help - mites on rats! how do you get rid of them???

[recycling goddess]

i got an email just now from a friend:

My ratties have mites! I thoroughly cleaned their cage tonight, washed them off with water, then wiped them down with garlic oil and put it in their ears, too. But the little suckers are still on them! They are COVERED! I don't know what happened! But in the meantime, everything I've read says to give them Ivermectin, which my mom has and can bring by next weekend. It is liquid heavy duty strength. Do you know of anything else I can do to get rid of them? I feel so bad I don't know how they got in there!
Thanks for any help you can give me!

what advice can you give her? becky? jo? anyone with experience?

[Bright202]

I wouldn't really know... Sorry hun, I want to say PAM, but that is only used for reptiles.. Has anyone tested it for rodents?
Again I'm sorry about your friends rats, I hope she can get them mites cleared up soon!

[SatanicIntention]

Why would she put garlic oil on them? Cooking rats tonight?

Ivermectin PASTE needs to be used, it's only 1.87% for the whole tube that treats a 1000lb horse. They each need a grain of rice sized dose every day for 2-3 weeks. You can use that or Frontline SPRAY(not the concentrate drops) or Revolution for Kittens(they all need weighed so a specific dosage can be given, but it treats for 30+ days).

Tell her to get the paste or the Frontline spray and don't use the injectable stuff made for cattle/goats. Too high of a dose and tastes freaking awful.

What kind of bedding is she keeping them on? Carefresh is notorious for having mites in it. I get aspen and have never had problems. She may want to freeze the bedding before using it. Did she bring a new rat in that wasn't quarantined?

[SatanicIntention]

Mitch, PAM will either kill rodents or give them irreversible neurologic problems. There are alot of other alternatives that are meant for treating mites on mammals that are safer.

[recycling goddess]

nope... she's always had the two (they are pets) she has no idea where they came from.

[recycling goddess]

thanks becky. i sent her your response. you rock girlfriend!!!

[Bright202]

Mitch, PAM will either kill rodents or give them irreversible neurologic problems. There are alot of other alternatives that are meant for treating mites on mammals that are safer.

Oh okay, like I said I didn't really know, but thanks for informing me, I learn something mew everyday here, sorry Aleesha!
EDIT
Oh and thanks Becky for letting me know
END EDIT

[recycling goddess]

hey mitch, it's how we all learn!

[Bright202]

hey mitch, it's how we all learn!

Thanks Aleesha!
Did you get what I said before?
When are your snakes coming from Adam?

[recycling goddess]

yup i did...

i have no idea. i told adam to take care of his son and himself and worry about my snakes later... cause real life HAS to come first!