Hypoaspis Miles: Fighting fire with fire? A natural snake mite treatment.

[SarahScales]

I am starting this thread to document my experience in trying a different alternative to snake mite treatment. As you may have seen, I have recently found mites on on member of my collection, but as a small GTP, he is very chemically sensitive and I do not want to risk his life with anything too harsh and I would like to try some alternatives first. So I have started researching and came upon a method used in the UK and US to naturally treat snake mites (Ophionyssus natricis) by using a predatory mite called Hypoaspis Miles.
[h=3][/h]I have ordered the predatory mites today and will be receiving them shortly.

Some information on using Hypoaspis Miles (Predatory Mites):

• They are small, flea sized mites that prey upon snake mites.
• After they have depleted their food source (snake mites) they will starve off and die out.
• They are active hunters and will not only eat mites in their path but with seek out mites and their nests.
• They are beneficial in an all out infestation as they thrive whilst your collection is infested and will quickly breed.
• They can live in your reptile enclosures with no harm done to your snake, they are predatory only on mites.
• You must provide them with a substrate to live and breed in, even if you are using a hospital click clack to seperate them from the rest of your collection, these mites cannot survive and will not be useful with no substrate.

The only drawback I can see so far is the long 'wait-time' it takes for the predatory mites to decimate the population of snake mites, it can take up to two or three months to be completely rid of the snake mites.

I will keep you all updated on my progress and other information I find out!

 

[jacevy]

I look forward to reading updates on this.

 

[andynic07]

[h=1]I bet most people havent heard of these[/h]

 

[sd1981]

I hadn't until recently when they were mentioned on a thread on mite treatments.... Let us know how you go with them... I don't have any mite issues (knocking wood like a boss ATM) but its always good to have a natural treatment over chemical sprays. Just out of curiosity, how much would a colony of these guys set you back, and where would you get them from??? Not like you can walk into a petshop and buy them, one would assume...

 

[solar 17]

solar 17 (Baden)

 

[borntobnude]

Are they Native ???? I recently read an AQIS article on how there are more Insects (mainly Phasmids for the pet trade ) being brought into the country than ever before and how they are training sniffer dogs to find their eggs .

 

[SarahScales]

These mites are readily available here in Australia but if ordering and l hate to be precise but if ordering you need to request "Hypoaspis A' as there are sub species that are not suitable although NOT a disaster ... solar 17 (Baden)

It is my understanding that it is the OTHER way around. Hypoaspis Aculeifer or Hypoaspis A. is unsuitable for treating snake mites. Hypoaspis Miles or Hypoaspis M. is suited and reccomended for treating snake mites in captive snakes throughout the US and UK.

 

[BloodRunsCold]

nice chemical's as a last resort that's the way

 

[caliherp]

Any updates?