Attention Ron Billingsley Customers!

Originally Posted by Ricky Jorgensen

So the mites has caused that your house is under quarantine by government agents ?
Are we speaking about mites from outta space or something ?
This thread is a joke.

Ricky, I know Jenna well enough to know that she has nothing but good intentions posting this. And there is NOTHING funny about it.

I'm sure Jenna will have much more information today. There's not much to be done here until we know more.......PLEASE, let's not clutter up this thread with a bunch of bickering and speculation. Let's just wait for some good answers. I believe Evan's thoughts are very likely correct, but I think we need to wait and see.

Originally Posted by lucille

I think you need to insist on more information. What is the extent of the quarantine? How long is going to last? What paperwork do you have and how does it claim authority to quarantine your home? Has Ron contacted you yet and is his business being quarantined?

Jenna, this must be a lot to deal with; I hope all is well and that your snake and your collection come out of this with no problems.

I only talked to them on the phone last night, and I got the feeling they themselves were unsure how to handle this (they needed to be able to bring people in from out of town and discuss the correct protocol...I live in Madison and the top people in the state are here, so to bring in people with higher expertise makes me a little worried about the severity). I will get as much in writing as I can.

Ron has contacted me and he is just as confused as I am. I do not doubt that he did everything like he normally does, and I do not doubt him as a person. I don't know much about the parasite in question so it may be possible it is resistant to over-the-counter medications that he may have used?

I will let you all know what happens as soon as I can

Originally Posted by evansnakes

Bruce, since the ticks and the disease come out of Africa, it would not affect the animals bred here from being sold here or anywhere else in the world. It would end African imports. Animals being shipping in or out of the country that are captive bred are already required to be inspected and certified by a veteranarian and be accompanied by a health certificate now so that likely will not change.

Actually, I hope the Feds do nothing to ball pythons. I had just started thinking about getting into ball python morph breeding and was considering spending $10,000 this week.

I live in the area where the Feds say they found the sulcata tortoise ticks at
Robert's facility. I heard the Feds actually showed up in white Ebola space suits. If they do that at the young lady's or Ron's house then we are in serious trouble.

I find it unbelievable that the vet that used mite and tick interchangably and had never seen anything like them managed to get the government in such a wad! I hope that when someone with some real knowledge inspects your house they go "What an idiot!" about the vet and give you a clean bill of health.
Best wishes and thoughts going out to you! Theresa Baker

Situation - an import you purchased has a few mites/ticks (common on balls, no major issue - should have been treated before delivery, but hey...stuff happens).

This is an everyday issue.

Now you are under government quarantine??

What idiot called the feds?

If it was your vet - change vets. Look for someone a little less reactive. Set up a quarantine area for all your new herps - to include no-pest strips. Problem solved.

If YOU called the feds - what were you THINKING???
I hope you learn from this - (hard lesson - tough break).

My humble opinion - everyday occurences become insane boondoggles when you involve anti-pet bureaurocrats with little understanding and light work loads (i.e., nothing better to do)

Mike Bostic

At first I thought this was going to be one of those, I bought a wild caught and am upset about parasites kind of posts. I'm just glad no one is trying to blame Ron, he sells his animals honestly from what I have seen, and I would hate to see this hurt his reputation.

On a side note, if the import of BP's was halted just imagine how nice the market for normals would be. Can you say normal male $100? That could also help to rebound the morph prices a little too. Although it would be sad to see a halt to the possible new morphs.

Also, I hope that this isn't something that will get you sick Jenna. I'll be praying for your health

Originally Posted by Wolfy-hound

I find it unbelievable that the vet that used mite and tick interchangably and had never seen anything like them managed to get the government in such a wad! I hope that when someone with some real knowledge inspects your house they go "What an idiot!" about the vet and give you a clean bill of health.
Best wishes and thoughts going out to you! Theresa Baker

Theresa,

Reading the first post, the specimen was sent to a (hopefully competent) pathology lab so it was out of the hands of the local vet by this point. If the USDA is coming down and has quarantined the house then they must have reasonable suspicion based on what was seen by and/or reported to them.

Another point is that ticks are mites. Ticks are the biggest mites. See http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk/mite.htm for a bit of explanation. With the naked eye they can be difficult to distinguish. For instance, the deer tick (I. scapularis), which transmits the agent involved in Lyme disease, is barely bigger than a speck of pepper when not engorged, and considerably smaller than a common dog tick when fully engorged. An expert can identify species using microscopy. Just as an example, I have attached a photo. This is an adult non-engorged deer tick.

Originally Posted by redbird

What idiot called the feds?

Perhaps you are unaware that there is mandatory reporting of certain disease agents and their vectors. Not doing so can result in civil penalties and loss of license at the very least. If I were the lab owner I would have made any required report. As Evan brought up, there is a serious tick borne pathogen that can endanger cattle.

Perhaps my vernacular was a little "over-the-top" - a little reactive myself, I suppose.

Still - imports (and CB on occasion) come with mites now and then ...ticks too. I am just so glad I have always treated my own animals for most simple health issues. Regardless of regulations and associated liabilities, I seriously doubt that every vet who finds a mite on a herp sends it to a pathology lab and contacts the feds -- the rest of you out there....is that what your vet has done in your experience?

Respond if you have ever had your vet find a mite -- did they send it to a pathology lab and contact the feds? If so, I stand corrected.

Either way, I stand by my original advice -- find a new vet, set up a quarantine area, use no-pest strips, don't panic over a mite or tick (and don't involve anyone who proves they have a propensity for such panic!).

Mike Bostic

As Jim O. pointed out it was most likely the lab that reported their findings to USDA.

I don't think one should underestimate the potential significance of Heartwater disease in the US. IF this is Heartwater there is little doubt that action will be taken on the importation of BPs and possibly other species. Heartwater has been found in African Vipers imported to the US through Florida, so this could be strike 2.

Estimates put livestock losses at 70% in the event of an epidemic in the US with losses to the beef industry approaching 800 Million annually.

For anyone interested in reading more on Heartwater disease I've posted information on my site.

Originally Posted by redbird

Perhaps my vernacular was a little "over-the-top" - a little reactive myself, I suppose.

Still - imports (and CB on occasion) come with mites now and then ...ticks too. I am just so glad I have always treated my own animals for most simple health issues. Regardless of regulations and associated liabilities, I seriously doubt that every vet who finds a mite on a herp sends it to a pathology lab and contacts the feds -- the rest of you out there....is that what your vet has done in your experience?

Respond if you have ever had your vet find a mite -- did they send it to a pathology lab and contact the feds? If so, I stand corrected.

Either way, I stand by my original advice -- find a new vet, set up a quarantine area, use no-pest strips, don't panic over a mite or tick (and don't involve anyone who proves they have a propensity for such panic!).

Mike Bostic

So, you'd rather the vet have just brushed it all under the rug and not worried about it?

If I brought an animal....ANY animal to the vet, and there was an unidentifiable parasite, OR one that was known to carry a potentially devastating disease, I sure as hell wouldn't want it brushed under the rug to "avoid panic".

What exactly did this vet do so wrong that she should fins a new vet?