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 Posted - 02/03/2012 : 11:49:31
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Oh **** I mean damn - sorry to hear about Ice - that's rotten luck! 
Yes it would do no harm to treat the other vivs - I've been contemplating doing this myself with my other lot but as Sulah was well away from them to begin with haven't so far.
(Erm before I go any further do please excuse the lack of commas as my comma key is for some reason not responding - anyone know how to unstick a stuck key on a computer???)
Right - back on topic. This is only a personal opinion but before moving anything out of Ice's viv I'd spray the whole setup - even substrate - in situ. Then when you do clear it out hopefully any crawly things will have been zapped rather than court the danger of spreading them further through the household. Even during the weekly clearout of already treated paper substrate and disposable cardboard hides I spray the mouth of the plastic bag they go in and take it straight out to the bin.
Callingtons' is good stuff - I think the beauty of it is that once it's sprayed there is no need to disturb the snake further - apart from water changes - until the next weekly treatment. I find that when I replace Sulah into the newly treated setup the mites fall off her; previous to last mite day (Tuesday) I'd noticed a another sprinkling; this week there have only been one or two. I need to see the viv clear for a month to be hopeful that they've gone entirely.
Also on Tuesday I noticed a distinct liveliness; she was plastered against the window tracking before going off to do some bulb-guard gymnastics - naughty girl - and then I saw that there was a huge mess to clear out. Not surprising - she's eating well and growing and despite mites is clearly a small snake in good working order so I hope the same goes for Ice and that she thrives despite the mites. I'm sure she will. Takes a lot to put a corn off its grub!
All the best and good luck with the evil little suckers! |
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Posted - 06/03/2012 : 17:57:05
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Well ...again mite day. Soon comes round!
No sprinkling of mites. A couple of black specks - but they refused to squish (I'm getting paranoid about black specks, anywhere!) The ones I found in Sulah's viv were more like tiny specks of dirt. They wouldn't squish. Mites squish, even if they're dead.
I may of course be wrong, and I went through the usual ritual.
Sulah is still eating well and growing fast. |
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Posted - 11/03/2012 : 17:30:17
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Well, Sulah has been very quiet this week, and of course I started to worry that I'd done something wrong (had I sprayed the viv too long etc.) Although a quick glance at her shedding record told me that it was highly likely that she was in blue again.
Having seen no more mites, I broke my rule of not opening her viv unnecessarily last night, and brought her out in her warm hide-of-the-week, a kitchen roll inner. She moved sluggishly, her skin very dull. Still no sign of mites. Touch wood.
Today, feeding and water change. I wiggled her small mouse about at one end of her cardboard tube. Nothing. Then a head appeared at the other end of the tube, eyes very opaque. So I'd been right, thank goodness.
I offered the mouse and she struck and coiled. The carpet feeding response! Now she's watching at the mouth of her hide, still in hunting mode. She's obviously a growing lass. Next week I'll try her with 2 small mice, and order her some rat fluffs when I refill the rodent freezer.
Touch wood, no sign of mites in the rest of the snake population. Shahi and Saada are still fasting, Surahi's broken her fast, Shiva hasn't fasted at all, and the colubrids are just being dustbins.
Everyone here at Bats' Belfry is crossing fingers, paws, tails, whatever, in the hope that we might, eventually, just be getting back to normal ...well, what approximates to normal in this madhouse lol! |
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Posted - 13/03/2012 : 15:30:54
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Mite day again - and a slight dilemma.
After treating the viv, I have to remove the water bowl for 24 hours otherwise residual fumes could contaminate it.
Sulah's blue, and she needs her humidity. Can't provide it in other forms, such as misting, damp hide or flannel, as she could lick up dampness and ingest the Callingtons'. So what to do?
I still can't see any more sign of mites, so I reckon the wisest course is to delay further treatment until she's shed, which can't be long now. Refilled her water bowl and put it right underneath her IR bulb and crossing my fingers I that don't have a setback... |
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Posted - 24/03/2012 : 16:19:25
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Well, no mites have been seen since before the end of February, and I'm beginning to feel optimistic that they have gone.
Still taking precautions though.
I thought she was shedding - but no. I can't get used to those funny chondro eyes; it's hard to tell if she's opaque. Also I've hardly been handling her, so I didn't examine her close up, especially as I thought she was blue.
The day after my last post, I had a brainwave.
Her original viv (side by side with the spare viv, where I was housing her) had been Ardapped three weeks previously, hadn't it?
So why not simply move her in there? I'd removed the aspen (after treating it with Callingtons and leaving several days to minimise risk of spreading mites) but I'd left her plants, hides and vine in there, so they were Ardapped too. I reckoned no mites ought to survive in there, and she could safely have her water dish.
She was delighted; she came out of comatose snake mode and zoomed round exploring (I was able to get a good look at her underside as she climbed the window)and finally went and perched in her favourite place.
I sealed the air vents of the spare viv with gaffer tape to prevent any fumes wafting into the back of Sulah's viv, removed her kitchen paper and cardboard hides (as usual into treated, quickly knotted binbag) opened the door furthest from Sulah a few inches - and did that viv with Ardap too. It lasts 6 weeks and kills even large insects on contact.
She has never soaked since the first application of Callingtons', and has never missed a meal throughout.
Still very much on the alert, of course, checking water bowls, checking snakey bellies when I do handle (which hasn't been much because I've tried to minimise contact with all of them to prevent any nasties spreading; armchair walkies are sadly curtailed but hopefully things are looking up.)
But ...fingers still crossed ... I'm feeling now that we MITE be mite free! |
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