How to hinder mites infestation on our beloved scorpion..

raginhart

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
20
i just saw some mites on emperor scorpion, but ive seen them on other friends pet scorpion but they just throw away the substrate and put them in other enclosure with fresh new substrate, but then i wonder, whats the best thing to do so that there is'nt a infestation..

care to share anyone?..

Ps.

though i have a couple of months having a pet scorpie, i not still experienced yet..
 

Nomadinexile

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 8, 2009
Messages
2,674
This is a short version. There are lots of threads on AB about mites.
*you should read something more thorough than this.

Basics:
There are good and bad and between mites.
first you should figure out what they are. If they are orange in color, investigate further. They could be H. miles which eat bad mites. So if you have those, you don't need to worry at all. IF they aren't H. miles, you could have them i.d.'d at an agricultrual extension locally usually. But I think the H. miles are the most common good one. So if it's not H.miles then:

You basically have two options.
1. Clean the heck out of all of your cages, be careful not to cross contaminate. Clean with 10%-15% bleach solution. Rinse 3X good to get off all CHLORINE residue. Refill with clean substrate. Repeat often and search at night for survivors. When you can go a week or two without finding any, you can cut back your monitering a bit.

2. Do the same as above, and order H. miles from a biological control house for $65-$80, you get them in a week or two. (they usually have to be shipped to them. So don't wait to order until 2 days before you need them.
They will eat the mites until they are gone, then die off themselves if they can't find other suitable food. They are harmless to humans.
 

raginhart

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
20
ok thanks for the info..

btw my friend told me the other way to remove the infestation is to add a piece of meat in sbustrate to attract them double purpose to make other mites leave the scorpion, after 30 mins when the mites went to the meat remove the scorpion and clean away the enclosure and throw away the infested substrate.. :)
 

Nomadinexile

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 8, 2009
Messages
2,674
ok thanks for the info..

btw my friend told me the other way to remove the infestation is to add a piece of meat in sbustrate to attract them double purpose to make other mites leave the scorpion, after 30 mins when the mites went to the meat remove the scorpion and clean away the enclosure and throw away the infested substrate.. :)
That is a great idea, but you have to continue to watch and be careful. You have to continue to be vigilant. It's my biggest arachnid fear. I would rather get stung by ALL of my scorps at the same time, than see in person what I've only had to see in pictures. I mean that. I don't have very many scorps right now, but I do have 4 t. stigmurus. I hate parasitic creatures of all forms. :) Up with inverts! Down with mites! -r
 

raginhart

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
20
yup, ever be vigilant, scorpions must be kept with utmost care, i love my pets they keep me happy.. :)
 

H. laoticus

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 11, 2009
Messages
1,017
lol seriously...they are freaking annoying!!!

A good tip, do not bring in any outside hides or material unless you bake it in an oven at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes lol. It's worth your house smelling like a fire pit. I foolishly brought an outside piece of wood a while back w/o baking it and and before I knew it, my P. cavimanus was infested by super tiny mites all over its joints. Not a happy sight to see on your beloved scorpion.
 
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