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that didn't have the expertise or facilities to properly care for their livestock. He had orange mites and I didn't find out about them for almost a year. When I had finally learned enough about snakes to know what I was doing I had to solve the problem of getting rid of the mites. Any product you can buy to kill them off chemically is very harmful to reptiles, so I solved the mite problem the old fashioned way. If your snake has mites, you'll need to put him into an aquarium with a secure lid that he can't push out of. You'll also need a rock that he can lean up against that comes close to the surface, but is still underwater. The rock is very important so that your snake doesn't drown. It's also important that the water is not cold and that the snake has a heating lamp. Twenty four hours of soaking should be sufficient to drown all the mites on your snake and their eggs, though some may survive on his head and near his eyes and you may have to try again. While your snake is wading, you'll need to clean everything in his environment thoroughly with bleach. Rinse off the bleach and dry everything thoroughly. Once I solved his mite problem, Gaston became a much happier animal and was much easier to handle.

All in all, owning a snake is a wonderful experience. They are very elegant and pretty animals and they don't require a lot of time or love, so they are great pets for single people who work and don't have the time or attention for a mammal. Their unique needs however, do make them a challenging pet at times and you should be sure that you're ready for the commitment before you head to the store and bring home a new friend.

Learn more about this author, Graham Duke.
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