:45
27th December 2009 strike fed mouse 19:20
29th December 2009 strike fed mouse 19:50
6th January 2010 shed, strike fed medium mouse 20:45
9th January 2010 strike fed medium mouse 18:30
10th January 2010 pooped weight 232g
12th January 2010 Deep Clean strike fed rat weaner 21:50 pooped again!
15th January 2010 strike fed rat weaner 22:10
20th January 2010 pooped weight 275g strike fed rat weaner 21:35
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Edited by - Robert on 28/01/2010 19:57:41 |
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Sabriyyah
Snake Mite
Qatar
40 Posts |
Posted - 20/12/2010 : 17:08:34
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i am now fairly sure she has mites due to the black specks in her bathing water although i couldn't see any on her or any of the encrustations that people have spoken about. I am very interested in the hypoaspis mites since they are organic but when i treid the website it came up a blank. what are they used for in the garden?anyone any further ideas on where to get them? I am visiting UK from 24-31 December so if I'm quick I might be able to pick something up. thanks.
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n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 21/12/2010 : 16:27:44
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Hi, as far as I can see these mites are only available via mail order - and as you'll know, everything stops over Xmas. Even if they were available from a store, I would be a bit wary about how long the store had had its stock in.
Also I'm not sure what the import/export regulations might be regarding these critters - some countries have quite stringent rules?
It might be an idea to contact a supplier while you are in the UK (always supposing they are open over the Xmas break - annoying time of year but they might be open) and see what they advise. Perhaps, if you are in their area, they might be able to arrange for you to pick up a mite kit from their premises or post one on to you. Or you could try ringing them before your trip - I found one firm on the net and here are their details:
Defenders
Occupation Road
Wye
Ashford, Kent TN25 5EN
phone (UK code) 01233 813121
Fax 01233 813633
Email help@defenders.co.uk
Hope this helps. Good luck! |
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Edited by - n/a on 21/12/2010 16:30:34 |
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sandi
Sub Adult
787 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2011 : 21:40:14
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Have just ordered from this company.
Thanks for putting all this info here. I feel that the organic route should come first and as my new boa boris, has had a rough life, this would be less stress on him.
Should i put some of these hypos into Florence's viv as a precaution? I tend to think it cant hurt. Any opinions? |
0.1.0 Royal Python - Florence
1.0.0 Boa Constrictor - Boris
1.1.0 Alaunts - Willow & Brochan |
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sandi
Sub Adult
787 Posts |
Posted - 24/02/2011 : 12:37:40
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| Right then, the bugs arrived and have been installed. Wish us luck! |
0.1.0 Royal Python - Florence
1.0.0 Boa Constrictor - Boris
1.1.0 Alaunts - Willow & Brochan |
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Welly
Yearling
United Kingdom
423 Posts |
Posted - 16/05/2011 : 13:37:48
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Right then, just to bump this up again. I have just ordered some hypo mites to help a friend out.
She bought a rofous beaked snake at the weekend and wasn't till we got him back that we noticed a few mites.
Im going to follow roberts guide and will take pictures to try and help others in the future.
Im looking forward to seeing how effective these are as im not keen on the use of chemicals |
0.1.0 Royal Python
0.0.1 Mexican Black King
1.0.0 Brazilian Rainbow Boa |
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sandi
Sub Adult
787 Posts |
Posted - 17/05/2011 : 22:02:21
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| Good luck, they are voracious feeders so will do a good job, you just need to keep them alive long enough to break the life cycle. |
0.1.0 Royal Python - Florence
1.0.0 Boa Constrictor - Boris
1.1.0 Alaunts - Willow & Brochan |
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Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 17/05/2011 : 22:16:05
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| Careful you don't bring any of the litle buggers home with you. |
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Mite Treatment - Hypoaspis mites
