how exactly do snakes get mites ?

[el_nico]

i dont know how mites come about. are there certain precautions i should take ?
i just dont want anything to happen to mine

thanks

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

[pathfinder36]

The most common ways are:
*Brining them in with a new addition to your collection.
*Purchasing live rodents from a pet store & feeding without first killing and freezing the prey.
*Brought in with the substrate

Counter measures to these issues:
*Quarentine(keep them FAR away from anything in your existing collection) all new critters for at least a month to threee months. Make sure they aren't sick or carrying mites\parasites.
*Feed frozen\thawed. NEVER feed live. Fresh whacked is ok if you're trying to get a reluctant feeder to eat, but there you have the possibility to bring in mites.
* -Pre-treat loose substrate with Repel .05% permethrin
-If you would like to avoid chemicals, bake the substrate at 250deg for about 15 minutes before you use it.
-Don't like cooking your substrate? Try freezing it for about three days instead.
-Want to avoid all the hassle of loose substrate? Use paper products instead. Newspaper, Paper towels, Butcher paper, ect. These don't carry mites, easy to clean, cheap to replace.

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

[el_nico]

o well thats good then because i dont have any other snakes and i buy frozen mice and i use paper towels for substrate

are there any other ways other than that though ?

i just want to be sure

[Dbutton]

Freezing substrate will not get rid of all the bugs. Only a few of the weaker warm climate ones. Most bug larva and eggs can withstand freezing temps for long periods and some can actually be frozen themselves for months and then imerge when the temps reach a more bug friendly temprature like insde your cage.

[pathfinder36]

Well, they could just migrate into your home and find their way into your snakes enclosure. That's not very likely though. Even if that did happen, they are easily treatable.

[el_nico]

lol alright thanks man

[pathfinder36]

Keep in mind, what David said is very true. Fortunately, snakes mites aren't super resistant to freezing temps... even the eggs. They can withstand it for a short period of time, but 3 days in the freezer should crystallize the minute amount of H2O in the egg or the abdomen of the mite enough to kill it. Other bugs that come in with substrate may not die though. Aphids, fleas, misc. flies, and a bunch of others tend to be VERY resilient to any temp.

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks