Moon's Graden

My new royal python has mites. He didn't appear to have them when I bought
him six weeks ago.

Could the mites have entered the house via the leopard gecko I bought two
weeks ago? Though the leo doesn't appear to have any.

I'm using T-Rex bio-mite on the snake and I have removed the substrate and
his log (which he was looking for) and put newspaper down.

What should I use to sterilise the tank once I get the mites off the snake?
Are there any products I could use, since I don't like the idea of using
bleach (however much it's diluted) in Jasper's tank.

Jool the corn, thankfully, remains mite free

I used a product called Reptile Relief on a baby Boa I got a few weeks
ago. It seems to have completely gotten rid of all mites. After I
cleaned his enclosure today, I "cleaned" it with the Reptile Relief on
all surfaces. I also wet a paper towel with the product, and let the
Boa slide through it. No sign of any mites whatsoever....and he was
pretty bad when I got him!

Roger

Wholly Cow....you mean you actually used that stuff on a living animal?!

LOL....betcha' that got your attention, didn't it.  ;-)

I personally think that Reptile Relief (De Flea) is one of the best products
out there for dealing with mites. To quote:

"Reptile Relief is the ONLY EPA-registered mite product that requires no
warnings on the label. It contains absolutely no poisons or toxins and is
pyrethrin/permethrin free to achieve results so mites can never become
resistant."

I have used this product myself, and have to say that I have had better
results than what can even be achieved with the almighty "secret weapon";
flea powder. Best of all, it is non-toxic...which makes it a bonus for
animals and their keepers alike. It is a little costly, but well worth it.

One thing most people overlook is the reptile room (or wherever you house
your animals). I strongly suggest using a bug-bomb to eradicate any mites
that may be lurking behind shelving units, etc.

***Remove all animals from the room before setting off a bug-bomb...and
remember (for you arachnid keepers)...mites are arachnids, just like
tarantulas & scorpions, and the active ingredients in bug-bombs will not
differentiate between "good" and "bad" arachnids.  Tarantulas and scorpions
have a VERY low resistance to even trace amounts of these types of
pesticides regardless of the brand name or product***

~Wade

Is it available in the UK online? I live in Ireland and the UK would be the
quickest way of getting it since I don't think there are any online pet
product stores in Ireland (and if there are, more than likely they would be
tailored more to the "cute and ***" end of the market

if you find in the UK but they wont ship, let me know and i will purchase on
your behalf and forward it.  have you tried the snake shop?

I'm in the UK and have used Frontline, as prescribed by my vet, in the past
to deal with mites and ticks. Very effective - kills the lot of the little
***s. It's nominally sold as a flea spray for cats and dogs, but can be
aopplied to snakes by spraying it on a cotton wool pad (don't spray
directly, as it's *** based) and wiping it onto the snake. The snake
should then be kept somewhere well ventilated for half an hour or so.

The application is repeated after two weeks, just to make sure.

 >used that stuff on a living animal?!
 >LOL....betcha' that got your attention,
 >didn't it. ;-)

LOL....not really. I was confident that I was using a good, safe
product, or I never would have posted about it. I haven't had mites here
in years, but I got a baby Boa from a friend that no longer wanted him,
and that ended my no-mite run. I hope none of my other snakes picked up
any from him. I caught it fast, and the Reptile Relief worked great.
Like you said, it can be a bit expensive, but well worth it if you have
a mite problem. I got mine from www.ReptileDirect.com
They usually have great prices, and accept PayPal too!

Roger