Aussie Pythons and Snakes

Paddy · #1 16-Jun-04, 05:15 PM

i have searched through the old forums for advice on ticks and pythons. there are several suggestions for treating the enclosures with insecticides like TOD.
i noticed my water python with quite a few tiny ticks on her tonight as i was about to put her into her new enclosure, and wanted to know of any ideas you guys might have as regards soaking her etc. i noticed many people not recommending metho, but was is a better alternative?
is orange medic something that is easily available?
all help is greatly appreciated.

NoOne · #2 16-Jun-04, 05:20 PM

Good thing about ticks is they don't spread like mites, TOD is the easiest way to get rid of them, once they are gone they won't come back unless of course you live in an area with lots of ticks.

ad · #3 16-Jun-04, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paddy

is orange medic something that is easily available?

Orange Medic is a great natural product for removing mites etc.
Beware of the Tea Tree Orange Medic - It will kill you snake.
Only buy the regurlar/standard/original Orange Medic.
The label clearly states if it has tea tree and I think they call it Orange Medic Plus. You can get it from chemists, they sell it as a head lice treatment so dont rely on them to give you the correct one, both work ok on humans.

When the reptile mag did a story on orange medic they neglected to say that, fairly important I think.

Paddy · #4 16-Jun-04, 05:49 PM

thanks for your help guys, will give it a go and hopefully i can get rid of them quickly!
thanks again,
paddy

JunglePython · #5 16-Jun-04, 06:13 PM

how did your snake get ticks?
Did you just buy it?

Paddy · #6 16-Jun-04, 06:58 PM

not sure to be honest with you jungles,
i moved her out of her tank while i was rebuilding part of it at the weekend and placed her in a large plastic container. i didn't notice anything on her then but when i took her out tonight to re-house her i noticed a few scales looking slightly lifted and then i saw the ticks!
no i haven't just bought her, have had her over 6 months.
i have checked all the others and they seem fine, but i will look at treating them all plus their houses anyway - better safe than sorry!

instar · #7 16-Jun-04, 07:16 PM

Paddy, it might be obvious but dont pull on the tick body or the head will come off and the mouthparts remain in the snake.

Paddy · #8 16-Jun-04, 07:20 PM

i have just run out to the local late night pharmacy and got myself a thing of orange medic, i am going to spray the new enclosure thouroughly, and give her some to soak in as well before i consider putting her back into it.
the pharmacist was very helpful, told me not too worry as head lice are getting bad this time of year, had to explain it wasn't for me. not sure if he believed the old pet snake with ticks story!!!!!!!

peterescue · #9 16-Jun-04, 09:40 PM

DILUTE the orange medic. I use 1:10.
Dont soak in it, just wipe it on.
I would remove the ticks.
Peter

NCHERPS · #10 16-Jun-04, 09:52 PM

Paddy,
How do you reckon your snake got the Ticks?
Do you let it have a roam in the garden, or is is a new purchase ?
Have you recently put some rocks or branches in the viv from the garden?
You need to establish where they have come from. Ignore much of above, I just noticed your earlier replies! LOL!

To treat I would remove the ticks by using liquid parafin on the tick, soak a cotton bud and place it on the tick covering completely, do all the ticks and then put the snake back in the viv with no sustrate other than white paper, watch as the ticks fall off harmlessly and remove.
As has been stated, when removing with tweezers you risk leaving head/mouth parts in the snake, which can cause infection.

Once the snake is free of all the adults, use TOD or I have used 'Frontline' flea spray, the TOD you just spray and leave, making sure to remove the water(Important), good to kill stuff in the viv and on the snake, the Frontline is good also, but you just wipe over the snake after spraying onto a cloth. You can spray it into the viv to, but you have to wipe off the excess afterwards, can be time consuming and messy.
Both have been tried and tested safely, but the TOD, would be the preference as it is quicker and easier.

Repeat after 7-10 days incase of egg's that have hatched, TOD and others don't have much effect if any on the egg's of external parasites.

Hope it helps.

Neil

Bryony · #11 16-Jun-04, 10:00 PM

there is safe ways to remove ticks as peterescue would know but it is important to remove them intact other wise the head stays in and it can get infected and they (the ticks) still 'inject' and hold on

peterescue · #12 17-Jun-04, 08:18 AM

Neil, parrafin referred to in overseas publications is kerosene. I dont recommend that you use this.
I have tried the product called liquid parrafin from the chemists here in Aus and found it totally useless. It is not kerosene.

JunglePython · #13 17-Jun-04, 08:43 AM

have you had any wild snakes come into contact with your collection?

NCHERPS · #14 17-Jun-04, 08:46 AM

Peter,
Believe me the product I am talking about is from the chemist and is not Kerosene, It is liquid parafin and I have found it to work very well if you have covered the tick entirely including as close to the head and mouth as you can.
I have never heard of Kerosene being used and I am from oversea's.
Peter, I speak from Personal experience from using on many occasions, not just from trying on one occasion.

Neil

instar · #15 17-Jun-04, 10:03 AM

I have heard of vaseline having the same affect if applied and left overnight. basically smothering the ticks. Also heard some pretty wild ideas for removing ticks, which i wont mention here for fear of someone trying them and inadvertantly doing harm. I think vaseline would be relatively harmless, if it worked.
safest bet might be letting your vet remove them, they must know how and have done it enough to establish a harmless and affective technique.