Even though the mites were not being "hosted" by the mouse if the rodent came from somewhere that was infested with them they still could hitchhike in on it. It would be no different than them coming in on a bag or box or even your own clothing.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Agreed. Snake mites can only live for a short time if not within reach of a host snake. Yet, since they are practically invisible (esp the young ones), this makes it difficult to determine of they are really gone.

Might I also add that my snakes contracted mites from a bait shop I go to where they ONLY carry fish bait, mice and rats. No reptiles, ever. I soon found out, however, that the store's rat supplier was a reptile breeder a few miles away, specializing in snakes, lizards and turtles, etc. I had no idea how my snakes contracted mites until I found out who the supplier was.

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"Spread Reptile Awareness!"

"You know you have faith when you realize that thoughts are things; what you feel, you attract; and what you imagine, you become."
-Joseph Murphy, Phd

OK so...mites CAN be brought in on a mouse or rat.....
How do they get into the bedding thats sealed in those big bales with plastic? Even if the bags are no where near the snakes?
Snake mites can only live on snakes?
So the mites that mice and rats get are a diff type of mite?
I'm confused...again lol
Explain plz?

Mites are species specific, meaning that they only feed off one species, such as reptile mites. But they leave the host to lay their eggs, and can live for a short time off the host's body. They can travel long distances in which to find a new host or to leave their host to lay eggs, and so can be transported around by humans, or by other animals, or in bags of substrate etc,, if there is a way into a bag of substrate a mite may lay its eggs there and thats how they could be transported via that way. This is less likely than being transported by us or another animal however. Even if snakes are kept in different rooms it is possible that mites can be transferred, either by us touching the snakes without washing inbetween, or by the mites being carried on our clothes for example, or by travelling the distance themselves and laying their eggs somewhere near the other snake.

Hope this clears things up for you a bit

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"If you know everything you may as well blow your brains out because the reason for existence is to learn more everyday." - Mark O'Shea, 2004

Well said, Rach.

__________________
"Spread Reptile Awareness!"

"You know you have faith when you realize that thoughts are things; what you feel, you attract; and what you imagine, you become."
-Joseph Murphy, Phd

YIKES!! How do you ever get rid of them if so many things can help spread them around??

OOPS! I gotta stop hijacking other peoples' threads! :P sorry!

Don't worry Jem, SOMEBODY hijacked it awhile back. Rose is not hissing due to mites.

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Official hostage of the GFWD
"The truely dangerous people are the ignorant ones."
Founding Member of Logical People Against Arcane Boa Subspecies Classification (LPAABSC):
B c.c 1758, B. c. i. 1803 B. c. o. 1873!
"A BOA CONSTRICTOR IS A Boa constrictor!"

No I didn't think she would be.. gotta be the subliminal evil messages from Duke

Jem - there are many ways to get rid of mites, we personally use a product called Frontline designed for fleas, mixed with alcohol for smaller snakes,. a lot of products carry a small risk of harming the snake, but i'd personally rather take that risk than the definate risk of the snake eventually dying from an infestation of mites - mites weaken the immune system, which often results in illness or infection.

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"If you know everything you may as well blow your brains out because the reason for existence is to learn more everyday." - Mark O'Shea, 2004

Wait a minute! I use Frontline on my Dogs!

Yes it's a product designed for use on fleas on cats and dogs. Works well,. there are other products and other ideas for treatment of mites, but we have always used frontline and it has worked well. When I was younger my corn once got mites and I used a no-pest strip, though they have now been deemed unsafe.

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"If you know everything you may as well blow your brains out because the reason for existence is to learn more everyday." - Mark O'Shea, 2004