Snake Mites

What is a Snake Mite?

My interpretation of a snake mite.

What are snake mites?  If you ask anybody that has ever dealt with them, chances are they'll tell you "Mites? I hate those blood-sucking little bastards!"  Mites are parasites that feed off blood.  They are arachnids, but because of their love of blood, I compare them more with mosquitos than I do spiders.

How Do I Tell If I have a mite problem?

Imagine that you're holding a snake, smiling proudly as his tongue flickers and he moves smoothly through your hands.  Then, out of the corner of your eye, you notice a little black speck scurrying across his head.  Upon closer inspection, you hear a high pitched, menacing chuckle and a sound similar to liquid being sucked through a straw.

Okay, maybe I made that last part up.  But all joking aside, count yourself lucky if you notice only one little hitchhiker on your snake.  They usually travel in groups.  If you see one or more crawling bugs on your snake, you most likely have mites.

Why are they so serious?

Mites can carry serious illnesses from one snake to another, quickly spreading sickness throughout a private collection.  Many people have lost entire collections of reptiles worth thousands of dollars because of diseases spread by mites.  They can be very deadly, and affect snakes in a number of ways.

They can cause loss of appetite

They can cause poor shedding

They also lay their eggs around the eyes and anal vents of the snakes, and I'm sure each and every person reading this can imagine how uncomfortable that would be.

How Do I Treat Mites?

There are several treatments available for mites, some more effective than others.  There are a number of steps that should be taken in preparing to eliminate a mite infestation.  Most of them, I'm sad to say, are "snake oil" treatments.  By this, I mean they claim to treat mites but they are ineffective at best, and absolutely useless at times.  One of the most used and most effective treatments is the Provent-A-Mite spray by Pro Products.  It is specially formulated for snakes (and perhaps other reptiles, but I'm not sure on that), and from everything I've heard it works wonders.  Others use Equate Bedding Spray, which is typically for lice.  Many people have used this with no problems, but I've read pros and cons of using it.

There are other sprays out there and some very unorthodox treatments as well.  The bottom line is, mites are bad.  Very bad.  They can kill your snake if left untreated.  I sincerely hope that this post is informative and helps every reader learn something.  I will provide links to some websites discussing mites as well as the Pro Products website so you can see for yourselves what the hype is about.

Links:

Dealing With Snake Mites

http://lllreptile.com/info/library/care-and-husbandry-articles/-/dealing-with-snake-mites/

The Life History of Snake Mites

http://www.vpi.com/publications/the_life_history_of_snake_mites

Pro Products

http://www.pro-products.com/

Enjoy!

Rick

Snake Related Television

There are some good, solid, educational television shows out there regarding snakes.  The one that always comes to the forefront of my mind is Python Hunters.  These guys are awesome.  Not only are they licensed by the state of Florida to study and help fight the Burmese Python infestation of the Everglades, but they educate viewers while they are doing it.

There are other shows that start off interesting but eventually disgust me.  Dangerous Encounters with Brady Barr is one of them.  When I saw that Mr. Barr was doing a show on large pythons, I thought "Excellent!  Now is my chance to learn!"  And I did learn.  I learned that this show was not worth my time.  I watched him force a snake out of it's cover - a little cubbyhole in the rock of a cave, and point out that it had just eaten.  I've been taught that a snake's digestive system is very delicate, and this is why we leave them alone for two days or so after they eat.  It gives them time to properly digest.  However, he proceeded to actually force the snake to regurgitate it's meal!  This astounded me.  Why in the world would anyone do that just to point and chuckle at what it just ate?  What educational purpose did that serve except to teach young snake lovers that making a snake regurgitate must be okay because some supposedly respected man on Animal Planet did it, and Animal Planet is a good channel!

I do not claim to be an expert.  My opinions are just that - opinions.  However, I strongly believe that if you want to entertain people, you can do it by educating them at the same time.  This is especially true for snakes. Rather than follow this philosophy, however, shows like Dangerous Encounters and channels like Animal Planet would prefer to go with 'shock value'.  The more blood, the more ratings, it seems.

I am also fed up with the television shows that tell people that a Burmese python or similar sized snake can and will eat a full grown human.  Less people are killed in the United States by snakes than by dogs.  Educate, don't exaggerate.

That's all for tonight, folks.  I don't want to get too long winded on a post like this.  Thanks for reading, please chime in!

Why snakes?

