Ticks, HELP!!!!

Rainfrog · #1 (**permalink**) 12-25-2006, 10:53 AM

Well my Rough Green Snake has ticks! The "expertsat Petco told me the scaleswere ruffeld due to escape atempts and other damage and scarring seemed to prove this, but now after a shed it is aparent that there are dozens of tiny penhead sized black ticks all over it. they even detach once they get full and crawl around on it. they have started moving towards the eyes and I am very woried for my ney pet. These arent the ticks im used to in the Northwest. They are far to small to pull off and there are so many and tons on the the head and now face area!

Even large ticks would be hard to remove from such a wippy quick little snake. my sis said when they had corn snakes they used a liquid and let the snake swim in it but could not remember what it was. can any one help here? like i said even fully engorged they arent much bigger than a pen head. I am pretty shure they are ticks I dont know of any other blood parasites that latch on could they be chiggers? please any thing would be great.

Marty · #2 (**permalink**) 12-25-2006, 03:14 PM

are you sure those aren't mites ?

Gone_Fishin · #3 (**permalink**) 12-25-2006, 07:04 PM

I think the liquid you're talking about is a product called "Nix". Designed as a lice treatment, it's become popular for the pet trade as it kills adults and eggs.

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/archi...p/t-17014.html

^ Talks about dilution and treatment methods.

Rainfrog · #4 (**permalink**) 12-26-2006, 04:06 AM

Thank you gone fishin ill look into it.

They could be mites im just not shure ive never seen the like. They get under the scales and "fill up" with blood becoming bigger and bigger. they are blackish and round kinda roly poly looking and when you sqish them they pop loudly and leave a big blood mess. they are just so much smaller than any ticks ive delt with. I will look into the Nix solution and also dry ice for the tank. I realy want them gone. the snake saked in its water dish for a long time and drowned a bunch of them. I am leaning towards some kind of mite as opposed to ticks. They just seemed attached like ticks under the scales and I didnt know mites gorged on blood like that.

Rainfrog · #5 (**permalink**) 12-26-2006, 04:40 AM

OK I think they are mites. and I am shure after reading the nix post thay my python is infected now(they just spent a week at my friends house right next to each other). I was wondering if these mites could infect my tarantula and if so how to treat him I dont think nix would be a good idea on a spider. and can people have problems with these mites getting around thier eyes and stuff? I am kinda ignorant on the subject of mites

Gone_Fishin · #6 (**permalink**) 12-26-2006, 01:30 PM

I don't know about the mites getting on the tarantula (or us for that matter), but definetly keep the Nix away from him.

ecologic · #7 (**permalink**) 01-02-2007, 03:09 PM

For the treatment of mites and ticks, I have used a product called 'reptarinse', which yielded excellent results on colubrids, boas, and pythons.

Rainfrog · #8 (**permalink**) 01-03-2007, 05:51 AM

I've began using the nix treatment on my Rough Green Snake. So far so good. I have very closely examined my Ball Python and there is no evidence of mites any where to bee seen. I am waiting to see and checking daily. unless he is infested I dont want to treat him. his temperment is somewhat delicate so Ill see how it goes.