Not Happy

[LooseAFur]

So all the happiness I had from getting this great animal has worn off. The new GTP....has mites...im beyond mad.

[nitram]

thats a bummer. good luck getting rid of them. i hope the process is as quick and stress free to the newcomer as possible.

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[Jenny06]

that really sucks, ill be emailing that person you got it from ASAP.

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[nitram]

i think if i ever got a snake in with ticks id send it back.... dont wanna deal with anyone else's mess. but im harsh like that.

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[LooseAFur]

Originally Posted by Jenny06

that really sucks, ill be emailing that person you got it from ASAP.

Sent it as soon as I saw them...no response

I wont be doing business with Underground Reptiles EVER again, and I shouldnt have in the first place. When you get an animal from someone it should be healthy. Period. This is just terrible business.

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[LooseAFur]

Upon further inspection of the box and bag the snake came in...I found NO trace of mites. This leads me to believe that the mites possibly came from the substate I used. Coconut Fiber from the pet store. I usually bake all my substrate and I should have this time. So if this is the case I would like to publicly apologize to Underground Reptiles.

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

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[AGActaeonia]

The snake may have been carrying mite eggs in the corners of its mouth, the rims of its eyes, its pits, beneath its subcauds.

I've never heard of a situation - proven beyond the shadow of a doubt - that the bagged - from the pet-store - substrate was carrying parasites. Not to say it hasn't happened, but personally, I've never heard any conclusive information.

Someone's always buying a bag of cypress at a garden store or the like, and, not wanting to sound like an idiot, blames it on the pet-store after they realize how common it is.

Who's the manufacturer and what was it?

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

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[LdyDrgn]

You are more likely to get mites from substrate purchased at a pet store than you are from that purchased at a garden or home improvement center. Reason being, there are reptiles at the pet store that may be carrying mites... those mites could use the substrate as a vector.

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

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[AGActaeonia]

With the exception of bags ripped, and I'm talking about a vacuum-sealed bag, how do mites get in to them?

...And on a side-note, Loose, I noticed you'd said you usually bake your substrates. As I'm sure it's since occurred to you - and this should be a lesson to anyone else reading: never take anything for granted.

It's a huge pain, but everyone should follow basic protocol.

Wherever you get your substrate, bake it (if applicable) and pre-treat it before introducing a new snake. If mites turn up, then you can at least be 98% sure it didn't come from your setup.

I've never had mites personally, but I've got a few bottles of Provent-A-Mite and Reptile Relief spray just in case. One needs use it on their enclosures in pre-treatment and maintenance before there is a need to use it on your snakes.

I've found this useful.

Dealing with Snake Mites

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

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[Sakara]

I deff. got mites after getting a bag of Aspen at a show. last time i ever used anything other then newspaper...

hopefully you get them knocked out quick! they are annoying but not the end of the world I've always used Nix to treat for them and it's worked for me

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

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[AGActaeonia]

Originally Posted by Sakara

I deff. got mites after getting a bag of Aspen at a show.

Yeah, this [shows] we've talked about, you and I. I can see that easily enough, especially if the aspen's in the brown packaging - I've at least - always seen at shows and mom and pop pet-shops.

With few exceptions, I buy all of my substrates online (Pet Supplies | Online Pet Supply Store | Discount Pet Supplies & Products | Pet Mountain). I'd be pretty interested to find out they keep live reptiles at their distribution center, associated parasites of which possibly being brought in on my purchases.

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

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[LooseAFur]

Yeah i will be administering nix treatments starting tomorrow.

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[nitram]

are there other snakes you keep with the same substrate? did they get the mites?

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

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[LooseAFur]

No i use paper for everyone. I was doing a naturalistic setup for this one. But like Aron said, mite eggs arent visible and mites can seem to pop up out of nowhere on a new aquisition. Ive dealt with mites before and its not the end of the world, just frustrating is all.

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

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