Hi again everyone,
I'm a bit ashamed to say that I suspect a mite problem and would be appreciative of advice.
In four years, I have not had this problem.
I've always been very fussy on cleanliness, washing hands between handling etc.
I suspect a blue tongue that was given to me as an unwanted pet. I checked her thoroughly at first but the problem may have been there.
Perhaps I was a bit complacent.
Anyway, she has now been washed every day for the past 3 days in flea shampoo - thoroughly rinsed off afterwards. She is in a plastic container well away from other reptiles.
I have thoroughly washed her normal enclosure 3 times now but am still reluctant to put her back there as yet. There are still little black dots on the white paper in her quarantine box. They appear to be dead however but paranoia is setting in - on my part that is.
My 16 month old diamond has shown signs also. She has also been washed and put into a separate enclosure. She shows no further signs of parasites but persists in soaking in her water bowl.
Other reptiles show no signs of contamination from what I can see - using strong torch and magnifying glass.
They all live in the one room.
Any thoughts/advice/suggestions from people in this group would be most welcome. Please don't go crook at me. I've always been a very fussy keeper.
Many thanks.
Rochet (Marion)
I'm a bit ashamed to say that I suspect a mite problem and would be appreciative of advice.
In four years, I have not had this problem.
I've always been very fussy on cleanliness, washing hands between handling etc.
I suspect a blue tongue that was given to me as an unwanted pet. I checked her thoroughly at first but the problem may have been there.
Perhaps I was a bit complacent.
Anyway, she has now been washed every day for the past 3 days in flea shampoo - thoroughly rinsed off afterwards. She is in a plastic container well away from other reptiles.
I have thoroughly washed her normal enclosure 3 times now but am still reluctant to put her back there as yet. There are still little black dots on the white paper in her quarantine box. They appear to be dead however but paranoia is setting in - on my part that is.
My 16 month old diamond has shown signs also. She has also been washed and put into a separate enclosure. She shows no further signs of parasites but persists in soaking in her water bowl.
Other reptiles show no signs of contamination from what I can see - using strong torch and magnifying glass.
They all live in the one room.
Any thoughts/advice/suggestions from people in this group would be most welcome. Please don't go crook at me. I've always been a very fussy keeper.
Many thanks.
Rochet (Marion)
I personally reccomend Top Of Descent which can be purchased from URS and (I think) the Herp Shop. Remove the snakes (and lizards) water bowl, spray TOD into the cage but not directly at the animal for ~1-2 seconds. Close the cage up for 10 minutes or so. Open the cage back up and give plenty of fresh air. Return water bowl after an hour or so. Repeat at weekly intervals until there is no more mites - usually 2 or 3 times. Also, remove any logs, branches, BC or anything they may hide in from the cage and burn or destroy them.
