chondrogal
wench
Just want to speak about Proventamite and chondros...... it IS absolutely safe when used as directed. You do not spray the snake directly. You don't even have to bath the snake, just spray the enclosure, let it dry and 3-4 weeks later, mites are dead, problem solved. I hang in a circle of pretty devout chondro folks and don't recall any of them ever sharing a loss due to PAM. Now I've only had a couple hundred of these snakes, but every one has been exposed to PAM here since I use it as a preventative. I visit herp shops and reptile shows regularly so go for prevention rather than a cure.
I would challenge the "fact" that people have lost otherwise healthy chondros when they have used PAM as directed by the manufacturer. I don't doubt that people have lost chondros after using it but would bet that husbandry error or other illness is the cause of the loss, not the exposure to the dried PAM.
The use of a dirty cage to house any incoming animal into a shop blows me away.
I actually kind of like a shed left in a cage or two to invite questions is a cool idea and seems quite reasonable. I would only allow one shed ever per cage and certainly only a couple in the whole shop on animals that were known to be healthy.
As business/shop owners though we should hold ourselves to the highest standard of husbandry, we need to set an example 100% of the time so that potential buyers that don't have as much experience will clearly see a proper set up so that their new critters can not only survive but thrive in their new owners care. Doesn't have to be fancy, just clean, proper temps, substrate, hide spots and adequate space. Set the animals up to thrive for potential buyers and be there for the owners when they do have questions.
No animals that are being treated for illness should be left where general public can see them. PETA can take a single animal that may be in poor shape when surrounded by hundreds of healthy ones and make a huge fuss about it. We know that PETA hires undercover people to dig up any dirt they can, we shouldn't be helping them....EVER!!!
I would challenge the "fact" that people have lost otherwise healthy chondros when they have used PAM as directed by the manufacturer. I don't doubt that people have lost chondros after using it but would bet that husbandry error or other illness is the cause of the loss, not the exposure to the dried PAM.
The use of a dirty cage to house any incoming animal into a shop blows me away.
I actually kind of like a shed left in a cage or two to invite questions is a cool idea and seems quite reasonable. I would only allow one shed ever per cage and certainly only a couple in the whole shop on animals that were known to be healthy.
As business/shop owners though we should hold ourselves to the highest standard of husbandry, we need to set an example 100% of the time so that potential buyers that don't have as much experience will clearly see a proper set up so that their new critters can not only survive but thrive in their new owners care. Doesn't have to be fancy, just clean, proper temps, substrate, hide spots and adequate space. Set the animals up to thrive for potential buyers and be there for the owners when they do have questions.
No animals that are being treated for illness should be left where general public can see them. PETA can take a single animal that may be in poor shape when surrounded by hundreds of healthy ones and make a huge fuss about it. We know that PETA hires undercover people to dig up any dirt they can, we shouldn't be helping them....EVER!!!

Good catch Kelli! I was wondering the same thing (I've never had mites ..knock on wood...but I have seen pics of tics on snakes. Mites wouldn't photograph so clearly, imo.