FaunaClassifieds - View Single Post - Info Ashley Caspillo-SakaraGT4/Sakara *Possible Buyer Beware!*

12-08-2010, 08:23 PM

??? I think you are thinking of Yvonne? "boachick17"
I don't have any of Ashley's snakes and I've never had any with hers.

My interest in this is trying to give the head's up that I only wish someone had given me. It's not personal against Ashley, however I will admit frustration and anger that she received a report that suggested the presence of IBD and still sold snakes.

About me:
Mostly, I've been keeping venomous, a few "educational program-kid friendly" non-venomous, and I have several lizards and a frog..

I DID have an outbreak that started about 2? years ago?

I'd bought 2 questionable snakes from an unknown seller at the show. All my others came from reputable sellers.

Like a moron I QT'd them all together. I'll NEVER do that again.

I had feeding issues and noticeable RI signs from 2 snakes:
a Canebrake & a Speckled Rattlesnake. The Cane died within a short period after acquisition, I'll have to look.
The Speck died about a month? later. (again, I've moved, I'll have to look)

I separated everyone out into different rooms, cleaned cages out completely, soaked snakes in Betadine mix..anything I could think of, while I waited for necropsy results.

I had to wait a little while as I ran into the issue of having snakes die on weekends when the vet was CLOSED, and the lab was a separate testing place they shipped the snakes to.

I wound up losing several of them before I ever got a handle on the problem. During that time I was freaking out thinking "OPMV!!!"
Aside from the 2 that never ate, and later showed RI signs (Cane & Speck) the other deaths were sudden, with no signs of illness. Eating, shedding, defecating normally. I was baffled.

I was finally able to get 2 snakes in for testing.. My A. chlorechis juvenile and my N. kaouthia (male juvenile) both had postmortem tests performed indicating high levels of Salmonella poisoning..NEW ONE ON ME.

A friend of mine on one of the other forums suggested feeder rodents. I resterilized cages with straight bleach, let it DRY on there, then hosed it off with a water hose and dry in the sun.

Both of the snakes sent off had been fed just prior to death, (one literally several hours) and looking back on records, the ONLY 2 that died of anything OTHER than sudden deaths within days of feeding were the 2 questionable snakes that never ate and showed RI signs...

I tossed all the feeders I had, and I've yet to have any more deaths similar.
A word about the feeders, they were all purchased at a nearby show within 3.5hrs driving distance. Maybe they weren't kept cold enough and re-froze? I dunno?

I have had 2 more deaths since then: a WC A. squamigera that ingested ReptiBark substrate (kick self) and a WC A. squamigera that I was treating for parasites that didn't pull through. Both of these were kept separate from the others in my collection.

I have, in the past year, sold several of my remaining collection due to some physical disabilities (crappy knee replacement) and I could no longer safely deal with my Naja and Bitis. I also sold a couple of other snakes.

Last I heard, from the 3 separate buyers I sold my snakes to, all snakes are still doing well and are just as hateful as they were when they were here.

Thankfully my tests indicated salmonella poisoning (assuming from contaminated rodents) and another bacteria that I will have to find.

I'm not a breeder, I'm a private keeper who enjoys just keeping. I've entertained the idea of eventually breeding my A. squamigera, and probably will after I have a stable selection to breed.

Anyways at the time of the outbreak, I locked down the collection. I was fortunate in a separate building and treated the poor things like they had the plague. I finally got necropsies & path tests done that cleared the collection of OPMV, and I've had no more "suspicious" deaths in over a year. I did sell some of my snakes, but as I said, collection was clear for 1year, and had clear tests.

I did lose a couple of WC A. squamigera (kept separate from others in the collection) one to substrate ingestion and one not long after purchase to a parasitic problem. Such is the risk with fresh imports.

Animals I was receiving were kept separate from my current collection, and I have records of feedings, defecations and sheds.

12-08-2010, 08:23 PM	#129
amercnwmn	??? I think you are thinking of Yvonne? "boachick17" I don't have any of Ashley's snakes and I've never had any with hers. My interest in this is trying to give the head's up that I only wish someone had given me. It's not personal against Ashley, however I will admit frustration and anger that she received a report that suggested the presence of IBD and still sold snakes. About me: Mostly, I've been keeping venomous, a few "educational program-kid friendly" non-venomous, and I have several lizards and a frog.. I DID have an outbreak that started about 2? years ago? I'd bought 2 questionable snakes from an unknown seller at the show. All my others came from reputable sellers. Like a moron I QT'd them all together. I'll NEVER do that again. I had feeding issues and noticeable RI signs from 2 snakes: a Canebrake & a Speckled Rattlesnake. The Cane died within a short period after acquisition, I'll have to look. The Speck died about a month? later. (again, I've moved, I'll have to look) I separated everyone out into different rooms, cleaned cages out completely, soaked snakes in Betadine mix..anything I could think of, while I waited for necropsy results. I had to wait a little while as I ran into the issue of having snakes die on weekends when the vet was CLOSED, and the lab was a separate testing place they shipped the snakes to. I wound up losing several of them before I ever got a handle on the problem. During that time I was freaking out thinking "OPMV!!!" Aside from the 2 that never ate, and later showed RI signs (Cane & Speck) the other deaths were sudden, with no signs of illness. Eating, shedding, defecating normally. I was baffled. I was finally able to get 2 snakes in for testing.. My A. chlorechis juvenile and my N. kaouthia (male juvenile) both had postmortem tests performed indicating high levels of Salmonella poisoning..NEW ONE ON ME. A friend of mine on one of the other forums suggested feeder rodents. I resterilized cages with straight bleach, let it DRY on there, then hosed it off with a water hose and dry in the sun. Both of the snakes sent off had been fed just prior to death, (one literally several hours) and looking back on records, the ONLY 2 that died of anything OTHER than sudden deaths within days of feeding were the 2 questionable snakes that never ate and showed RI signs... I tossed all the feeders I had, and I've yet to have any more deaths similar. A word about the feeders, they were all purchased at a nearby show within 3.5hrs driving distance. Maybe they weren't kept cold enough and re-froze? I dunno? I have had 2 more deaths since then: a WC A. squamigera that ingested ReptiBark substrate (kick self) and a WC A. squamigera that I was treating for parasites that didn't pull through. Both of these were kept separate from the others in my collection. I have, in the past year, sold several of my remaining collection due to some physical disabilities (crappy knee replacement) and I could no longer safely deal with my Naja and Bitis. I also sold a couple of other snakes. Last I heard, from the 3 separate buyers I sold my snakes to, all snakes are still doing well and are just as hateful as they were when they were here. Thankfully my tests indicated salmonella poisoning (assuming from contaminated rodents) and another bacteria that I will have to find. I'm not a breeder, I'm a private keeper who enjoys just keeping. I've entertained the idea of eventually breeding my A. squamigera, and probably will after I have a stable selection to breed. Anyways at the time of the outbreak, I locked down the collection. I was fortunate in a separate building and treated the poor things like they had the plague. I finally got necropsies & path tests done that cleared the collection of OPMV, and I've had no more "suspicious" deaths in over a year. I did sell some of my snakes, but as I said, collection was clear for 1year, and had clear tests. I did lose a couple of WC A. squamigera (kept separate from others in the collection) one to substrate ingestion and one not long after purchase to a parasitic problem. Such is the risk with fresh imports. Animals I was receiving were kept separate from my current collection, and I have records of feedings, defecations and sheds.