# Mites and snake drinking the olive oil bath.



## BigHomer (Apr 21, 2012)

This is my first post so hi everyone.
My corn snake had mites. 
We cleaned his house out and did everything we should according to the info we found. We first bathed him in warm water. The following day, I spotted one tiny mite on the side of the terranium. We threw out all of his equipment and bought him a new viv and hides (we were planning to do this anyway). We then bathed him again in plain water then emptied it and added olive oil to warm water. We then wiped him down and put him in his new house (which had been cleaned before putting him in). He has been on kitchen roll all week which i have changed daily. I can see no evidence of mites.
I read mixed reviews about the safety of chemical treatments, that is why i did not use chemicals. Everything I read suggested that olive oil will suffocate the mites but will not harm the snake so we went with this option. 
^the above has no relevance, I am just explaining that we have treated the mites. 
So, he had an olive oil bath today (5 days after the last) and we noticed he drank some of the water. Is this safe?


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## MattyH14 (May 1, 2011)

I would say he's fine. 

That's why you use olive oil as opposed to chemicals. Even when you use callingtons you are meant to keep an eye on them at all time & not leave them in too long just incase they try to drink.


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## BigHomer (Apr 21, 2012)

Thank you. 
I thought that it would be fine but I wasn't sure. I assume he likes warm water as he had a full (clean) bowl in his house that he could have drank before I removed him. Ah well, it seems that snakes are like children and enjoy drinking their bath water.:roll:
I am now very glad that I did not use chemicals!


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## Purple_D (Jan 18, 2009)

olive oil is good but will not kill any eggs.
Callingtons is safe to use,just take water out for 24hrs.
You may find more mite now once the eggs hatch


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## TEENY (Jan 4, 2008)

It will be fine, plus side being, if he was constipated...he won't be now lol


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## BigHomer (Apr 21, 2012)

I was worried about the eggs but I was hoping the rigorous cleaning will get rid of them. Am I wrong to think that? He was bathed twice before ever going in the new viv so will that make a difference? We were careful to clean ourselves and put our clothes in the wash after discarding the old viv if that makes a difference.
Yeah, I was saying to my ex that he will be pooing pretty quickly this week, lol! He is eating right now so I hope it won't make him sick. :/


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## claireleone (Nov 4, 2011)

*corn mites*

He should keep his feed down ok , mine did ! butshes a greedy mare LOL .. But watch for a re hatching of eggs , our little royal was clean for about ten days after bathing then it was callington the 2nd time . No harm at all just take the water out for 24 hours and dont feed him .


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## BigHomer (Apr 21, 2012)

So his glug of olive oil seems to have worked it's way out. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him doing the tail flicking thing so expected a poo. I heard it:lol2: then couldn't believe what came out. It looks completely normal so it doesn't seem to have had a bad affect. Poor snakey, that must have felt unpleasant! He had a drink and went for a sleep.


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## becky89 (Nov 24, 2009)

You usually need 2-3 treatments to be clear of mites because nothing kills the eggs, I wish somebody would invent one that works in one treatment. Bathing 40+ snakes two or three times isn't fun :devil:


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## rockiiteller18 (1 mo ago)

becky89 said:


> You usually need 2-3 treatments to be clear of mites because nothing kills the eggs, I wish somebody would invent one that works in one treatment. Bathing 40+ snakes two or three times isn't fun :devil:


 I know how to kill the eggs. I threw out everything in his tank and put hot water in it and washed it out with dawn, I rinsed it and dried. Then I took alcohol and filled it to about an inch and lit a match and my snake and I watched the bugs burn together from the porch😂


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