rat bug ??

[captainmorgan]

I'm sure this has been asked once or twice before....but have you ever fed your snake a P/K rat and noticed bugs moving on it? I mean, My snake was eating away and my wife said she saw little brown bugs moving around. Sure enough lil brown bugs that looked to be to big to be a mite and to small to be a tick were moving around. I know they're not ticks but not sure if they were mites. Anyone know what I"m seeing? And if these bugs are ingested can they cause worm problems. One more thing. While eating I noticed blood pooling up at the bottom of the snakes jaw. He was tilted sideways sort of and he had his bottom jaw going right and top going left...that's how I saw the blood. Is this from the rat, OR FROM MY SNAKE???!!! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img]


[addsig]

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

[Dr.Oviparous]

I'm not sure about the bugs???? but I would guess the blood is probably from your rat. open up your snakes mouth ( or have a vet do it if you're not sure how) and make sure everything is alright in there, just my .02 -Juggalo
[addsig]

[eddie]

The blood is most likely from the rat, since it was a fresh kill and still had some easy to move blood, along with the snake biting it, allowed for holes from the snakes teeth, which broke the skin.
Bugs on the rats, outer bugs, according to most I have spoken with, are warm blooded mites and won't bother your snake.
But...when you feed pre-killed you always have a chance for internal parasites.

About the only way to reduce the odds there, is to get it eating on f/t food.
[addsig]

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

[hisba]

they were probably rat fleas or rat mites... nsaty little buggers but as far as I know, no real
reason to worry.. the bugs feed on warm blooded animals, so they shouldn't harm your
snake. If the rat was in fact dead, then the blood must have come from the rat...
[addsig]

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

[hisba]

lol eddie... there we go, posting at the same time... [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
[addsig]

[captainmorgan]

I wasn't worried about them like on the outside of the snake, they wanted to get as far away from him as possible. After I killed the second rat I froze it, to make sure they die!!! Got worried for my dogs and still am. I know I'm going to have to give them a bath tonight anyways so oh well. But I was just making sure they wouldn't lay eggs inside my snake and turn into worms or something. Kind of like how dogs get tapeworm from eating bugs and fleas and stuff outside. The snake didn't bite the rat though because it was already dead, he just ate it. But maybe the bites chugging it down Eddie. Thanks for the thoughts.... [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
[addsig]