| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
scorpyshake
Egg
United Kingdom
87 Posts |
 Posted - 23/09/2012 : 00:16:33
|
Hi, Im a new snake keeper, I have four 3 month old babies, Ive had 3 of them about 2 months, the last snake I've had for 16 days...
Anyway, my female bloodred (3rd bought on 29 july 12, not the newest one) was trying to get into her water dish about 4 days ago, it was small :) so I decided to give her a bigger one, she keeps dipping in and out of it, but I had suspicions, and checked the surface of the water tonight, and noticed that there seems to be bugs/mites floating on the surface, they don't have any colour to them and are very pale,you wouldn't see them on a snake, you can only see them by looking at the reflection of the water suface ( if that makes sense ? ) but I did notice legs moving, there were really teeny ones too, not loads though.
Would these be snake mites ? there are no signs of brown or black mites at all, could the new snake that I've had for 16 days today have bought them into my collection ?
This is what I've spent 3 hours doing tonight...
Stripped all the viv down to minimum, they are on paper towel anyway, then each snake I gave a quick bathe ( a 1st for them all, 2 hated it) but without any soaps etc, I read that bit on here after I'd already bathed them :)
Now I have put all the viv decor, wood fake plants into a big rub with hot fairy liquid to soak overnight, and washed all the rubs, water bowls out too.
Do you think these would be mites and what safe product should I get to help treat please, I dont like the idea of the frontline, because of some comments on posts that I managed to read, Is there another good safe product ?
Thanks for your help in advance  |
0.0.1 Amel
0.0.1 Snow
1.1.0 Bloodred/diffussed
1.0.0 English Mastiff x Rottweiller |
|
|
Auld Baldy
Ikea's Pimp
United Kingdom
1619 Posts |
Posted - 23/09/2012 : 00:36:03
|
They sound more like they might be harmless springtails.
Before treating for mites you need to first identify them as such. It is unlikely that they will just drop off in the water dish. Check your snake using a jeweller's eye-piece or magnifying glass. You would be able to see mites attached to the edge gaps of the scales. Check the full body but pay attention around the eyes and vent areas. |
1.0.0: Miami Normal: Taggart
0.0.1: Carolina Normal: Wee Woody
0.0.1: Grey Rat Snake: Mirkey
0.0.1: Amel Corn: Blaze
1.0.0: Carpet Python: Vambo
0.0.1: MBK: Fester
0.0.1: Florida King Snake : Rattler (Rattle & Hum)
0.0.1. California King Snake: El Diablo Diego
0.2.0 Tarantulas : Ermintrude & Euphemia. |
 |
|
|
Thorne Walker
Yearling
Canada
642 Posts |
Posted - 23/09/2012 : 00:54:08
|
There is no insect that I know of that completes it's whole life on the snake, by treating the environment like you have you're making it tough for the next generation of anything to establish it self...
The mites Monster had were very dark, there was nothing pale about them... |
1.0.0 CB'11 Volcano Corn 'Kitty'
0.0.1 CB'11 Russian Rat Snake 'Monster'
2.0.0 CB'04 Roof Rabbits 'Baka Neko-San' and 'Usagi Neko-San'
My Setup :http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=27228
The Kids: http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=26248 |
Edited by - Thorne Walker on 23/09/2012 00:54:29 |
|
|
|
Jenn
Hatchling
Canada
204 Posts |
Posted - 23/09/2012 : 05:30:51
|
| ok all, people mention many times now...what is fairy liquid???? |
|
|
|
|
Donnie
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3215 Posts |
Posted - 23/09/2012 : 07:14:05
|
quote:
Originally posted by Jenn
ok all, people mention many times now...what is fairy liquid????
It's washing up liquid, what you do your dishes with  |
1.1 Corns (Anery Stripe, Amel) 1.0 Rootbeer 0.2 Jungle Carpet Python 1.0 Zebra Jungle Carpet Python 1.0 50% Diamond Zebra Carpet Python |
|
|
|
a33272
our battery charger
United Kingdom
3063 Posts |
Posted - 23/09/2012 : 09:30:14
|
When the mites mature they will be visable to the eye, there transluciant until they start to feed on blood then darked up. They will also feel like grains of Sand if u let snake slide over ya hand. They bath in water to ease discomport, and mites do come up through drowning, but it won't get rid of the problem.
If it is mites you will need to treat all 3 if they housed by each other as mites will spread.
But as said if u can see white things in the bowl could well be spring tails which are harmless, time will tell.
|
    
0.1.0 creamsicle corn-Marmalade
1.0.0 jungle carpet python-Bumble
1.0.0 corn Casper
|
|
|
|
scorpyshake
Egg
United Kingdom
87 Posts |
Posted - 23/09/2012 : 11:29:44
|
Thankyou all for your replys and help, I will look into what springtails are too and I'll be getting the magnifying glass out to check my snakes a bit later on, It did make me wonder if they were mites ? because the length of time I've the snakes, I'd of thought they'd of been dark in colour by now, and Chris, It does not feel like they have a sandy feel to them.
The snakes only have the bare nesscities at the moment, poor little things :( I will be giving them fresh stuff everyday, as well as tub scrubs, I dont even want springtails in there, if thats what I do have.
Thankyou all |
0.0.1 Amel
0.0.1 Snow
1.1.0 Bloodred/diffussed
1.0.0 English Mastiff x Rottweiller |
|
|
|
Thorne Walker
Yearling
Canada
642 Posts |
|
|
smart bunny
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
5091 Posts |
Posted - 23/09/2012 : 19:49:12
|
He he he, Fairy liquid is obviously not the huge brand in Canada that it is over here! When I treated Prism for mites I did find a couple in the water bowl when changing her water each day the 1st couple of times. One was quite large and obviously a mite, the others were smaller and, as above, not so dark. Is your newest snake quarantined away from the others?
A good place to check for mites is under the chin - that was the most stubborn one and the last one (that we were aware of) to go from Prism as it's the most difficult to treat with the oil bath as you try to keep their heads out of it! Tiny little black dot it was, right in the middle of her chin where there is a tiny little cleft. |
       |
|
|
|
scorpyshake
Egg
United Kingdom
87 Posts |
Posted - 24/09/2012 : 09:36:39
|
Is your newest snake quarantined away from the others?
My mistake was not to quaranteen, but I think I'm lucky, because, after the viv strips and bare nessecities left, I've blasted everything that was in the rubs, including the rubs themselves.
I honestly think it may have been the start of a springtail infestation, which hopefully I've taken control of ? I've scrubbed everything I possibly could with hot soapy water and baked water dishes and the mopani wood in the oven, My husband has pointed out about the hamster cage being near the snakes, which has sawdust in it, so maybe they originated from there ? The hamster has died, so the cage has been removed now.
I left out the water dishes yesterday while baking them and cleaned everything in the viv again, I'm abut to check the water dishes now, to see if anything has turned up in the dishes overnight ?
While I had all the snakes out last night, I checked them all over with a magnifying glass and absolutely nothing was on them, I bet my big eyes were a scary sight for them lol.
I will update after and thankyou for your help :)
|
0.0.1 Amel
0.0.1 Snow
1.1.0 Bloodred/diffussed
1.0.0 English Mastiff x Rottweiller |
|
|
|
smart bunny
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
5091 Posts |
Posted - 24/09/2012 : 20:56:10
|
| Lol at giant eyes staring at your snakes!! Glad to hear they seem clear - personally I would leave on kitchen roll for a little while longer just to be on the safe side and remove all wood items from the viv as that's where mites lay their eggs. Sounds like you'll be fine though :) |
|
|
|
|
scorpyshake
Egg
United Kingdom
87 Posts |
Posted - 25/09/2012 : 11:00:33
|
quote:
Originally posted by smart bunny
Lol at giant eyes staring at your snakes!! Glad to hear they seem clear - personally I would leave on kitchen roll for a little while longer just to be on the safe side and remove all wood items from the viv as that's where mites lay their eggs. Sounds like you'll be fine though :)
 I'm keeping them on kitchen roll anyway until they have big enough poops to spot easily lol, I checked them all last night before feeding, and there is no sign of anything, the wooden items have been soaked for 18 hrs + and baked in the oven for about 4 hrs, I shall continue to monitor them though, then reintroduce there stuff back to them and continue monitoring :) |
0.0.1 Amel
0.0.1 Snow
1.1.0 Bloodred/diffussed
1.0.0 English Mastiff x Rottweiller |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Are they Mites ?
