Reptile owners and sympathetic ears...

[WarriorMama]

My daughter's snake HAS TICKS! :banghead:

 

I swear, after all the madness of this year, I wake up on the last Monday morning before Christmas with two kids who have a cold (and have been sick with something or other nonstop since October), a desperate give-me-advice email from a long-distance friend, and a SNAKE WITH TICKS!!

 

I cannot even begin to describe the creepy-crawlies I have right now. Eww, eww eww EWWWW! Hell, the thought of dust mites gives me nightmares...this might push me right over the edge. :tongue_smilie:

 

The only local vet who deals with snakes has ONE spot open this whole week, which I can't make it to, and my husband has to work all the way until Friday. I have enlisted (okay demanded) the assistance of my brother, who bought the d@mn snake for my kid in the first place. :glare:

 

Ugh. This is why I don't do pets.

 

To add insult to injury, the cold weather and pregnancy-induced dry skin have left me with dandruff for the first time in my life. :svengo:

 

Okay, end melodrama. ;)

[WarriorMama]

Come on, guys...somebody please tell me I'm not only one whose Monday is SUCKING. ;)

[mommaduck]

I have never heard of ticks on a reptile before!

 

(owner of a leopard gecko who escaped this morning, thanks to a 4yr old, and had to be extracted from a tube)

 

I have psoriasis, deal with flaky skin in the winter, and it's all worsened due to pregnancy hormones here also. I feel ya!

[Tammyla]

:svengo::svengo:

 

I knew this thread would be too much for me.:lol:

 

Tammy,

Reptile and rodent Phobe.

[elfgivas]

this will not be fun.

 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=814

 

i would say its definitely a job for a non-pregnant person!

 

we have several snakes, but i do NOT take care of them.... dh and dc are in charge.

 

sorry,

ann

[Jann in TX]

You may not need the vet--

Here is a link to some very nice people who love to offer support to reptile owners--just like the WTM does to homeschoolers.

 

I used www.reptilerooms.com when we adopted a 'mostly dead' bearded dragon (rescue). She lived a happy/healthy 5 more years with us.

 

I've also used www.kingsnake.com This is a HUGE site-- look for the forums then look for 'snakes'-- even better if you can find the sub-forum for your type of snake. I used to be a very active member of the bearded-dragon forum-- until I 'down sized' my forum addiction and limited it to homeschool-related only (basically just the WTM).

 

Hopefully you can get over your creepy-crawlies and help your child's pet get some relief.

 

For what it is worth my dh HATES reptiles of any sort-- he has had to live in a house with bearded dragons for the past 10 years (we are on our second set). He has just RECENTLY attempted to touch one of them-- in fact I went into shock when I saw him HOLDING 'Bob' the other day-- apparently Bob is enamored by dh and begs to be picked up when dh enters middle dd's room (Bob has an 80 gallon tank/home)... dh has spent a lot of time recently in dd's room assisting her with her homework... dh will not go near our other bearded dragon 'Toby'-- Toby's beard will turn black if he even gets a glimpse of dh!!!

[Catwoman]

I guess you really do learn something new every day, because had no idea that snakes got ticks. In my defense, however, I must say that I don't spend a lot of time thinking about snakes, so perhaps that's how I've managed to remain ignorant of the whole tick thing.

 

Now that I've learned this, I feel my work for the day is done and I should be entitled to go back to bed until tomorrow, when I will learn another something new. ;)

 

If I lived near you, I'd come over to your house and remove the ticks from the snake for you. I'm not scared of snakes and I've had a lot of experience with removing ticks from dogs, cats, and people, so for once, I would be the perfect person to have around.

 

I hope your brother knows how to remove the ticks without hurting the snake.

 

Cat

[Ohdanigirl]

this will not be fun.

 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=814

 

i would say its definitely a job for a non-pregnant person!

 

we have several snakes, but i do NOT take care of them.... dh and dc are in charge.

 

sorry,

ann

 

eeeewwwww! Make your brother do it.;)

 

Danielle

[Sparkle]

Interesting, I never knew snakes could get ticks. I would think you could remove them yourself...or I mean, your brother could :D

 

Hope the rest of your week goes better!

[WarriorMama]

I have never heard of ticks on a reptile before!

 

(owner of a leopard gecko who escaped this morning, thanks to a 4yr old, and had to be extracted from a tube)

 

I have psoriasis, deal with flaky skin in the winter, and it's all worsened due to pregnancy hormones here also. I feel ya!

 

My 2yo stole a spray bottle of water and doused my laptop while I was busy freaking out about the snake. Mondays are fun! :tongue_smilie:

 

we have several snakes, but i do NOT take care of them.... dh and dc are in charge.

 

 

I'm also NOT the snake caretaker around here. I'm not scared of them - I just refuse to take care of pets that weren't my idea to begin with!

 

You may not need the vet--

Here is a link to some very nice people who love to offer support to reptile owners--just like the WTM does to homeschoolers.

 

I used www.reptilerooms.com when we adopted a 'mostly dead' bearded dragon (rescue). She lived a happy/healthy 5 more years with us.

 

I've also used www.kingsnake.com This is a HUGE site-- look for the forums then look for 'snakes'-- even better if you can find the sub-forum for your type of snake. I used to be a very active member of the bearded-dragon forum-- until I 'down sized' my forum addiction and limited it to homeschool-related only (basically just the WTM).

