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Marion L. Janusz
Certified Reptile Specialist
.
739 Borden Rd.
Cheektowaga, NEW YORK 14227
Because RARE cannot afford to return out of town calls, please email
your request, and we will be happy to
respond to you promptly. We check our email at least twice a day.
.
.
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Feeding Red-foot and Yellow-foot tortoises
Ornate Box Turtles
Shell-Rot Revisited
GREEN IGUANA CARE SHEET
REPTILE COURSE
Convulsions in Iguanas
How to find a qualified Herp Vet
EYE PROBLEMS IN AQUATIC TURTLES
RECOGNISING VETERINARY EMERGENCIES
AN OUTLINE ON TREATING RESPIRATORY DISEASES IN CHELONIA
REFEEDING SYNDROME
KILLING REPTILE MITES
Ornate Box Turtles
Shell-Rot Revisited
GREEN IGUANA CARE SHEET
REPTILE COURSE
Convulsions in Iguanas
How to find a qualified Herp Vet
EYE PROBLEMS IN AQUATIC TURTLES
RECOGNISING VETERINARY EMERGENCIES
AN OUTLINE ON TREATING RESPIRATORY DISEASES IN CHELONIA
REFEEDING SYNDROME
KILLING REPTILE MITES
KILLING REPTILE MITES
As a reptile rehab center for the last 20 yrs, we, at R.A.R.E. have had our problems dealing with mites on our reptiles.
With over 100 animals housed at our facility at any one time, this can be a definite cause of worry and frustration.
We have researched all mite remedies on the web and everyone has turned out to be less than satisfactory.
We have always used oil to kill the mites on the animal itself and it has worked beautifully, but suffocating the mites on the animal doesn’t remedy the mites in the enclosure, mainly the substrate, wood branches, and wooden hide boxes.
We have tried freezing, baking, bleaching, no-pest strips, etc., all to no avail. Finally, after more research, I have found the perfect mite killer for the animal as well as the enclosure.
Go to your local drugstore and buy “NIX” for head lice. A 2 oz. over-the-counter bottle will cost about $10. Then buy one gallon of “distilled” water. When you get home, mix the “nix” with the gallon of water and mix thoroughly. The “Nix” is more of a crème-rinse consistency and can be tough to mix, but evidentially it mixes.
Now pour your mixture into an opaque spray bottle. (Nix mixture will lose it potency if left out in light) Remove your reptile from its enclosure and spray down completely; put reptile in a temporary enclosure while you clean its original habitat.
I would throw out all substrates and throw garbage bag outside of house. All your branches and hide boxes can be sprayed with the “nix mixture”. Wash out enclosure and spray “nix mixture” all over interior. Lay down paper towels or newspapers, spray the newspapers, set up your enclosure again and allow to dry, then return your snake to its home. DO NOT put in the water bowl, until the next day to insure that the snake does not try to soak. The next day you can put in its water bowl, and check periodically to see if you see any mites in the water. You may see a few now and then, but they will be dead.
Repeat these steps again weekly. I have only had to do it once after the initial cleaning. My reptiles are mite-free and I couldn’t be happier. There was no problem with the reptiles after this treatment. In fact, they look so much more content!!
Good luck and God Bless! RARE Mar..
We have always used oil to kill the mites on the animal itself and it has worked beautifully, but suffocating the mites on the animal doesn’t remedy the mites in the enclosure, mainly the substrate, wood branches, and wooden hide boxes.
We have tried freezing, baking, bleaching, no-pest strips, etc., all to no avail. Finally, after more research, I have found the perfect mite killer for the animal as well as the enclosure.
Go to your local drugstore and buy “NIX” for head lice. A 2 oz. over-the-counter bottle will cost about $10. Then buy one gallon of “distilled” water. When you get home, mix the “nix” with the gallon of water and mix thoroughly. The “Nix” is more of a crème-rinse consistency and can be tough to mix, but evidentially it mixes.
Now pour your mixture into an opaque spray bottle. (Nix mixture will lose it potency if left out in light) Remove your reptile from its enclosure and spray down completely; put reptile in a temporary enclosure while you clean its original habitat.
I would throw out all substrates and throw garbage bag outside of house. All your branches and hide boxes can be sprayed with the “nix mixture”. Wash out enclosure and spray “nix mixture” all over interior. Lay down paper towels or newspapers, spray the newspapers, set up your enclosure again and allow to dry, then return your snake to its home. DO NOT put in the water bowl, until the next day to insure that the snake does not try to soak. The next day you can put in its water bowl, and check periodically to see if you see any mites in the water. You may see a few now and then, but they will be dead.
Repeat these steps again weekly. I have only had to do it once after the initial cleaning. My reptiles are mite-free and I couldn’t be happier. There was no problem with the reptiles after this treatment. In fact, they look so much more content!!
Good luck and God Bless! RARE Mar..