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Kath
Yearling
United Kingdom
697 Posts |
 Posted - 25/11/2011 : 21:19:01
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Hi,
I'm really worried about Cornelius. His eyes were blue yest but look ok now. He kept hidden all yest & just popped his head out of his hide 10mins ago.
My OH called me over & said there's a tiny black thing crawling round Corny's eye & on his nose it looks like he's starting to shed.
Have read topics on here & in my book about treatment of mites but to be honest, I'm shaking & feeling sick writing this because I'm dead worried.
Book said not to do anything yet whilst he's in shed & then listed ways to treat them. He hasn't been in his water bowl soaking & we haven't noticed any mites before. We've had him for 6wks now. (Could have always had them but never seen them before.
My OH has just got 1 off him & said there's about 2 others but could be more. They are tiny!! Tough to squash!!
Was wondering how he has got them?? & any straight forward advice would be great! I feel so guilty...  |
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Katie.Dublin
Sub Adult
Ireland
1560 Posts |
Posted - 25/11/2011 : 21:30:01
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First things first. Strip the viv down and put him on kitchen roll. Then just give him a cardboard hide in both ends. Next you need to think about snakie himself. Im pretty sure there's a mite sticky floating around with several different removal methods.
Edit. http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7957
There's another sticky on the frontline method too. |
     
0.1 normal (Miami) - Hugo
0.1 hypo Motley - Spunky
0.1 MBK - Tequila. RIP
Horses, bearded dragons, a red tailed boa constrictor, a tortoise, a cat and a dog |
Edited by - Katie.Dublin on 25/11/2011 21:31:39 |
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Kath
Yearling
United Kingdom
697 Posts |
Posted - 25/11/2011 : 21:39:02
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| Thanks Katie. In this book I have it says don't do any sort of treatment if they're in shed mode. Is this right? |
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Katie.Dublin
Sub Adult
Ireland
1560 Posts |
Posted - 25/11/2011 : 21:43:07
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| Possibly, but i'd be inclined to act straight away. I'm sure somebody will correct me if im wrong though! |
0.1 normal (Miami) - Hugo
0.1 hypo Motley - Spunky
0.1 MBK - Tequila. RIP
Horses, bearded dragons, a red tailed boa constrictor, a tortoise, a cat and a dog |
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mikerichards
don't say the 'M' word!
United Kingdom
2901 Posts |
Posted - 26/11/2011 : 14:00:53
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Can you get pics? Mites arent tiny unless they are very very young, ie less than 24 hours old. Dont bother with any chemical treatments on the snake, the viv is fine, but nothing on the snake. Soak the snake in a tub with about 6 inches of water mixed with fairy liquid, dont worry about the whole water halfway up the side of the snake, i can assure you that its a worry that is unnecessary.
Leave the snake in the water for about 20 minutes to half an hour, make sure the water temp is around 28-30 degrees.
Clean the viv out whilst soaking the snake, use anything you like, as long as its properly cleaned and any chemical residue is removed, including any vapours (smell). If i was you, i would use frontline on the viv, either that or another strong flea or fly spray, mites are quite susceptible to either.
Assuming the snake is your only reptile, you will be able to clear the mites within days using this method, and you will put the snake in no harm from chemicals (fairy liquid is harmless even when ingested, i have been using for years with no ill effects) |
Location : Worthing, West Sussex
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Kath
Yearling
United Kingdom
697 Posts |
Posted - 26/11/2011 : 17:51:02
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Hi Mike, thx for the advice. He did shed this morn so, going off the sticky that's on here, about an hour ago we bathed him in warm water at 28 degrees for 10mins with a little bit of olive oil in it.
We didn't get any mites in water but only what I could describe as 3 tiny egg sacs with minute brown dots in them.
Sorry, no pics of them but we have squashed all ones we've seen & when he was being bathed, none went upto his head.
Last night, after we'd seen the first one, I got rid of all the substrate, cleaned his fauna, put both his hides in freezer along with his plants then just put kitchen roll down, water bowl & 2 cardboard tubes. We've also put rest of his substrate in freezer.
I've also ordered some spray off the internet that is for treatment of mites. |
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lotabob
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
4334 Posts |
Posted - 26/11/2011 : 18:11:38
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Snake mites don't lay their eggs on the snake. Are you sure its mites?
Also freezing the substrate wont kill anything, they can survive wild winters so your freezer wont do enough, you have to cook them to kill them. |
Anery Corn snake SPOT. Royal Python, DUKE. Hogg Island Boa, SANKE. Albino House Snake, HAL.
Harlequin Crested Gecko HARLEY
Albino Horned Frog WAKA
Chilean Rose Tarantula TRIXIE. Brazilian Salmon Pink Bird-eating Tarantula SAM. Orange Baboon Tarantula BORIS.
Giant Asian Forest Scorpion, SALLY.
Giant African Land Snails, SHELDON & MICHELLE.
Budwing Mantis, MAIA
Dubia Roach Colony. Silkworm Colony. Mealworm Colony. Waxworm Colony. Fruit Beetle Colony.
MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL http://www.youtube.com/user/alocheeky |
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mikerichards
don't say the 'M' word!
United Kingdom
2901 Posts |
Posted - 26/11/2011 : 23:39:50
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Snake mites DO lay eggs on the snake, usually around the cloaca. Although, from what you describe, it doesnt sound like mites to me.
Mites dont create egg sacs, normally, normally they lay eggs off the snake, they lay around 200 eggs somewhere dark and after 24 hours they hatch, nothing i have seen or read implies anything to do with egg sacs. My opinion, olive oil in the water is a messy and not so effective method.
