Is it a mite???

[Ella]

Hey everyone! I just saw a little white dot walking around on my cc. Is this a mite? :cry: It was on the top of his head and I couldn't see anything else.

 

[stockeh]

what substrate are you using could be that it is a micro organisim that lives in the substrate.... is the snake exibiting any out of character behaviour??

cheers
Matt

 

[Greebo]

If Ella saw a micro oganism with her naked eye she must have excellent eyesight indeed. :lol:
I have had mites unfortunately.The ones I had were black and mostly on the snake.Give your snake a thorough check to see if there are any of the white dots on it.Also, buy some Top of Descent and spray your enclosure just to be safe.

 

[Ella]

I'm using breeder's choice. Maybe it was a tiny ant or bug. It was definitely moving, however I checked him out as soon as I got home from work and I can't see it anymore. He hasn't been behaving any differently. His new enclosure is almost ready to move him into...should I spray that as well?

 

[Greebo]

It couldn't hurt.

 

[stockeh]

yeah better to be safe then sorry, i just meant bugs from the substrate greebs nice pick up... but they are very common in wood chips, chip bark and saw dust, so it was just a thought

cheers
matt

 

[snakehunter]

I think mites are a black/brown colour

 

[jcaustralia]

i do believe that it could be a wood mite, not harmful to snakes, but i dislike little creepy crawly bugs and would have to take care of it, lol, preventomite is a great product if used properly, and if you can get it in australia

 

[Hickson]

Mites also come in bright red, and lots of mites that are specific insect/spider parasites are white. If it had just shed it's skin, any colour mite could be white. There are also lots of very small ones that are almost see through.

Hix

 

[1dragonett]

I have just found mites on my coastal. I discovered it by feeling odd rough bits of scale when he slid through my hands. So if your's isn't due a shed......... maybe mites. Have a feel.

 

[sxereturn]

One good sign of mites is raised scales...

 

[1dragonett]

oops, thats what I meant to say!!!! :roll: I done got da good inglish!!!!! :wink:

 

[Stevethepom]

Ive got mites on two of my coastals at the moment, just finished treating them all with orange medic *sigh*.
The mites on these guys are the same as i experienced about 2 years ago, there are small, almost invisible white/grey ones, then the next size are a browny colour then the ones full of blood are black. I assumed this was the natural progression mites took colour wise as they aged/fed?

Cheers
Steve

 

[africancichlidau]

I believe that to be the case too Gloves old boy

 

[jcaustralia]

i generally check in the mental groove for mites they love to hide in there, but check this out for some more info: http://www.geocities.com/thearkfiles/mites2.html