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[Pythoninfinite]

OK L_I_T_D, if they're mites, and it looks like they are, they're purplish-black mostly, and about the size of a pinhead, and you can see them moving when they're on a pale surface, and as I said before they'll leave a smear when you wipe them on a paper towel. Their faeces are whitish, and this can give your snake a pepper & salt look if the snake is heavily infested. If your snake has them, so will the cage and all it's substrate and decorations, branches and all cracks & crevices. There will be eggs in those places as well, so you'll have to treat not only the snake, but also the cage and it's entire contents. I haven't had to treat for mites for years, but the current preferred treatment is a product called Top-of-Descent, comes in a spray can and can be used without harm directly on the snake (very light misting) and in the cage itself. I would suggest putting the snake into a bag or pillowcase for a few hours while the cage has been fogged with TOD and left closed up to fumigate. Replace the snake into the cage, preferably on a paper substrate, and repeat in 2 weeks to kill any mites which may have hatched in the meantime. Anyone who is more familiar with current treatments please feel free to correct me, or offer alternative advice.

Get onto it pronto, they can breed into swarms in a matter of days/weeks, and will kill your snake by sheer numbers.

Jamie.