One of the most common questions I'm asked is, "Why snakes?"  Many people don't understand why I, and others, would choose to own a scaly reptile instead of a cute furry puppy or kitten.  The reasons are many.  I will list some of them here.

• Snakes don't require as much attention.  True, temperature and humidity levels must be monitored and maintained, but this can be done easily with thermometers/hygrometers, allowing for easy reading of the temps/humidity levels, even in a hurry.  Snakes do not require the attention and affection your dog or cat requires.  In fact, they are quite content if you leave them in their safe, secure habitats for weeks at a time.  They don't need love, they don't need to go for walks, and they don't expect you to play with them. (I'm telling you right now, if my snake dropped a rawhide bone in my lap, I would throw it for him!)
• Snakes eat, on average, once a week.  Compare owning one snake to owning one dog.  My snakes eat once a week or so, while my dog and cat eat every day.  I spend about as much feeding three snakes as I do feeding one dog and one cat every month.  If your snakes are eating frozen/thawed prey, the food bill is even cheaper.
• Most apartment complexes will let you keep multiple snakes.  The apartment complex I live in restricts us to one dog and one cat.  However, they have no restrictions on animals that are kept in cages.
• They are easy to care for.  This ties in with the attention point above.  On average, I clean my snake enclosures once a week.  I 'spot check' for waste, wet shavings, and other issues every time I take them out, which is usually 1-2 times a day for a few minutes at a time.
• Snakes are cheap once you get past the initial investment.  For a person on a budget, snakes are a great pet.  We've already discussed feeding, which can run anywhere from $3-$4 a week for a full grown ball python.  Many snakes are fine being kept on newspaper or something similar.  I prefer aspen shavings or cypress mulch, both of which are fairly inexpensive.
• Space.  Depending on the type of snake you own, you can keep one in a small apartment with no problem.  One ball python can happily live its life in a 20 or 30 gallon aquarium.  Many people with multiple snakes use rack systems that allow them to stack their snakes on shelves, similar to the three or four drawer Sterilite shelves you can purchase at Wal-Mart.
• Snakes are quiet!  Your snake won't bark when somebody knocks on the door, and he won't paw at your face, meowing in your ear to wake you up in the morning to give him breakfast.  They will hiss if startled or frightened, but with many snakes that isn't a regular occurrence.  There is always the exception, though!  Some people have very "hissy" snakes.
• Snakes are odorless.  Snakes generally don't stink.  The only time I smell anything other than the smell of the aspen shavings or the cypress mulch (I enjoy the damp, earthy smell of the cypress), is when my snakes leave waste for me to clean up.  Once that is disposed of and the enclosure cleaned, the smell is gone.

That's everything I can think of for now.  I will be doing a 'cons of owning a snake' feature as well.  The only way to properly educate people is to give them all the information available!  Please chime in via the comments if you can think of more pros!

Rick

Ew, snakes! I'm afraid of them!

Hello again, everyone!  This entry will be about fear of snakes, both the rational and irrational sides of the coin.  First, I would like to thank Brian Barczyk from BHB reptiles for this topic.  Thanks Brian!

Now, let's get down to business.  People are afraid of snakes for any number of reasons.  Some of these are:

1.  Religion:  The Bible tells the story of the serpent tempting Eve in the Garden of Eden to eat the apple.  Because of this, mankind is cast out of Eden.  Due to this, many people believe that snakes are evil and cruel.  This is far from the truth.  Snakes are not evil, but stories like this give them a bad rap.

2. The Media:  Hollywood loves snakes.  How many of you have seen the Anaconda movies?  I am not condemning movies like this, because they make for great entertainment.  However, this is all they are.  Entertainment.  Snakes are going to grow to be fifty feet long and as big around as a school bus with the desire to consume human flesh on a daily basis.  While there are some big snakes (Reticulated and Burmese pythons are a popular big snake), they do not have the desire to kill and eat humans, or anything other than the prey they are normally fed (rats or, in many cases, rabbits).

3. Ignorance:  Many people that are afraid of snakes have seen few, if any, in the wild.  Many of them have also never handled a pet snake like a ball python.  Some people have an irrational fear of snakes.  This is called Ophidiophobia.  It is a very real affliction and those afflicted by it have a very real fear of snakes.

4.  Snakes are strange:  Snakes are weird looking creatures.  From the way they move, to the way they eat (think constrictors) to their little forked tongues and their lidless eyes.  Everything about them is alien to most people.  Some snakes are even recognized by their 'alien heads'.  Again, there is nothing wrong with this.  Humans are afraid of the strange and the unknown.  That is the reason horror stories are so wildly popular.