 

Hopefully you can get over your creepy-crawlies and help your child's pet get some relief.

 

 

Thanks for all the great info! We'll definitely be getting him taken care of.

 

I'm not a fan of most snakes....so where does a snake in captivity get ticks? Especially in wintertime, since I thought they were warm weather parasites.

 

Heck if I know. My brother has informed me it's possible to get them from the feeder rodents. :ack2: Did I mention how grossed out I am?

 

I guess you really do learn something new every day, because had no idea that snakes got ticks. In my defense, however, I must say that I don't spend a lot of time thinking about snakes, so perhaps that's how I've managed to remain ignorant of the whole tick thing.

 

Now that I've learned this, I feel my work for the day is done and I should be entitled to go back to bed until tomorrow, when I will learn another something new. ;)

 

If I lived near you, I'd come over to your house and remove the ticks from the snake for you. I'm not scared of snakes and I've had a lot of experience with removing ticks from dogs, cats, and people, so for once, I would be the perfect person to have around.

 

I hope your brother knows how to remove the ticks without hurting the snake.

 

Cat

 

I'm not scared of snakes either...but I am scared of ticks. :lol:

Glad to have helped with your daily dose of education!

 

eeeewwwww! Make your brother do it.;)

 

Danielle

 

My feelings exactly!

 

Interesting, I never knew snakes could get ticks. I would think you could remove them yourself...or I mean, your brother could :D

 

Hope the rest of your week goes better!

 

I hope so too, thanks!

[vettechmomof2]

Very rarely would your reptile get ticks from the feeder rodents. More likely he came with the ticks and now you just happen to find them.

They are easy to remove, just make sure that you are removing the tick and not scales or ouchy for the snake.

[WarriorMama]

Very rarely would your reptile get ticks from the feeder rodents. More likely he came with the ticks and now you just happen to find them.

They are easy to remove, just make sure that you are removing the tick and not scales or ouchy for the snake.

 

Do you think they could take that long to show up? We've had him for over two months, and we DEFINITELY would have noticed these before, they're quite apparent.

[laundrycrisis]

I'm sorry your Monday has been rough. I hope you are able to take care of the snake.

[elise1mds]

Oh, ew. Ew ew ew. :ack2:

 

And this is why I've been putting my son off the idea of a bearded dragon for as long as possible. I am going to wait till he can take care of things like this ALL. BY. HIMSELF.

 

*shudder*

[TXMary2]

I had no idea reptiles could get ticks. My 14 yo ds has 3 snakes. He is away at Boy Scouts Winter Camp or I would ask him about it. I don't touch his snakes and all I can say is, "GROSS!"

[OrganicAnn]

My brother had a snake for about 10 years. We never had ticks. Where did they come from? Do you feed them live animals - mice?

 

I would get to the source of the ticks, so they don't recur.

[vettechmomof2]

Do you think they could take that long to show up? We've had him for over two months, and we DEFINITELY would have noticed these before, they're quite apparent.

 

Depending on where he came from yes, I have seen them become much more visible around that time.

What sort of substrate(bedding) do you have him on?

Rodents are common for bringing in fleas but not so much ticks. Unless of course you are actually catching wild rodents;)

[kalanamak]

this will not be fun.

 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=814

 

 

:lol:

I love the comment about how slathering it with olive oil "may be messy". Why not canola oil? The snake must have EVOO?

 

And for that 20 minute bath "drowning" the mites.....the snake is going to be happy to hold still?

[WarriorMama]

Oh, ew. Ew ew ew. :ack2:

 

And this is why I've been putting my son off the idea of a bearded dragon for as long as possible. I am going to wait till he can take care of things like this ALL. BY. HIMSELF.

 

*shudder*

 

Good plan! My dd is only 6, and I told my husband and brother (whose brilliant idea this was) that THEY were going to have to deal with any issues. Blech. ;)

 

Depending on where he came from yes, I have seen them become much more visible around that time.

What sort of substrate(bedding) do you have him on?

Rodents are common for bringing in fleas but not so much ticks. Unless of course you are actually catching wild rodents;)

 

He came from the pet store and was captive-bred. I think the substrate he's been on is coco bark, but I'm not terribly positive, not being the snake keeper around here. Ah well...off to the vet today!

[WarriorMama]

My brother had a snake for about 10 years. We never had ticks. Where did they come from? Do you feed them live animals - mice?

 

I would get to the source of the ticks, so they don't recur.

 

My brother is now saying they may be mites after all. They're pretty darn big for mites, though. He's taking the snake to the vet today to get everything take care of, and I guess we'll find out then.

 

The snake has been eating live mice...that's my only thought for where the ticks could have come from (if they are ticks!).

 

The source is a very big concern of mine. If he somehow came with them, or if they came from the feeder mice, my pet store is never going to hear the end of it. :tongue_smilie:

[TXMary2]

My brother is now saying they may be mites after all. They're pretty darn big for mites, though. He's taking the snake to the vet today to get everything take care of, and I guess we'll find out then.

 

The snake has been eating live mice...that's my only thought for where the ticks could have come from (if they are ticks!).

 

The source is a very big concern of mine. If he somehow came with them, or if they came from the feeder mice, my pet store is never going to hear the end of it. :tongue_smilie:

 

Is the snake being fed in his living space? If so, I would stop doing that. If by chance the feeder mice are brining anything in, they can't get in the substrate if they are being fed in a separate container.