# Jurassi Mite spray harmful



## yours (Nov 11, 2007)

I have my fruit fly "table" right behind a newly setup Red Galactonotus tank, and close enough to a tarapoto pair tank...........

My question is....its about that time to spray the paper towels, under the fruit fly cultures with Mite Spray.................since the two tanks were not near this table the last time I did it, i wasn't concerned................can the "aroma" of the spray be harmful to the two frog tanks near? there is a vent on either tank theoretically enabling the smell to travel to their tanks....(due to space restrictions, i cannot move the fruit fly table anywhere else, nor move these two tanks away from it.......not now, not yet hehe)

I did a search but did not find an exact problem/scenario similar to mine although I don't doubt it exists!  I can possibly think of spraying the towels, letting them sit to dry and then putting them on the table later on.........................is that the only way around this? (i've heard of mite paper but that not being nearly as effective)

Thanks for your time!


Alex


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## rollei (Jun 4, 2009)

I'm not sure if you're interested, or have tried this before, but if you put the cultures in a shallow pool of water, it will prevent mites from reaching your cultures. This is used instead of chemicals of course to prevent harming your frogs.


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## yours (Nov 11, 2007)

Something I may be interested in trying when the time comes for me moving and I can switch technique's around a bit w/ more space.....

But for the time being---! 

Anyone else? The aroma---as many of you realize---isn't permanent or THAT long lasting like say, silicone.........but.....should be there for at least a day-ish I would surmise?

Obviously the red galacts and tarapoto's are a LOT more important than the confounded fruit flies/spring tails and possibility of mites...............although, trying to prevent them(or prevent further ones) is almost just as important! 


Thanks...


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

Can you spray your paper towel somewhere else? Storage locker, garage, Outside, etc. After the initial smell disapates it should be fine IMO.

Glenn


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## Dragonfly (Dec 5, 2007)

If you don't try to make your ff cultures last too long, mites shouldn't be a problem. No need to have the chemicals there.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Yep...I tried to make cultures last "as long as they were producing" but I now try for the - 30 days and then gone, method and it has worked very well.

Also boil / microwave your media.

I use blue mite paper and feel that it does a good job.

Alex...I would spray your towels outside and let dry before putting them close to vivs just for cautions sake if nothing else.

Are the vivs and FF's close to your kitchen by any chance?


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## yours (Nov 11, 2007)

Nope, thankfully no ff cultures close to the kitchen...

I may look into the mite paper someday....but yes, I'll try the towel spray-age outside/away-from-my-frogroom.....

Thanks for the input gang.....never want to try something w/o researching/asking-about-it-first! These amphibian babies are too precious! 


Thanks again!



Alex


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

Curious?? Why was the question asked about FF cultures being close to the kitchen Phil??


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Just the proximity to foodstuffs...that's all.

I used to have a viv in my dining room, which is next to my kitchen and some of my cultures were kept there as well.

but I used the blue paper. I would have been pretty paranoid with the spray and fumes near the kitchen.

just me though...

not being near the kitchen does cut down on the ole' FF in the OJ stuff....and wine....and grape juice...and applesauce...


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

Just wondered. We have a viv in the eat in part of the kitchen. Sometimes we put cultures up above those cabinets to speed up the bloom. All of our cultures are in the basement at 68F. It'll speed them up by about 3 days. As far as the FF's We do get a few around but below the viv is a cup with a bit of wine and dishsoap. It works well at catching the strays


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

Kitchens/pantries are also good places for cultures & culturing materials to pick up mites. In response to the OP, I use Scalex brand spray, and based on the precautions listed on the label, I would NOT spray it in the frogroom. Wet down your paper towels outside or in another room, and allow them to dry before bringing them near your animals.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Any particular reason people are using paper towels as opposed to say sheets of newspaper? 

Ed


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

Ed said:


> Any particular reason people are using paper towels as opposed to say sheets of newspaper?
> 
> Ed


Wouldn't it be fair to assume that they are more absorbant, and would retain a greater amount of the active ingredients?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Dane said:


> Wouldn't it be fair to assume that they are more absorbant, and would retain a greater amount of the active ingredients?



If you lay out the newspaper flat and then spray it and allow to dry, then absorbancy is a moot point... 
Using newspaper allows one to handle the sprayed paper a lot easier as it doesn't require laying out of as many sheets. Additionally you can read the paper first so its a repurposing of a material which is a "greener" practice..... 

Ed


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