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aimeecrr
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
17 Posts |
 Posted - 12/09/2011 : 16:40:33
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Ok everyone, got the bulb fitted, just need to get the guard and im waiting for the thermostat to be delivered. Other then that i think im all ready. Gonna get the bedding a few days before the snake, as i was told it needs to be freezed for 24 hours then defrosted for another 24 hours.
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Kelfezond
The bearded one
United Kingdom
4803 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2011 : 16:57:24
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| I've never done that with my bedding o.O |
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aimeecrr
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
17 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2011 : 16:58:59
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| Mmm thats what i was told but then again you cant always trust shops What does everyone else think? |
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Kelfezond
The bearded one
United Kingdom
4803 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2011 : 17:06:47
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| Did they give you a reason for doing that? |
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reptiledanny
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
2106 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2011 : 17:09:18
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the main reason for ever doing that is to kill any mites or things in the substrate, but i have never done that myself and dont feel the need to as i buy zoo med aspen.
if you wanted to do it you would be better putting it into the oven than freezing it as it will become lightly wet and then you will have to cook it anyway. |
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aimeecrr
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
17 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2011 : 17:14:59
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Yes the reason for it was mites, this will be my first python, still learning.
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Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2011 : 18:32:23
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If a bulb is your primary heat source then a spot bulb will be much better as it radiates the majority of the heat down rather than every which way and just makes it easier to get a heat gradient.
As above though, I dont freeze my substrate and only occasionally stick it in the oven to dry it out if its a bit wet. |
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chrisc
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
3326 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2011 : 19:54:21
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last couple of times ive bought aspen its been from p@h as its the closest place to me. i freeze it over night then let it defrost naturally, never had a problem with it being wet.
i do this because i personally dont trust them much |
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sandi
Sub Adult
787 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2011 : 20:26:33
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Any shop that is suspicious that mites are in the bedding shouldnt be selling it in my opinion. Hope im wrong in their reasons.
Apart from that... your good to go! cool! |
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Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2011 : 20:38:36
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| Freezing substrate does NOT kill mite infestations. Even if it does kill the mite which it might not the eggs just go into a dormant state. Cooking and chemicals are the only way. |
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sandi
Sub Adult
787 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2011 : 20:42:31
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| Good point! |
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n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2011 : 20:58:15
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I confess I'm a little puzzled by the substrate/mite business. (Though I'd be the first to admit that it isn't hard to confuse me lol!)
Snake mites live on their hosts. Snakes. I know at certain stages of their development they can be airborne, but nevertheless, if they get their nourishment from snakes, they're surely not going to be found infesting the mills or works that manufacture aspen etc. Because there would be no sustenance there. Unless of course there are wild snakes in the area where the aspen is harvested. Even so the aspen wouldn't provide much to munch on for the hungry mite.
I don't know whether aspen bedding is sterilised in any way before packaging. In a reptile store, yes, I suppose it or its packaging might be vulnerable to floating mites if the store didn't have good standards - but so might anything else - a snake hide, a tub of fishfood, a dog lead, a pack of cat litter ...perhaps better to avoid big chains who sell reps and who might not be too particular/clued up.
Whatever you bought from them might have to be sterilised the minute you got it in the door ...so, is aspen and the like really likely to be specifically infested with a mite that lives on snake blood, unless the pack of aspen has actually been in a store where the snakes are infested and a few of the critters have stowed away on the aspen package??
Just a thought, correct me if I'm wrong ...
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Edited by - n/a on 12/09/2011 21:00:19 |
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Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2011 : 22:05:46
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Cooking substrate is to stop infestation of other bugs and stuff that might be present but mites have to be round snakes though the only part of the lifecycle of the mite that is on the snake is the feeding protonymph, all other stages of the life cycle occur in the substrate.
This article pretty much gives all (and more) of the info you'll ever need about mites
http://www.vpi.com/publications/the_life_history_of_snake_mites
But BATS like you say the subtrate has to be near an infestation to become infested itself. |
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aimeecrr
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
17 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2011 : 22:30:53
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| So how would i need to proceed? Cook or defrost? |
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Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2011 : 23:16:25
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| You don't need to do either but if you want to do something then cook. |
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n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2011 : 23:28:38
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Ha - yes, I wondered - I mean, there are a lot of funny little (harmless) bugs that can infest substrate, especially dampish orchid bark, and you WOULDN'T collect natural wood from areas known to be inhabited by wild snakes, not even if you intended to bake those branches asap but I did wonder about the possibility of real snake mites actually infesting commercial substrate. That mite site is great, though, Bob - have been looking for a really detailed account (though hope never to have to refer to it!) Will bookmark, thanks. |
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Royalbob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
1115 Posts |
Posted - 13/09/2011 : 00:39:28
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| white paper or kitchen roll. doesn't need freezing or cooking or spot cleaning. but i understand it's not the most attractive substrate. |
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boomslang
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
2025 Posts |
Posted - 13/09/2011 : 19:39:43
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quote:
Originally posted by reptiledanny
the main reason for ever doing that is to kill any mites or things in the substrate, but i have never done that myself and dont feel the need to as i buy zoo med aspen.
if you wanted to do it you would be better putting it into the oven than freezing it as it will become lightly wet and then you will have to cook it anyway.
Think this problem mainly happens in the bark stuff.I've seen cheaper brands,even zoo med bark bags,soaking wet and full of bugs lol.
Which would make you think,was there stock left outside in the rain etc etc.
anyway mites can and do get into substrate,All the stories ive seen,are the bark and not aspen. |
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Tylersmatrix
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
16 Posts |
Posted - 14/09/2011 : 09:30:51
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| How many people use aspen?- my local rep store advised not to use it as it is too dry for royal and to use orchid bark instead. Mine is currently on aspen as thats how i bought him but he is due a clean out soon. |
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n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 14/09/2011 : 11:05:28
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I use aspen and my lot shed fine. Saada arrived with a viv full of orchid bark and I confess I didn't like it (just personal preference.) I'm thinking of switching my youngest corn to kitchen roll till she's bigger, as her tiny little dumps are impossible to track down in aspen, otherwise, apart from the messiness (it gets everywhere! Crunchy socks!)and the bore of bulk storage, I like aspen.
Orchid bark is said to smell great though. |
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boomslang
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
2025 Posts |
Posted - 14/09/2011 : 19:57:07
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| I use bark in one viv,just for looks etc.rest are all aspen. |
1.0.0 pinstripe Royal Python
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1.0.0 Tamatave panther
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Topic |
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Getting there
