MITE REMEDY FOUND!!!!

[Die Fledermaus]

Eureka.

I have found it!

After months and months of being plagued by mites I have found the solution. Of course regular cleaning is important, as is vacuuming several times a week, Diatomeceous Earth (see other thread on that), and '8 in 1" Ultra Care spray. They all have their place. But the DE was of limited value, and I worried about toxicitity from repeated use of the the spray on the animals. Plus, it was a lot of work.

I have found "Hi-Yield Garden Pet & Livestock Dust", which I bought for jus five dollars for a pound. It was recommended by the owner of a plant nursery I have gone to for years. It contains .25% permethrin.

I have now used it for weeks and the animals are fine and normal - and the mites totally gone, even in tanks where they were multiplying alarmingly and on the pets!

Two or three tablespoons sprinkled in a ten gallon tank and mixed into the bedding; a little more dusted on and under wooden blocks and the like, and a pinch worked into the pets.

I am convinced it is safe in these amounts, and the mites are totally gone. It's like a miracle!! ;D

[rasputin]

Pyrethrins (sp?) were in a bird spray I bought for the rats when they had mites -- but the vet's assistant said it was possible to give the pets an uncomfortable skin reaction if you don't know what you're doing (and I don't).

I used a mite shampoo for kittens -- supposedly what is safe for kittens is safe for rodents. I also used the shampoo in soaking the cage floor. I only had to treat twice to be rid of the mites, though I treat the cages about every third cleaning.

Congrats on finding a solution that works for your critters. Mites were not a pleasant experience for my household, either.

[Die Fledermaus]

The mites are still gone - and I am checking under wooden blocks where the gerbs and hams hang out! The animals appear normal and fine, still.

The amount of work this is saving me is incredible. I was getting neurotic from it all, that and an awful Summer with heat and humidity, and other stuff. The weather is cooling, and I am feeling much better. All of it really had me down. I get "cabin fever" in the Summer! Bugs and heat.

[toysy]

How exactly did you get the mites in the first place?

[Die Fledermaus]

THAT is the mystery!!! On new gerbs; on bedding; in food; who knows.

Cabaryl (sevin), or permethrin, both plant nursery dusts, have been very helpful. Don't use too much!

[toysy]

So you mysteriously got mites and it just spread like wildfire?

[megs]

Bugs tend to do that

Last year, someone moved into the suite next to me. And guess what he brought along with him?! Bed Bugs. No lie. He even admitted to the manager that he knew he had them when he moved in here, but convinced her it was all under control. Er, NOT.

So, within a few months they had spread to me, the guy next door, and the guy above me. I couldn't understand where all the bites were coming from. I've lived here for more than 4 years. When I told her I found a bed bug in my laundry basket, she got the pest people in here proto, and told me the story about the guy next door taking care of the problem with "RAID." The pest control guys just laughed about that. RAID does nothing except make bed bugs run the other way. Anyways, they checked it all out and I got exterminated. ~phew~

I just talked to the manager about it again a few weeks ago, and she told me they had actually made it all the way up to the 4th floor (we're on the 2nd) and 2 suites over! They had just finished spraying up there too. (Now months later). Lovely. I've been sprayed though and have not had any problems since before last Christmas.

But yeah, the point of my story, insects multiply and spread very very rapidly, and it can be difficult to get it under control. Our buidling may still have them! Arrgh.

[Die Fledermaus]

Mine did not spread that rapidly; in fact, they were kind of sneaky hiding in rugs and such. It only takes a female to lay eggs. . . many times I thought I had got rid of them but they came back. Last Winter I even put habitats on the roof for six hours at night to freeze (it was frigid up there), minus the ham obviously.

The dust works. Do not use too much and keep the habitats ventilated for your pets, though. I knew I had to do something when I could not get ridf of them AND some pets had spasms after having their fur sprayed; poor Crystal, a favorite, may have died several days later as a result.

[megs]

Awwww that's too bad. I saw Crystal's picture. She was lovely.

[Die Fledermaus]

I have no idea if it was a coincidence. But I have tried to avoid the stuff since then, even though some advice against permethrin (or cabaryl/sevin) dusts. . . and want me to treat scores of critters with Ivomectin. Which goes IN them.

[megs]

Does the problem seem to be under control at the moment?

[Die Fledermaus]

Yes. But all new bedding gets a teaspoon of both the dust and a few tablespoons of corn starch (a dessicant), and some Diatomeceous Earth.

[megs]

zouave said:

Yes. But all new bedding gets a teaspoon of both the dust and a few tablespoons of corn starch (a dessicant), and some Diatomeceous Earth.

Good to hear you're taking the proper precautions. I havn't noticed a problem here, but if I do, I'll know where to go for advice.

[Die Fledermaus]

I've read that a way to deal with mites on mice is to put them in a pan of vegetable oil up to their stomachs. The mites are attracted toi the oil and drown in it. Supposedly that works, in about half an hour. (?).

[megs]

Hmm... I could see that working. Kind of like how fruit flies are attracted to red wine or vinegar!