can mites jump from cage to cage?

YeaItsSlo · #1 (**permalink**) 05-16-2006, 10:56 PM

i have in one room, 4 tanks.. 1 for male boa, 1 for my female boa, 1 for my corn and 1 for my monior.. i found what i think was a mite in my corn snake cage.. i only noticed 2 of them.. i quickly took the cage and emptied it and soaked it in hot water.. i couldnt find any on the snake (corn snake) or anywhere else in the room.. is there a chance these guys can jump from cage to cage? they are kind of spaced out.. im worried..

joker_8 · #2 (**permalink**) 05-16-2006, 11:45 PM

"JUMP" Im not sure but Im pretty sure they can get there somehow. Id do a cleaning just incase. Lucily Ive never run into mites so i MAY be wrong so anyone feel free to corect me lol.

Simon · #3 (**permalink**) 05-17-2006, 11:25 AM

Mites have legs.... If it's a close distance, consider that they can get there. Do an almighty clean/disinfect and as a precaution, you may want to check the substrate you are using. Some can hide nasty little blighters like that in them. Newspaper is pretty safe though.

Keep an eye for your snakes soaking an unusual amount too.

Nexus · #4 (**permalink**) 05-17-2006, 12:40 PM

They can and will move between tanks, and will move a large distance. Their is quite a good article about the life cycle, chemical treatments and battle plan on the link below :-

http://www.vpi.com/9VPITipsAndTechs/...owTheEnemy.htm

In terms of movement this is an extract from the link above :-

At 86F, gravid engorged female mites looking for a place to lay eggs can travel at a speed of up to 8" per minute, potentially 48 feet per hour, and they may travel several hours looking for a good place to deposit eggs. Unfed females are observed to crawl up to a rate of 11" per minute. That’s 55 feet per hour! Out on a short stroll, mites can travel considerable distances from their host snakes. They easily can pass through the ventilated surface of a cage and travel to another area of a snake collection.

Cheers
Nick

RehabRalphy · #5 (**permalink**) 03-10-2007, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YeaItsSlo

i have in one room, 4 tanks.. 1 for male boa, 1 for my female boa, 1 for my corn and 1 for my monior.. i found what i think was a mite in my corn snake cage.. i only noticed 2 of them.. i quickly took the cage and emptied it and soaked it in hot water.. i couldnt find any on the snake (corn snake) or anywhere else in the room.. is there a chance these guys can jump from cage to cage? they are kind of spaced out.. im worried..

Yes its 100% possible of them getting into the other cage even if its across the house. How do I know? Because it has happened to me! Its not a good thing to get mites.

I can assure you that the snake has mites even if you cant see them. They'll get under the scales of the animal and lay there eggs, then quickly leave the animal. In a week, you'll have a mite infestation.

You need to take a trip to Wal-Mart and pick up a can of Equate Bedding Lice Treatment. I swear by this stuff. Same ingredients as provent-a-mite, but this can only costs $4.

deadliestformula · #6 (**permalink**) 03-10-2007, 10:46 PM

I would treat EVERYTHING. Visable mites or not. With Repel Permanone found in the camping center of walmart. Easy to use and cheap. Copper colored can with a blue lid. You can't go wrong.

MegF · #7 (**permalink**) 03-11-2007, 02:19 PM

You can also put a layer of vaseline around the base of your other cages. It traps the mites before they can crawl up the enclosure.

JuliusSqueezer · #8 (**permalink**) 03-11-2007, 03:25 PM

vaseline might catch some but it won't catch them all. You also transfer them on your hands and clothing unknowingly when you move about the room from cage to cage.

MegF · #9 (**permalink**) 03-11-2007, 05:44 PM

True, but it can't hurt and it's completely harmless.

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