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Taurrus Mite Review

13K views 21 replies 13 participants last post by  Se7enS1ns 
#1 ·
So as some of may know I order Taurrus mite last week from Pilabra

On first view the delivery was sooner then said very happy with that. the packeging was very good no chance of the pot the mites are in escaping.

So I spent £90 on them which seems like a lot of money, however the size of the tub was very big... I am using these as a curative not preventative so need more for the vivs. I only have four vivs to treat and the amount was plenty, however this size was suggested by Chris at Pilbara,



Included in the package was a few leaflets explaining the dosage required for certain size vivs and racks, information about Taurrus mites, etc





So Basically they are very easy "to use" I poured the contense of the pot into my vivs, a little bit more in each then the sheet says as you can not really store these mites, the lid on the container has two holes in the top about the size of a ten pence piece you push in and Pour away. That's basically it simple as...

Here what the contense looks like in the viv on aspen



And the contense in the bucket



The bucket was full to the brim by the way this was an after thought as you can't really see it on the aspen.

When you pour the contense onto your chosen substrate you have to look carefully and you will see the mites moving around.

Last weekend I have a full f10 clean of the vivs and EVERYTHING in them so my Taurras mites would not die due to the use of callingtons- I chose these to change to Taurrus mites as I do t like the effect chemicals can have on snake especially since I have some young ones. I put substrate in as the Taurrus will burry themselves

Basically these predator mites eat the black parasite mites at any stage egg to adult when the infestation of parasite mites has gone the Taurrus mites die naturally as they run out of food.

I hope this is helpful to anyone looking for a biological way to rid parasite mites.


I shall keep you informed of how the Taurrus work out, but I have a lot of confidence in them after the chat with Chris last week.
 
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#2 ·
So just a little update, The parasite mites seem to have disappeared not a trace of them in any viv.

I dont know if the white mites ares still there as I cant see them being as I use aspen in the vivs. Hopefully they are still alive eating any eggs that may be about.

so far 10 out of 10.

I will continue to monitor the situation over the next two weeks, things are looking good !

So happy with them, so far
 
#6 ·
Cheers mate.
So much better the the chemical option IMO as I have a few younger snakes. Ah they are the devil in disguise mate I hope you never have to deal with them.

Just curious, you said that you are using the mites as a ''curative not preventative'', how can they work as a preventative? Surely without a host to feed on they'll die?
Of course a good question I should of put the answer on my first post

I am using them curative-I have mites therefore brought the next size up to get rid of them quicker.

Preventative- people can get the small amount when adding new snakes to the "collection" (i hate that word), others I have spoke to will use it in new batches of substrate etc, incase there is any mites.

They will of course die without a food supply as you say. The aim of using them this way is to nip any infestation in the bud.

I can see the positive to buying as a preventative measure hopefully no mites ever again, I may consider buying some when I get my new retic this year. even thought she will be quarantined we all know what them mites are like

However I wouldnt go as far to buy everytime I get new substrate.
 
#5 ·
#7 ·
As I understand it they die without mites to feed on?

Callingtons is the only way, £90. Seriously only use if you have a big mite problem use them. Chris would suggest te bigger tub.......:whistling2:

Try this

Hypoaspis x 10,000 - Defenders - Safe Effective Natural Biological Pest Control for Gardeners

As suggested here!

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/snakes/847902-defender-mites.html

£90 my word! spray twice a day to keep the alive!!
no callingtons is not the only way mate, not everyone like to spay chemicals all over their reptiles especially young ones.

if callingtons is the only way why are you giving a link to "defender mites" kind of undermines your statement.

The reason Chris suggested the larger tub is because I wanted to get rid of them as quick as possible.
 
#8 ·
*cough*

Some snake's like hognose's can have bad if not a fatal reaction to callington's....so it's not always recommended and the use of any chemicals should be looked into before use for possible side effects that aren't listed on the can for the snake in question.: victory:

Great review Bradley, lets hope i never have to deal with the blighter's :no1:
 
#9 ·
*cough*

Some snake's like hognose's can have bad if not a fatal reaction to callington's....so it's not always recommended and the use of any chemicals should be looked into before use for possible side effects that aren't listed on the can.: victory:

Great review Bradley, lets hope i never have to deal with the blighter's :no1:
Thankyou Kimora

You have hit the nail on the head !

Someone put a thread up a while go with young boas it had also affected- Unfortunately they died. I have two young boas and a young retic among my lot. its not a risk im willing to take.

I really hope you don't have too. No matter how hygienic you are the spread like wild fire.

This thread was intended to make people aware of a biological way to rid parasite mites. I would of paid double that not a problem.
 
#13 ·
I've seen first hand what callingtons can do to some snakes, having fatally affected my Thamnophis.

Defender mites are great, but I think £90 is a hell of a lot to spend, when you could have gotten the £14 substitute.
And as someone rightly said, you can't really use them as a preventive, because as soon as all the mites are dead, your £90 Taurrus will die. So when you get mites again, you have to repeat the process.
 
#14 ·
I wouldn't use them as preventative on substrate etc... As I have said the defenders are great value for that.

I said maybe on a new snake... You can get smaller amounts if you require them.

Did you find defenders got mites off you snake- as one of the companies selling them has said:

"They work by killing the stages of the snake mites that are found in the vivarium (not on the snake)"

I am happy with what I got for my money... mite free snakes.
 
#15 ·
90 quid for peace of mind and a safe effective way of ridding the problem...money well spent i say. Ya sher feck the animals well being im going doing the cheap way is it??

Those people nagging about price what do ye do if vet needed ?? sod it as it too expensive?? As I recall these are your pets right??

Seeing as the defenders are a different species of mite I don't see the comparison .

Cheers for the review

Noel
 
#18 ·
Hi just to let people know the Taurrus do not die when there are no snake mites left they also prey on 3 other species of mites that live in your vivariums including dust mite this is how they can be used in a preventative way. The time you loose the Taurrus is when you change the substrate. The defender mites are hypoaspis these do not like to eat snake mites preferring smaller prey like dust mites they also live in conditions where most reptiles are not found ie in wet soil and at cooler temperatures. Taurrus are the natural snake mite predator being found on wild snakes
cheers
Chris
 
#21 ·
Thanks for clearing that up Chris. :no1:

Proper quarantine of any new snake will give you 100% assurance that the snake is mite free before introducing to your reptile room. This looks a good product but it is very much overkill and not neccessary, in my opinion that is :2thumb:
Overkill ??? Treating mites in a biological way is overkill ??

I think not mate.

All my new snakes and lizards are quarantined in a separate room- but the mites still found their way even with the best hygiene I could give them...

Maybe just maybe I got some hitch hikers when I was In a reptile shop picking up some equipment.

This is the only way I would treat mites if I ended up with them again








Update all snakes are Mite FREE happy days : victory:
 
#19 ·
Proper quarantine of any new snake will give you 100% assurance that the snake is mite free before introducing to your reptile room. This looks a good product but it is very much overkill and not neccessary, in my opinion that is :2thumb:
 
#22 ·
Winds me up when people bang on about "proper quarantine". It's worthless addage, something people like to spout off about as a point of attempted superiority. Unless you have a separate building (not just a spare bedroom) kept to medical-grade sterile conditions, complete with a separate "scrub" area, you do not have proper quarantine. Far from it.

"Quarantine", for most, is at best just a common sense and an obsersvational process - minimising contact between the "quarantined" snake and the rest of your animals via yourself, including sharing of equipment. A period of separation at best, and certainly not "proper quarantine".
 
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