If you own a snake, or any reptile for that matter, it is important to know how to keep them healthy. Snake Mites are one of the most common problems a keeper will face, especially if you have a large collection.
Snake mites have a reputation for being notoriously difficult to get rid of. While this is true to some degree, there are a lot of factors which affect the spread of mites and how difficult they are to get rid of.
What are Snake Mites
Snake Mites are tiny arthropods that feed on the blood of living snakes. Anthropods are the largest characterisation of animals making up 85% of the animals in the world. Other species of Anthropods include spiders, scorpions, centipedes, crabs and lobsters.
There are many types of mites that are parasitic to snakes, but the most common mite found on captive snakes is probably the “Ophionyssus Natricis”. This mite primarily feeds on snakes but can also infest lizards, turtles and crocodiles.
This mite has been well studied and can quickly infest a large collection. This is largely because these Snake Mites are parthenogenetic, meaning the eggs don’t need to be fertilised. A single female Snake Mite can reproduce thousands of offspring that in turn will reproduce to decimate a collection if not controlled.
There are 5 stages in the lifecycle of this Snake Mite.
Egg
A female Snake Mite can lay 12-24 eggs at a time. These eggs thrive in dark, humid conditions. They can hatch as early as 1 day after being laid if the conditions are right.
Larva
These Snake Mites emerge from the egg in Larval form. These Larva are able to crawl but tend to stay close to the area where they have hatched. They generally only spend one or two days in Larvae form before moving onto the next stage.
Protonymph
It is at this stage that the Mite becomes truly parasitic and requires a blood meal. They will crawl around the surface of the snake in search of a suitable feeding spot. Once they find a place to feed, they will crawl between the scales of the snake and start feeding on its blood. This stage usually lasts between 3-12 days.
Deutonymph
This stage takes place after the Protonymph stage once the Snake Mite has had a meal. This is the final nymphal stage of these mites before they become adults.
Adults
During the adult stage, the Snake Mites will continue to feed on their host. The mites will now be mature and will start producing eggs of their own.
What do Snake Mites look like
Snake Mites are tiny arthropods the size of a pin head. They are usually black in colour but there are also species that are red. If you examine your snake you may see these dots moving around on the snake’s skin.
You may also spot these black or red dots on your hands after handling your snake. While it isn’t pleasant to find mites on your hands, they do not infect humans and cannot be transferred to other family pets such as cats or dogs. They can however, be transferred to other reptiles in your care.
How to identify Snake Mites
The easiest way to identify Snake Mites is to examine your snake. These mites can usually be found around the eyes, nostrils and neck of the snake. A thorough examination of these areas, along with a full search of their body will help you determine if the snake has mites.
Another sign that your snake might have mites is if they are soaking in their water bowl for abnormally long periods of time. You will have to be familiar with the habits of your snake here. If you are worried, check the snake over. You may also see dead mites floating in the water bowl.
How to treat Snake Mites
There are several steps you need to follow in order to ensure you successfully eradicate a mite infestation. The first thing you need to do is quarantine the snake. During quarantine, your snake should be kept in a plastic tub with only paper towel as substrate.
You will need to treat the snake and the enclosure in order to kill the mites along with their eggs. It is not enough to just treat the snake. You will need to wash and disinfect the enclosure along with all the cage furnishings.
Begin by removing all the cage furnishings from the enclosure and disinfect them in a water/bleach solution. You need to ensure that the furnishings are completely submerged for at least 20 minutes. If not submerged, the mites will climb on top of the floating furnishings and survive.
You then need to disinfect the enclosure with a snake mite treatment. You will need to follow the specific directions of the product you use. The type of enclosure you use will have a big effect on how easy it is to kill the mites. For example, a plastic enclosure is much easier to clean and disinfect than a wooden enclosure.
The next step is to treat the snake with a Snake Mite solution. These products usually come in a spray bottle. Place the snake in a tub with no substrate or furnishings and thoroughly spray them from head to tail. Generally, they need to be left to soak in this solution for 15-20 minutes, but it is important to follow the specific directions of the product you use.
Once treatment is finished, fill the tub with lukewarm water until it is about half the depth of the snake’s body. Allow the snake to bathe in this water for 20-30 minutes. This will remove the solution and dead mites from the snake. It will also help to rehydrate the snake. This is important as these solutions usually work by drying out the mites.
Once the enclosure and furniture are disinfected and any cleaning residue is thoroughly rinsed off, you can set the enclosure back up and but the snake back in. If done correctly, the setup should be completely mite free. However, it is recommended to repeat the entire process a week later to ensure every last mite has been eradicated.
How to prevent the spread of Snake Mites
While it is impossible to guarantee you snake will never get mites, regardless of how meticulous you are with husbandry, there are things you can do to reduce the chances of an infestation.
If you purchase a new reptile, it is important to put it through a quarantine process. It is recommended to keep new additions in a separate room. These snakes can be kept in a tub with paper towel as a substrate. This will make it easier to identify any health problems and reduce the likelihood of any problems spreading to the rest of your collection.
Purchasing your rodents from a rodent supplier instead of a pet shop will reduce the chances of mites hitching a ride on the rodent. If there is a Snake Mite problem in the store, there is a chance that mites might find their way onto the rodents.
Finally, wash and disinfect your hands and equipment between enclosures. This will help reduce the spread of mites from one enclosure to another. This will also help reduce the chance of other health conditions spreading from one enclosure to the next.
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