Many people are afraid of snakes.  Many people in my family call me weird or crazy or a freak because I love and own snakes.  This is understandable.  However, there are many excellent websites out there that are full of people ready and willing to help people better understand and, maybe eventually, banish their fear of snakes completely.  That is the focus of this blog.  I want to educate and inform you.  If I can make one person think "Huh, snakes really aren't that bad!", I've done my job.  Of course, I'd like to convert more than just one person!  Please, comment if you have more reasons for people being afraid of snakes!  I'll do a "part two" if I get enough ideas.

The Three Stooges (Our Snakes)

To those people that say snakes are too primitive to have a personality, I say ha!  Our snakes are crazy.  This post will serve as an introduction to them for the people that don't know them.

Gene (Snakeyface)

This is Gene.  He was our first snake.  He is a ball python, and he is roughly ten months old.  He is, to put it simply, a hippie in snake form.  He is absolutely the most calm, relaxed snake I've ever seen, either in person or on TV/YouTube.  He eats like a champ (except for his issues with frozen/thawed), even when he's in deep shed.  He is absolutely incredible. His full name is "Slinky Gene the Peekaboo Bandit".  Each individual name has a story behind it.  He's slinky for obvious reasons.  He's a snake, and he has a tendency to fall like, well, a slinky.  He is Gene because he reminded Kara's mom of her obsession, Gene Simmons.  They both use their tongues quite a bit.  He is Peekaboo because when we first adopted him, he would "peek" out of his hide, and when he saw us watching, he would duck back in and hide.  Kara called him bandit because of the stripes on the side of his face.  They reminded her of a bandit mask.  He is my buddy, and Kara's mom wants to steal him.  Not happening, lady.

This is Fuzzy.  (He's not really fuzzy)

This is Fuzzy.  He is a very cranky ball python.  When we first got him, he wanted absolutely nothing to do with us.  He tried striking at Kara twice, hitting the side of the tub both times.  Then, last week or so, he had spilled his water, soaking his tub.  I reached in to take him out so I could clean the tub, and he hissed at me.  First time ever, it was pretty awesome.  Then, Kara grabbed his head by accident, causing him to hiss again!  He's a pretty cool snake though.  He gets an attitude when I open his tub, but once he's out of the tub he relaxes.  I'm very glad he is part of our family.

This little beauty is Ruby, our red tail boa.  She has a temper.  She doesn't have a problem being taken out of her tank most of the time.  Putting her back in, however, is a totally different story.  She will do everything she possibly can to stay out.  She's bumped Kara with her nose several times, as if she's threatening to bite.  We suspect that she's bitten her once or twice, but there's no evidence to support the theory.  Her tail is absolutely gorgeous.  I'll post pictures of that some other time.  She thinks she runs the house.  She's half right.

Those are our scaly family members.  I hope you enjoyed the introductions.  I will be posting about them a lot, as they are one of the primary reasons for this blog.  They are incredible and I can honestly say that having snakes has changed my life for the better.  Please comment, and don't be afraid to request topics!  I love talking and writing about snakes.

Rick

Myths and Misconceptions Part One

This is an informational post meant to educate the uninformed.  I do not claim to know everything, but I do enjoy sharing what I know in hopes of teaching even one person something they didn't know before.  This post will focus on common myths and misconceptions of snakes, including things such as snakes being slimy, evil, baby murderers.  I hope you enjoy it!

1. Snakes will only get as large as the enclosure you keep them in.  If you keep them in a large (150 gallon) aquarium, they will grow to fit the tank.  FALSE


Snakes are like humans.  They grow to an average length and generally stop.  If you wear a size six shoe and you buy a size twelve pair of shoes, will your feet grow to fit the shoes?  No.  The same goes for snakes.  Each species is different, but each has average lengths and weights, and they generally fit into these categories.  There are exceptions, but you're not going to see a ball python grow to be ten feet long just because you keep it in a fifteen foot long enclosure.

2.  Snakes are slimy.  FALSE


Snakes are not slimy.  They have scales, and this leads some people to compare them to fish which, obviously, can be rather gooey and slimy.  They are also compared to worms.  The truth is, snakes are fairly soft to the touch, and very dry.  Their scales actually feel quite pleasant, if you want my opinion.

