Mites

[cryogen]

I was just wondering what the signs/symptoms of mites are for chameleons? And how you would go about getting rid of them if they do have mites?

I don't think our chameleon has them but I just noticed two of our snakes that live in the same room as him have mites. We're going to be treating them, their tank, and all their accessories. And then we'll move all the reptiles over to my parents' house while we bomb that room since I did find some mites on the desk that the snakes' cage sits on so they have been venturing out of the tank. I have no idea how they got them, maybe from their bedding...? I check them all the time for them so this is a recent infestation. I just want to know what to look for in the chameleon so that way I can be sure he doesn't have them or catch them.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Carlton]

I was just wondering what the signs/symptoms of mites are for chameleons? And how you would go about getting rid of them if they do have mites?

I don't think our chameleon has them but I just noticed two of our snakes that live in the same room as him have mites. We're going to be treating them, their tank, and all their accessories. And then we'll move all the reptiles over to my parents' house while we bomb that room since I did find some mites on the desk that the snakes' cage sits on so they have been venturing out of the tank. I have no idea how they got them, maybe from their bedding...? I check them all the time for them so this is a recent infestation. I just want to know what to look for in the chameleon so that way I can be sure he doesn't have them or catch them.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Look for small moving dots (the same color as the ones on your snakes) on the cham's skin especially in folds or around the eyes. Mites are not that common in chams but I don't know how specific they are to species.

 

[Syn]

You can get rid of them with a q-tip dipped in mineral oil, lightly. They will usually come off when you start rubbing them.

 

[Aminah Undone]

The only lizards I am familiar with being acceptable hosts for snake mites are those with similar scale structure, such as skinks. I have torts, geckos, a Bearded Dragon, and a Blue tongued skink, etc. ..and the only one of my "kids" that gets infested with the snakes is the Bluey.

I get rid of them with Provent A Mite treatments or a "cannibalistic mite" that is completely non invasive and non toxic to my inverts and smaller/weaker animals.

Just keep in mind, you have to repeat any treatment to interfere with the entire life cycle.

 

[cryogen]

Thank you so much for your help everyone.

That makes me feel better knowing that they're probably snake specific. I'll keep an eye on him and do a good in depth tiny black dot hunt everyday just to be safe.

I'll get the mite treatment and the mineral oil tomorrow. I've designated that my mite eradication day. I felt bad having to leave the girls this morning without treating them but I had to leave for class and I'm gone all day on Wednesdays.

 

[bikesforme]

i had mites on 1 of my snakes and think it came from the bedding i switched to newspaperfor the snake . the cham has bare floor

 

[cryogen]

i had mites on 1 of my snakes and think it came from the bedding i switched to newspaperfor the snake . the cham has bare floor

Yeah, I have a feeling it was from their bedding. All the ball pythons are now getting switched to newspaper or papertowels. The dumeril boa likes to burrow in his bedding so I'm thinking I'll just bake his new bedding in the oven to kill anything in it whenever his cage gets cleaned. The chameleon has a bare floor also. I used to use papertowels but they were a pain to replace and a waste too since they needed to get changed everyday.

 

[Tifanydalpont]

i found mite on my chamy, after i bough drift wood at petco, to get ride of them ...shower your cham for 10mins in the bath and then soak all wood and vines in hot water... they will die with no air

 

[cryogen]

i found mite on my chamy, after i bough drift wood at petco, to get ride of them ...shower your cham for 10mins in the bath and then soak all wood and vines in hot water... they will die with no air

Oh no! I didn't see any on him yesterday. I haven't had a chance to check today since his light just came on and he's a tad grumpy, or grumpier than usual I should say, in the morning. I'll give him 30 minutes to wake up a bit and give him a looking over again.
I really hope he doesn't have them because showering him is going to be a nightmare! He's a big meanie about being handled...I'd probably walk away needing stitches and he'd be happy as a clam about not getting handled for a shower. hahaha.

 

[yvy321]

i had mites on 1 of my snakes and think it came from the bedding i switched to newspaperfor the snake . the cham has bare floor

But with newspaper can you have a heat pad?

 

[kinyonga]

But with newspaper can you have a heat pad?

The person you're asking hasn't been on here since 2014. Don't know if anyone else would have an answer.

Welcome to the forum though!