Don't know about thier biology, but I have successfully removed litle
red mites using mineral oil on a cotton ear swab (e.g. Q-tip). This
requires holding the gecko and applying the swab with mineral oil to the
mites. After a day or so, I would recapture the gecko and repeat the
procedure, this time the previously treated mites could be wiped off. I
would continue until the mites were gone. I kept the geckos under sparce
conditions (paper towel substrate and paper towel tubes) which was
replaced often to minimize chances of reinfection.
I did have a lot of mites around the eye region and was careful to only
apply mineral oil it to mites (although I am sure that some did get on
the eye). I never noticed any adverse affect from the mioneral oil to
the gecko.
Yuri Huta
Michael Kearney wrote:
>
> I am wondering if anyone knows about the biology of the little red
> Geckobia mites that occur on geckos. In particular, I am interested to
> know how much of their life is spent on the host and how they transmit
> between individuals, but I'd appreciate any info at all. Also, what is
> a good way of getting rid of them (particularly from around the eyes)?
> I've heard bathing in soapy water or water with iodine does the trick.
> I also read that mineral oil can be used to remove mites from snake's
> eyes since they have an eye-spectacle and so won't be irritated, so
> I'm thinking this might be O.K. for geckos too ...
>
> best regards,
>
> Michael
>
> *************************************
> Michael Kearney
> School of Biological Sciences
> Building A08
> University of Sydney
> NSW, AUSTRALIA, 2006
>
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> ph + 61 2 9351 7661
> fax + 61 2 9351 5609
> *************************************
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