mitemadness

Welcome I am the mite slayer!

** Let me start by saying I have vowed to every lizard I lost, or that suffered even
for a short time, that I would KILL every mite that I possibly can FOREVER.
The Mite Slayer has spoken, :0)

*********
After taking in some collareds, in late 2006 and doing all the right things so I
thought, like cleaning them with brand name mite sprays, isolating from my
collection for a time, cleaning wounds I thought were from fighting,,,ot a real
knock down PUNCH.

** Snake mites began to appear. Not only on the rescues, but my collection, in
which some of my lizards even free roamed in the reptile room. This was as an
exhausting Nightmare. Never had I encountered these evil lil creatures in all my
years working with reptiles. Cleaning , scrubbing tanks, furniture, tossing wood
items, dismantling my entire reptile room, cleaning a zillion lizards, was
UNBELIEVABLE to say the least.

Photo: Mites have done some
damage to this guys eye area and
face. You can see if you look closely
the scales are roughed up, and
rawish looking, a crusty appearance.
The lizard looks very weak.

Photo: This is a beautiful yellowhead male that was sent with
mites, he is in such a weakened condition, anemic.

Photo 1 * Mite vacating tail scales after
being treated.
After reading that these nasty things
leave the tanks at night and can travel
in the room and lay eggs   elsewhere
creating MORE blood sucking
monsters,   that at least three of the 5
stages are microscopic, I declared
WAR...Madnessg lost some of my scaly
friends from the stresses, and affects
of these nasty parasites ( cause
extreme discomfort, enema, weakness,
and even death)   I went into the "
Mite Madness Mode".

Photo 2    *    Extreme mite damage

Never say Never, be watchful... I have
never in 10 years had any snake mites,
don't own snakes,separatefelt I did a
good job cleaning so forth when they
arrived, kept them separate, but never
took the time to learn about snake
mites,   and how they lay the eggs and
can appear later. Now I stand on guard,
never taking anything for granted.
Check your lizards vent areas, and ears,
and yes even their eyes, in between
toes, these things are NASTY

Photo 3 * Red Mites

Also some wild caughts arrive with
bright red mites, most of us are more
familiar with these as we see many wild
caught lizard photos where they are
quite noticeable. These are often seen
in tiny spaces called mite pockets.
Mites are mites, does not matter to me
what the color, they are all EVIL
creatures, no place for them. :0(

Photo 4 * Mites made this guys head a
meal. This guy arrives not feeling so
well.

After some oil treatments, the skin
lifted from this poor guys head and this
is what was under there. The mites had
been embedded under here and had
been using this guy for their meals. I
NEVER saw any, just rough scroungy
looking scales, until the skin came off.

Signs of Mites / Lizard behavior
*******************************
One major sign is a lethargic, weak, thin lizard that does not bask at all or only brief periods, does not
eat, stays on cool side and hangs head, eyes closed, general poor condition, extreme
weakness/depression.

Sores, roughed up looking scales, gnawed looked, raw, reddened looking scales.   Brown crusty or
brownish blistery looking spots on scales, or vent area.   Sores, or crusty looking appearance in corners
of mouth, sore red feet/ in between toes, sores on tails.    Actual mites seen of course. Mites can be
blackish/brownish,,ed, white/tannish , can be as tiny a period at the end of a sentence, and they are the
ones you can see.    Some stages, and there are 5 are microscopic, egg, larva, protonymph,
deutonymph, and adult I will include a link on the stages.

                                   Suspect Mites?

*** MITE INSPECTION , TEST, - I would recommend to everyone take a minute to do a mite
inspection. MANY people say, I don't see mites, well I say CHECK anyway, this way......

Get a magnifying glass, some mineral oil, even olive oil, hold the collared in your palm tummy up, pour
some oil on the white tummy, smear it around, get your magnifying glass and just observe a few minutes,
see if you begin to notice any blackish/ tannish or reddish spots appearing from the scales. These will
look tiny like "pepper" size.

Some Tips, Things I have Learned That Help Or Do Not Work
********* ********************************************

After trying things, reptile relief, named brand sprays for the room, and cages that can be harmful if
not used properly. I found that these were okay for "small problems" or a few lizards you bring in.   But
was not sufficient for a LARGE problem, consisting of many, many lizards. Some use it on a few
lizards, and have had GOOD success. *** I also use it on just a few lizards, or as a maintenance
every so often in case anyone has a couple or anyone came in with a few red mites.

***Lizards can also be bathed in providone iodine solution to help heal any mite bites/sores, Add
enough to water so it looks like a weak tea.

Caution - Olive oil, baby oil and mineral oils are very good for suffocating mites when you have a few
lizards that are infested, but    it takes alot to do an entire collection, and maybe many times. Also this
must be washed off next day.   I even lost a young lizard from the oil.   So be careful do not smother the
lizard in oil.   Oil can be harmful, and cause severe DEHYDRATION/ suffocation to the lizard, if not
washed off.

Always, keep any new lizards in a separate area from your other reptiles/ quarantine time at least 30 to
60 days.   AND treat the new arrivals last, after taking care of your healthy lizards.   Wash hands well
after handling new arrivals, their caging, furniture, until they are mites are eradicated.   Mites get a
welcomed ride on you, to their new meal.

             UPDATED

** An important thing to remember is these mites crawl high up to lay eggs, or out of tank, so I always
spray and scrub the screened lids each time the tanks are done too.

***** I ALWAYS make sure there is plenty of water available for my lizard/s or give by dropper if
need be, but keep hydrated, especially while using this spray wash.

One more major thing, whenever your lizards are treated for mites, some may tend to sit motionless,
eyes closed,a daze or sick.   Most snap out of this within a couple hours or by next day when they feel
better.    The reason being... mites inject Toxins when they fall off/ dying, being killed, and the lizard is
feeling the effects.    Other lizards seem to PERK up immediately after I use the spray wash. And
some lizards are just in terrible shape when arriving and sadly some will perish.   But we have to help
all that we can.

UPDATE : I apologise but too many people emailed with questions about the
wash I had used, and just did not seem to know what I was talking about as far as
external use only. Maybe they did not read... Some just did not have the time to
watch and make sure no one became dehydrated (as I really keep an eye on that
whenever I have any sick lizards, so I did not think it smart to leave the info on
here. Anyway I have decided to not have any kind of wash listed because I do
not want anyone to "misuse it internally or harm their animals", I would feel
terrible if that happened.

I suggest if you have mites on your lizards to keep it simple, maybe a tad of mild
dish soap in some water and then rinse well.   OR soak any lizards with mites or
sores in povodine iodine solution.

Cleaning their tanks, furniture and the area that you keep the tanks in is a big
plus.   Vacuum daily as well, or damp mop tile floor.

** ALSO - I said earlier I tossed any wood, or limbs that may have been in the
tanks and replaced with washable items.