• Posted 12/19/2024.
    =====================

    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Info Ashley Caspillo-SakaraGT4/Sakara *Possible Buyer Beware!*

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:ack2: Sorry! My apologies, I left off the name in the title**

This thread is about Ashley Caspillo (aka Sakara, aka SakaraGT & CaspilloConstrictors)and the possibility of IBD carrying snakes sold both here, elsewhere online, and offered for donation in a fundraising thread on another site.

I have provided the following links, and I have accented remarks made that support/contradict important statements made, my thoughts/opinions are in blue. I realize it's very long, but I've tried to make it as easy to follow as possible.

#1: Fauna BOI Bad Guy post found regarding Sakara (Ashley Caspillo's) claim regarding an IBD infected snake Dated: 11-19-2009


http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showpost.php?p=817943&postcount=116

Originally Posted by SakaraGT4
This is my official statement on this matter:
This is the email that I just sent him... for the record....

James,I got the results back from the vet today. The male BCL tested positive for both IBD and Pneumonia.
When I got him in September,(2009) I kept him away from the others with standard protocol. The only time he had contact with my other snakes at all was when we were moving to the new house. He was near the other snakes for maybe 2 weeks while we were getting everything set up, then moved back into his isolation.

The snake appeared fine during this time, but refused to eat for almost 4 weeks. I did not think much of that because I have had snakes refuse food before with no problems. This snake has never had any direct contact with any other snake in my collection. It is possible for this disease to spread through the air, but it is unstable, so there is a possibility that it may not spread through the air. It is typically spread through mites and feces/urine. This snake has never had that sort of contact with my other snakes and I do not have a mite issue. It is possible that this disease may spread to my other snakes and if it does my pythons will be the first to die due to the disease. As I stated before, I came home on 12November2009 to find him on his back Then he passed away early morning on 13November2009.

I have professional documented proof that this animal has had IBD since before I acquired him.

If any of my animals have contracted this disease and I lose my collection, I will be seeking representation for collection of my losses......

(CUT TO SHORTEN..FULL VIEW ON ABOVE URL) ......
To replace my entire collection it would cost me approx. $16,860 using average prices.
I am requesting a refund for the sick male BCL that I purchased from you of $196 for the animal, shipping and paypal fee. I have all documentation as well your information. If I do not receive this refund I will contact paypal. If paypal does not help I will locate your local police and my connections with other agencies.Thank you,Ashley Caspillo
Click to expand...

* If you read the actual thread posted, She CLEARLY states she has a snake with IBD in her claim on Fauna.
She also ADMITS said snake COULD have possibly infected some het albino boas she currently had up for sale. Why the sale ads for the babies were NOT IMMEDIATELY pulled I do not know.

#2 Here's where she talked about the death of said boa on another forum
http://www.redtailboa.net/forums/boas/58497-help-my-boa-dying.html


Sakara said:
went to scoop him out and he went into another "seizure" flipping around and opening his mouth...
Click to expand...
He is in isolation and hasn't been around my collection in a while..
yea... we have a necropsy appointment today with the best herp vet in Austin....They said that they do the process there and then if they need to send off tissue they have a place that does that as well... So I'm fairly confident with these ppl... Iv'e heard good things about them...
Click to expand...

#3: Necropsy results from, her vet "Suggesting Inclusion Body Disease"
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showpost.php?p=826097&postcount=172

#4) ON another forum her STORY CHANGES Posted 12-04-2009

http://www.redtailboa.net/forums/boas/58497-help-my-boa-dying-4.html#post750746
here is the issue. the tests showed that the snake had pneumonia, a parasite, a blood infection and something else but showed inclusion bodies in some areas. do I think he had IBD? honestly I don't know what to think.
is my collection in jeopardy? I highly doubt that considering this snake was isolated in a seperate room all but the move date.
have talked to many ppl about this and done so much research about diseases and stuff since he died. I also have a slight issue with the doctors that did the tests. look at the test dates on the reports... they didn't do the testing for like 4 or 5 days after the animal had passed. I am a tad bit skepticle that the test results were accurate consideing they didn't preserve the tissue other then in a cold environment.

why did I post the info over there? to try to shut that idiot out of 'business' and make a case against him with others' info if it comes to that.

why I didn't say anything over here about that possibility? because I'm not about to say my snake is sick and kill off my collection to find out that no one is sick because unlike that idiot, I actually take proper precautions with my animals.

I do not think my animals are in danger.

i see no reason in raising a flag where it doesn't need to be. that snake was in his own room in our house. the main collection is in the snake room, the babies are in the 2nd empty bedroom and he was in the 3rd, by himself and that is where he passed.
Click to expand...

Right here I'll interject with a link to a picture of her snake room posted 5 days AFTER her move:

#5) Link to pictures showing the snake IN the room with the others on 10-3-2009
(2nd pic from top "MALE BCL")


http://www.redtailboa.net/forums/ca...usbandry-items/57556-snake-room-done-now.html

Someone mentions the "Moving day" was around Sept 28th, the pics were EXIF dated Oct. 3, so at LEAST 5 days that snake was with those others.

Originally Posted by Sakara
so like I said, I'm not worried about my snakes and I didn't feel the need for anyone else to be worried when I don't know if the test results were true or false and at this time I honestly do not feel any threat from said disease. y'all know my collection and know that if I thought I needed to be worried I would be kinda flipping out about this, lol
Click to expand...

