| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Dottyj |
Posted - 18/04/2013 : 06:59:51
Hey, sorry guys I know I keep asking lots of questions. Got up this morning to find dexter in his water bowl all chilled out looking. Is this normal? His temps are spot on so I know he is not to hot. He was full cleaned on Wedensday,he has a damp hide. And managed a small hold of him ,and certainly never saw mites,his eyes clear and nose clear. Oh and on a good note he ate for me on Sunday night,nearly 2 and half weeks since last feed. Just never seen my corn do this. Thanks. :) |
| 10 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 21/04/2013 : 20:38:00
Did the shop offer any comp towards treatment? Shouldn't have sold an infested snake. |
| Dottyj |
Posted - 21/04/2013 : 20:18:10
Thank you so much for help, I did follow the vets advice and yes there was mites on him , tonight when I checked him there was lots of dead ones in his bowl and a few on him that just rubbed of as they were dead. He was happy to be held, so fingers crossed this is him in his usual self not grumpy. Thanks for all your help. Oh and he did come with them, as I called the shop and they are having issues with mites....  . |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 21/04/2013 : 13:48:28
Snake mites only infest snakes. They have to be around snakes to survive. Moving him away from the infested viv is actually a very good way to kill them off. No food (snake blood), no breeding, the females need the blood to make eggs. Follow the guidelines the vet gave you with frontline, it's strong stuff. If there is no mites on the snake though, I'd not treat it with that. Just the vivarium. You need to break the life cycle of the mite, this link should give you an idea of what you're up against, a few weeks treatment longer than the life cycle of the little beasts should get rid of them but vigilance is the key.
http://vpi.com/publications/the_life_history_of_snake_mites |
| Dottyj |
Posted - 20/04/2013 : 22:03:26
Thanks so much for your help. I thought that maybe when I put moss into a hide they came on that, but he prob did come with them. I bathed him last night, and stripped his viv. Chucked out his habba hut, kept his wood but they were soaked and sprayed . I have him in a smaller container the now on kitchen roll. He was bathed again tonight poor guy. Where I work there is a vet so she gave frontline spray. So I sprayed the viv again with this stuff. But I had to put 50/50 spray and water, in a tub and put over his body and rub it in. The let him wriggle through a towel. Don't know if that is correct, but that is what I got told to do. But he seemed to like the bath, and was quite chilled to be honest. He let me give him a good check over, with this stuff do I need to treat again in a few days. I just won't to do everything I can for him . And I'll keep him on kitchen roll for a while, his water bowl is big enough for him to bathe in. They are so small , and horrible.no wonder he is cranky . Thanks again for everything. X |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 20/04/2013 : 10:23:53
Oh it is rubbish that you've got a mite problem BUT its also a good thing and explains the current behaviour too so at least now you know what's going on. They are very irritating to the snake which can and does stop them feeding and makes them grumpy.
It is very likely he has had them when you brought him home, it doesn't take many to cause an infestation. The trick to getting rid is hit them hard and relentlessly until they are gone. Callingtons is a good mite treatment, strip down the vivarium throw out anything you can't boil, mites lay their eggs on stuff in the vivarium and you want rid of them. While you're stripping the vivarium give your snake a bath, this will drown any that are on him, you don't need any fancy 'tricks' water will do the job. You then spray the whole vivarium, inside and out, the area around the vivarium and any of the decor you have boiled, turn off the heat source though at the mains, Callingtons is flammable! You then leave it to dry and once it's dry you can stick your snake back. Use kitchen roll for substrate for the next few months, it makes any mites easier to see. Then you just retreat as directed on the can and keep your eyes peeled. Pop an oversized water bowl in too, even with the mites gone the damage they do is irritating and the water is soothing to them (also you will see drowned mites if they are still there).
Don't worry or panic though, they are a pain but can be got rid of, and at one point every snake owner has to deal with them, you're just getting it out the way early on. |
| chrisc |
Posted - 19/04/2013 : 22:45:01
could have come to you with mite's as when their tiny it's very difficult to see them but you could have brought them home from anywhere to be honest.
what are you using to treat him?
|
| Dottyj |
Posted - 19/04/2013 : 22:30:09
Well dexter has mites thy were in his water bowl tonight. So my Friday night as been spent cleaning and scrubbing. And treating him. Not apply. Why do they get mites. He gets full clean every week.water changed everyday. |
| Dottyj |
Posted - 18/04/2013 : 18:05:38
Just came hometofibd a huge poo in his viv yukky that's the first poo he had since I have had him. |
| richard v |
Posted - 18/04/2013 : 08:38:28
This could just be normal behaviour, after reading everything you wrote seems fine. Might just want to cool down so just double check you temps If ok would not worry too much about it. |
| Zoe |
Posted - 18/04/2013 : 08:35:00
Oscar does this when comin up to shed. Just stays in bowl for about 4 days |
