Help with mites :(

Well this is a (bad) first... got a male woma at a show a few weeks ago. He looked clean but now I just realized he's covered in mites
He sure wasn't a few weeks ago but while I've fed him and he ate OK I haven't been inspecting him too closely until now. I'm looking around online, but I'd love any advice you guys have. So far I threw out all his bedding, replaced it with paper towels. I soaked him in lukewarm soapy water for half an hour, and there were lots of dead mites in the water, but I think there are still some on him? What kind of soap should you use, I used shower wash?

I understand I need "prevent a mite", is that right? He was quarantined but I just don't know. I'd rather just treat my whole collection as if they were exposed anyway. Anyone got advice, how best to do it, what to expect? When are you "safe" again?

I'm also not sure what to do about this deal. The guy makes it sound like mites "happen" sometimes, and it was probably a baby picked up at the show, but it's no big deal. I kind of want to return the snake but the problem is it was a partial trade and I don't really want the other animals back, either, and the dude doesn't want to just give me the cash value. So now I just don't know. I guess I'd rather just hold on to this guy, but what else should I have him checked for if I do? He does eat OK. I haven't checked his poops, he was on aspen and I'd just scoop them without looking closely.

I've never dealt with this before. I'm trying not to freak out but I'm pretty upset. I also have so little time right now it's stupid, this is the last thing I wanted to deal with :/

First, prevent a mite is just for bedding/branch/cage. You can use "reptile relief" or zoo meds "jurassimite(sp) to use on the animal. Untill you get that, bathe em in warm water with Dawn. You'd want to treat everyone in your collection.

Originally Posted by Utta

First, prevent a mite is just for bedding/branch/cage. You can use "reptile relief" or zoo meds "jurassimite(sp) to use on the animal. Untill you get that, bathe em in warm water with Dawn. You'd want to treat everyone in your collection.

OK, thank you for the reply! How often should I be bathing them...?
I will order the reptile relief/jurassimite, too.

Id bathe them every few days.

google "nix snake mites" for a treatment using the head lice shampoo NIX. Follow the directions exactly.

You can spray Black Knight directly on the snake....or at least you could with the old BK. Its the best mite solution on the market IMO.

you can by the furniture spray at the store it the same ingredient but 10x cheaper. my friend puts her snakes in a tote bag with water for 24 hours they keep there head up and it kills all the mights

jurassimite for everything. works awesome and is non-toxic.

what show did u get it at? all animal expo? good luck.. Hope u had it in quarantine

He was quarantined but I'm still kinda freaked out... waiting for my provent-a-mite to arrive :/
He did seem clean initially and to the vendor's credit it took a month before he had a serious problem... anyone know what kind of mite load is necessary for an infestation after one month? Could it have been a few eggs picked up accidentally, or would he have had to had an established mite problem?

I got him at the midwest reptile show. The vendor made it sound like mites are just something that happens if you keep snakes but fffff, not if I can help it. I've been soaking him and cleaning out his cage entirely daily and it's certainly reduced the load, but he still obviously had mites.

Uhg. Honestly, tho it's been a wake up call for me. These animals are just too much stress and I think I'm gonna get out of it. Keep a few pets and just stop everything else.

Hoping to return this guy... he is pretty and all but I just don't want to do this anymore.