3. Snakes will constrict just for the pleasure of doing so.  FALSE


Constrictors such as pythons and boas will not constrict just because they feel like it.  They constrict their prey to kill it so they can eat.  When holding a snake, they will also sometimes grip very tightly in order to feel more secure being held and/or carried.  This leads some people to believe that the snake has some malicious intent. They do not.  They are simply frightened and they use their natural abilities (powerful muscles) to grip and hang on.  They will not intentionally constrict you.  Of course, this being said, if you put a Burmese Python around your neck and it grips you tightly, causing you to have trouble breathing, A) You're not very bright if you're putting an eight foot or longer snake around your neck, and B) The snake is just using what it has available to keep itself secure and safe.  If your neck happens to be in the way, don't blame the snake.  Blame yourself.

4.  Snakes will only eat live prey.  FALSE


Snakes are scavengers.  They will eat what is available.  In the wild, this means live or dead prey.  They will eat carrion, like many other animals in the wild.  In captivity, they will eat live or a number of dead prey options.  These include prey that has recently been killed or stunned, either via blunt force or euthanized prey. This also includes prey that has been killed, frozen, and then thawed and warmed up before feeding.

5.  Snakes will kill your dog, your cat, or your child.  FALSE


I call this false because your snake is not going to eat your German Shepherd, your Husky, or your teenager.  Of course, if you tempt your giant hungry snake (and by giant I mean Burmese or Reticulated Python, and similar snakes), with a yapping, rabbit size terrier, don't hold it against the snake if it makes a meal of it.  Chances are, though, the snake will be frightened by the incessant yapping of the dog and will attempt to escape.

- That's all for now, folks.  If you have questions or want a myth challenged, comment and I'll do my best to answer.

Rick

Hello one and all

Lately I've been ranting on Facebook, but the character limit drives me crazy.  So, I shall rant here and link to it on Facebook.

I'll start by saying something everybody that knows me is well aware of by now.  I love snakes.  I have always been fascinated by them, but when we got our first ball python, Gene (Snakeyface, as I call him), the obsession was born.  They fascinate me.  The markings, the temperament, even the way they move is incredible.  They are wonderful examples of what nature can create.

They are carnivores, tried and true.  They do not eat plants.  They do not want green beans, spinach, beans, or bread.  They want meat.  Hot, ready to be swallowed rats or mice, at least in captivity.  Many larger snakes will eat rabbits, even baby chickens.  That is another topic, however.  This rant is dedicated to the people that think that snakes are cruel because they eat rodents, or that I am cruel because I enjoy watching my snakes eat.  To make it clear, I do not enjoy feeding my snakes live prey.  It worries me because they can be injured.  It saddens me because I do not enjoy watching the life fade from a cute, furry animal.  However, my snakes are totally dependent on me, and they need to eat.  It is no different, in fact, it is more humane, than your cat batting a mouse around your living room for four hours.  Some people call that cute.  My snakes kill their prey within minutes, then the fun begins.  I get to watch them methodically swallow the rodent.  It is absolutely fascinating.  If you don't believe me, check YouTube, you will be surprised.

I love my snakes just as much as I love my dog or my cat.  They are a very different pet, however.  They need minimal care.  I feed them once a week or so, and I make sure that humidity and temperature levels are right.  Other than that, my snakes don't need 'cuddled', played with, petted, or even acknowledged.  They would be perfectly content being left alone.  This makes them ideal pets for a person on the go.

As much as they enjoy being left alone, I enjoy taking them out.  I especially enjoy walking around the apartment complex with them.  I've done this several times since the weather warmed up, and I've talked to a lot of people.  People that were unsure about snakes before now know just a little bit more about them.  They know that ball pythons are constrictors and are not venomous.  They also know that my ball pythons are not going to eat my dog, my cat, or as my mother likes to wish for, my face.

Those of you that are afraid of snakes, I respect that.  I will never shove a snake in your face and expect you to smile.  I will however try to convince you that snakes are amazing creatures.  I will cite examples, most of them personal experiences.  I will talk with you about the facts I have learned.  I will do my very best to turn you into a snake lover.  If that doesn't work, I will respect your feelings if you respect mine.  Snakes are not evil, they are not "Satanic", and they are not minions of the Devil.  They are innocent, fairly primitive creatures that need to be cared for in captivity and, for the most part, left to go about their business in the wild.

That's all for now, thanks for reading.  Please comment!