Mite control

Any suggestions for mite control in feeder rat/mouse colonies?

I'm looking to purchase some mice to breed, and my worst fear is introducing mites and illness into my leo colonies...

You can use provent-a-mite. Spray some on cotton balls and let them dry then drop them in the rodent cages. They will use the cotton balls to make a nest. If you have any mites in your rodents, this will safely get rid of them and also prevent any mites in the future. These cotton balls treated with provent-a-mite will be good for 30 days....as you clean the cages, remove the cotton balls and then drop them back in. They get nasty looking but will still work. This was told to me by Bob Pounds when I asked him that very question.

Sherry Howell

My vet has ssaid that mites are VERY specific in the host they choose. Reptile mites, rodent mites human mites etc. Anyone know for sure? If so please e-mail us. Thank you.E-Mail

Originally Posted by vferra7777

My vet has ssaid that mites are VERY specific in the host they choose. Reptile mites, rodent mites human mites etc. Anyone know for sure? If so please e-mail us. Thank you.E-Mail

They may not be feeding but reptile mites can hitch a ride on rodents. Many years ago I saw mites between the toes of some feeder rodents I got from a pet store. I contacted the pet shop and they told me they wouldn't affect the reptiles. Horse pucky! It was largely due to that incident that I started breeding my own rodents.

Mites (the root cause of Scabies) and Lice are common skin parasites passed through contact with an infected person, bedding and clothing.

Mites are extremely small, wingless insects that burrow into the skin, lay eggs and cause intense itching, particularly at night. A very small zigzag blister usually shows where the mite has laid its eggs. The most common location for scabies are on the fingers, on the backs of your hands, on wrists, heels, elbows, armpits, inner thighs, under the breasts, and around the waist.

Treatment for mites / scabies consists of taking regular showers, then applying over-the-counter 5% permithrin medicated lotion to your whole body, except your head and neck. (DO NOT use scabies medicine containing lindane. It's poisonous.) Don't wash off the lotion for 8 to 12 hours. sometimes it takes 48 hours for the medicine to be effective. Frequently it takes two treatments to get rid of the Scabies mites. Because Scabies are sensitive to heat, you also can try taking a sauna. To avoid re-infection, wash the bedding and clothing of everyone in your family, or where you live, with borax, dry on the hot cycle, sterilize and iron. Vacuum your mattress as well.

Originally Posted by bluefin

Mites (the root cause of Scabies) and Lice are common skin parasites passed through contact with an infected person, bedding and clothing.

Mites are extremely small, wingless insects that burrow into the skin, lay eggs and cause intense itching, particularly at night. A very small zigzag blister usually shows where the mite has laid its eggs. The most common location for scabies are on the fingers, on the backs of your hands, on wrists, heels, elbows, armpits, inner thighs, under the breasts, and around the waist.

Treatment for mites / scabies consists of taking regular showers, then applying over-the-counter 5% permithrin medicated lotion to your whole body, except your head and neck. (DO NOT use scabies medicine containing lindane. It's poisonous.) Don't wash off the lotion for 8 to 12 hours. sometimes it takes 48 hours for the medicine to be effective. Frequently it takes two treatments to get rid of the Scabies mites. Because Scabies are sensitive to heat, you also can try taking a sauna. To avoid re-infection, wash the bedding and clothing of everyone in your family, or where you live, with borax, dry on the hot cycle, sterilize and iron. Vacuum your mattress as well.

Gee that was helpful.

Now do you have any information on reptile mites since that was the original subject?

www.mega-mites.com
Found in Reptile Magazine. Supposed to be a mite that is predatory on other mites. Sounds like a good idea. But, is it for real?

Originally Posted by coyote

www.mega-mites.com
Found in Reptile Magazine. Supposed to be a mite that is predatory on other mites. Sounds like a good idea. But, is it for real?

Real or not I wouldn't be using that method. I just don't see the point in releasing one critter into a collection in attempt to control another. Regardless of what they feed on they're still pests, and I don't want any foriegn organisms crawling around my snake cages.

Treatment for mites / scabies consists of taking regular showers, then applying over-the-counter 5% permithrin medicated lotion to your whole body, except your head and neck. (DO NOT use scabies medicine containing lindane. It's poisonous.) Don't wash off the lotion for 8 to 12 hours. sometimes it takes 48 hours for the medicine to be effective. Frequently it takes two treatments to get rid of the Scabies mites. Because Scabies are sensitive to heat, you also can try taking a sauna. To avoid re-infection, wash the bedding and clothing of everyone in your family, or where you live, with borax, dry on the hot cycle, sterilize and iron. Vacuum your mattress as well.

Originally Posted by bluefin

Treatment for mites / scabies consists of taking regular showers, then applying over-the-counter 5% permithrin medicated lotion to your whole body, except your head and neck. (DO NOT use scabies medicine containing lindane. It's poisonous.) Don't wash off the lotion for 8 to 12 hours. sometimes it takes 48 hours for the medicine to be effective. Frequently it takes two treatments to get rid of the Scabies mites. Because Scabies are sensitive to heat, you also can try taking a sauna. To avoid re-infection, wash the bedding and clothing of everyone in your family, or where you live, with borax, dry on the hot cycle, sterilize and iron. Vacuum your mattress as well.

How about you follow the subject of reptile mites?