The oil coats the snake and suffocates the mites on the body, fairy liquid destroys the surface tension of the water, meaning that the mites cannot trap an air bubble to the tiny hairs on their body and carry on breathing for a while.
hers a pic i took of a mite under a microscope, clearly shows the hair.
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Location : Worthing, West Sussex
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Kath
Yearling
United Kingdom
697 Posts |
Posted - 27/11/2011 : 11:39:36
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Thx for your replies but now we're wondering exactly what these creatures were crawling on his head & body! We checked on him last nigth & again this morning & can't see anymore of them.
We'll try bathing him again on Tues but use fairy liquid this time. How much would you suggest putting in the water? Thx. |
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mikerichards
don't say the 'M' word!
United Kingdom
2901 Posts |
Posted - 27/11/2011 : 14:16:18
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| not much, i use a generous squirt! |
Location : Worthing, West Sussex
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Red123
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
2030 Posts |
Posted - 30/11/2011 : 14:23:23
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I have no experience of mites but thought this may be of help, you never know.
I thought that we had mites on the snakes only last week. Didn't see any on the acutal snake but they were found in the water bowl so naturally assumed the worst, mites. Turns out that they were in fact Springtails! They were living in the substrate. Don't know what substrate you use but might be worth checking it. I had a bale of auboise and it was full of them  . I know its easy to panick and assume the worst but its not alwasy the case. |
Corn Snake
, 1.0.0 Amel (Stan),
Royal Pythons
1.0.0 Normal (Nigel)
1.0.0 Albino (Tony)
Boa Constrictor Imperator
0.1.0 (Agatha)Western Hognose
0.1.0 Normal (Stevie)
0.0.1 Schneider Skink (George)
1.0.0 Extreme Blonde Harlequin Crested Gecko (Bert)
4 GALS.
Tarantulas
Red Rump (B. Vagans) Jo.
Chaco Golden Knee (G. pulchripes) Charlie, Greenbottle Blue (C. cyaneopubescens) Gus, Honduran Curly Hair ( B. albopilosum) Titch, Mexican Fire Leg (B. boehmei), Salmon Pink Bird Eater(L. parahybana), Fort Hall Baboon (P. Lugardi) Blanche, Stout Leg Baboon (E. Pachypus) Graham, Chilean Rose (G. Rosea) Glen.
Border collie x (BoB), 2 Cats (Lucky & Dip), 17 Goldfish, and The Dubia Family |
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Kath
Yearling
United Kingdom
697 Posts |
Posted - 30/11/2011 : 14:42:38
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Hi Red, thx for replying.
Substrate we use is Exo Terra Forest Bark. We have it in freezer at mo to try to kill owt that's on it but have been told that won't get rid of them & to cook it instead.
He's been on kitchen roll tho since we saw them & just cardboard rolls for hides.
He shed about 2 days after finding them on him & about 7 came off with that. Never seen any in his water bowl & we haven't seen any since weekend.
Decided not to bathe him again so not to cause him undue stress.
Since we bathed him Sat, he's been a bit reluctant to come onto our hands when we go to handle him but I'm sure he'll warm to us again soon knowing he's not having another bath!! |
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Red123
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
2030 Posts |
Posted - 30/11/2011 : 14:49:44
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Might be worth having a look here.
http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=20714
I don't think anyone have been found on the actual snake though I see no reason why they shouldn't or couldn't be found on them. |
Corn Snake
, 1.0.0 Amel (Stan),
Royal Pythons
1.0.0 Normal (Nigel)
1.0.0 Albino (Tony)
Boa Constrictor Imperator
0.1.0 (Agatha)Western Hognose
0.1.0 Normal (Stevie)
0.0.1 Schneider Skink (George)
1.0.0 Extreme Blonde Harlequin Crested Gecko (Bert)
4 GALS.
Tarantulas
Red Rump (B. Vagans) Jo.
Chaco Golden Knee (G. pulchripes) Charlie, Greenbottle Blue (C. cyaneopubescens) Gus, Honduran Curly Hair ( B. albopilosum) Titch, Mexican Fire Leg (B. boehmei), Salmon Pink Bird Eater(L. parahybana), Fort Hall Baboon (P. Lugardi) Blanche, Stout Leg Baboon (E. Pachypus) Graham, Chilean Rose (G. Rosea) Glen.
Border collie x (BoB), 2 Cats (Lucky & Dip), 17 Goldfish, and The Dubia Family |
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Kath
Yearling
United Kingdom
697 Posts |
Posted - 30/11/2011 : 15:00:36
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Thx Red, just had a look at link u suggested. They defo weren't springtail, wanted to check them too.
Just keep fingers crossed & keep checking him over & hope no more appear. |
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Sta~ple
qeeun speler
United Kingdom
6129 Posts |
Posted - 30/11/2011 : 15:28:24
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| Springstails are whitey, sandy colour not black that I know of. Not to say they don't come in black or other wood eating bugs don't I just don't know of any. The reason why they wuldn't be found on the snake is because they don't live off snakes blood and live off "bad" wood and moist of which, snake is not made from. Although I have found some on the face of my snake before this was like 3 and this is because he digs a lot near the water bowl. |
   
A very special super, duper thanks for K :3 |
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Kath
Yearling
United Kingdom
697 Posts |
Posted - 30/11/2011 : 15:53:15
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Yep, my OH got about 3 off his face. Week before we found them on him, he had been doing some digging which he doesn't normally do & we thought that was because he was nearly ready to shed.
Anyway, hopefully they've gone for good, whatever they were!! |
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Mites! Help!
