How did they get mites?

[sarah]

Ok I am wondering how my 2 bts got mites?I have never had a problem with mites and have no idea how they even came in contact with them.I make my own bedding from shreded ink free paper and have not added anything to there inclosures.The only thing I can guess is I have been taking them outside to get some sun and explore.Do they get mites from a yard?I take my big berm out all of the time and he has never gotten mites form my yard.I know skinks scales and skin is different from a snake but I am at a loss for any other ideas.Anyone have any ideas?

[Richard.C]

how long have u had them for ,any new additions reptile wise or furniture wise in the last few months?

takes a while for mites to build up in numbers if u only start with a few,the eggs i believe can stay dormant for quite a while to,so adding something containing eggs back to warmer temps can trigger them hatching

they can also pick up mites from outdoors as well,the blueys in my neck of the woods often have mites,wild animals,and my outdoors housed ones get them to,not sure where u are from so cant say,but it is quite possable they got them outside to,though doesnt explain why the burm doesnt get them,as they would happily infest a snake justas readily as skinks,also if kept close by to the snake theres everychance it mayhave some,but you havnt noticed yet,bigger animal lots more area for them to hide


how many mites have u noticed?

theres lots of different types,alot arent reptile host specific,so are no issue

[sarah]

There were quite a lot of mites on both of them.And yes I have added 2 new snakes to the family last week but there in quarantine still.

[Jeff]

The only way your skinks can get mites is to be exposed to either live mites or to have unhatched eggs brought into their proximity. If your new snakes have been properly quarantined, and you haven't added anything new to your skink enclosures, then they probably did pick them up outside.

Reptile mites can only exist if they have reptiles to host them. If you have wild reptiles where you live, your skinks would run the risk of being exposed to mites when they are outside. The odds of getting mites that way is probably low, but if you can rule out all other possibilities, that is probably what happened in your case. Sorry about that.