I'm sorry to bring up an old topic, but i am about at my wits end.
I have a large burm, and he keeps getting mite infections every 2-3 months. I have tried literally everything i can think of, from olive oil, to mite-off, to light wiping down with frontline, spraying the cage with frontline, spraying the cage with mite-off, putting Vapona strips in the cage (for up to three weeks at a time, yes without the snake in it) to aggresively steam cleaning the whole cage. When i spray the stuff in i am not shy with it, and usually do two to three "sterilisations" about 5 days apart before i put the snake back in. Everything works, for a short while but then the mites are back. The cage is big, made of pine, and is simply furnished, with one large branch, newspaper substrate, a large upturned cardboard box (changed regularly) and a tub of water. I cannot get rid of these things! With the frequent amounts of time i spend away from home on contracts, it is getting more and more difficult for my wife to handle the snake (2.8m) and she isnt really confident in dealing with illnesses etc.
Right next door to this snake, is another cage with my Tai ratsnake in it, which has not had a single mite (that i have noticed, anyway, although when i de-mite the python i do its cage as a precaution as well). Does anyone have any advice i can try that might have a more permanent effect? There are never huge amounts of mites but you can see them crawling over the snake if you shine a torch on him.