#6) The het albino boas she mentions as being in danger of IBD are the SAME boas listed for sale on Oct. 30th

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=153075&highlight=SakaraGT4

Sold at least ONE Nov. 17th, 2009

#7) SAME snakes mentioned after questioned about possibly selling sick snakes:

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148034&page=13
I was devastated when I heard IBD... The snake never even exhibited IBD type symptoms... Even until the time that he passed away, he could still completely right himself if flipped over, climb up himself if I held him by the tail and as I said, he never showed any signs of IBD... I have been told that IBD tests can show false positives if a snake has other neurological issues or something... But as I said in my paragraph, the only true way to know is, unfortunately, if my other snakes start dying.
As I stated, all the animals are here and are not leaving. Does it suck? yes...
But I'm not going to sell possibly sick animals to people. Especially with the babies possibly having IBD. At least I am honest and will not let any of them go.

#8) SAME boas offered for auction in a fundraising thread for TammyJamaica on RTB.net as of CURRENT (12-01-10)

http://www.redtailboa.net/forums/auctions/66838-2-boa-auction-tammy.html

Ashley has admitted
i've had 3 snakes, a burm, retic and a boa all tested after passing from unrelated causes tested by toxicology on brain, liver and intestine tissues and none had any issues...
Click to expand...

It is my understanding that the absence of inclusion bodies does not necessarily mean the snake is not affected with IBD

I get that information from Dr. Jacobson's site
http://www.vetmed.ufl.edu/college/departments/sacs/research/InclusionBodyDiseaseVirus.html
Thus, inclusions may be missed by pathologists in cases having few inclusions in the brain or other tissues. While the presence of characteristic inclusions is diagnostic for the disease, the absence of inclusions does not necessarily mean the snake is disease or IBD virus free.
Click to expand...

From her own admittance, she has lost 3-4 snakes SINCE the death of the BCL, but has NOT provided any necropsies regarding said deaths.

NOW when confronted with the findings, and the possibility of losing sales, she's retracted her confidence in the first vet's findings and has claimed a 2nd vet has discredited the initial findings, but has yet to post proof of that as well..

There's more links to snakes she's sold, and snakes she has bought. If need be, those links can also be provided.


I'm of course, NOT saying she HAS IBD.

I'm saying based on HER CLAIMS her snake DIED of VET PROVEN IBD. She alleged IBD all the way up to the last post made January 2010. (reference the first thread posted)

Based on the photographic proof and her own admissions, she has NOT taken proper steps in quarantine to preserve the health of her collection or others, and, IMO should NOT be offering snakes for SALE or DONATION without these facts being available somewhere for review by potential buyers.

She has NOW stated she won't sell any snakes, but I'm concerned about snakes she's ALREADY sold and the fact that she sold them after such questions were raised and never cleared regarding the death of the boa to suspected IBD
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
thats what is so tough about ibd, even if a slight or tissue sample doesnt reveal any inclusion bodies, it doesnt mean that snake is free of it. its such a nasty tough disease, especially in the python/boa world
 
Thank you for this information... From what I can see based on what you posted, it seems like she is not a person I'd like to work with. The moment she decided to sell her snakes, suddenly it wasn't IBD even though she openly accussed another breeder of selling her an IBD positive snake and demanded a refund.

I don't like people who operate like that.
 
Sounds pretty shady to me. Does she know of this thread? I didn't know IBD was such a nasty disease untill I recently researched it. I would die if my collection got something like this. I've always had really good quarantine procedures but that puts a whole new motivation to it. Plus I typically only buy from people I know.
 
ibd is nasty. if you have never seen an animal deep into ibd, you are lucky. if you are curious, youtube as a video or two of boas (i believe) that has ibd (neurologically affected ibd), it is a very sad site to see
 
Yes Dustin, I did link her to it.
She also copy/pasted a reply on another thread where IBD had been brought up on my first attempt at this thread (forgot the name in title).

Here is her copy/paste reply from the other thread:

And I, obviously, understand the concern about the health of the animals... As I stated, I do not believe that there is anything wrong with any of my animals and that there hasn't been since that one, hopefully, isolated incident with the BCL...
Click to expand...
Already contradicting her statement admitting she lost 3 to 4 other snakes since that death.
But, I have decided to hold off on my projects for this year simply to INSURE to the community that there is no issue... By next season, it will have been 2 years since the BCL incident and provided that there are no issues with ANY animal until then, then there should be no issues... .
Click to expand...
It's good that she has decided to hold off, but I think it's a little late for anyone who MIGHT have received a snake that was exposed, and to the new additions she has added since the IBD confirmation.
I have a friend, whom I hope will speak up, who has had 6 deaths (2 were voluntary euthanasias) in 2 years from IBD slowly eeking its way through her collection.
So I disagree that no symptoms means no disease.
I also disagree that one year would make 2 years free of issues, since she admitted she lost the others.

And even though I believe that there is no issue, NOW, I would rather wait and INSURE it to everyone else then have a bunch of babies that no one wants due to "possibilities"..
Click to expand...

My opinion is I would expect someone who cares about the welfare of their animals AT THIS POINT, to be more worried about the "possibility" being IBD infecting people's collections, not whether I was stuck with babies people didn't want..

I feel that that is the best thing I can do as of now... well, including not getting anymore animals, but the hubby already told me I can't anyway because we don't need anymore, but that's besides the point... IF my vet can find someone around here to do the live tissue biopsy that isn't like, several hours away, I will look into the live liver biopsies as well... I believe there may be one about 45 mins in Salado that will do it, but if not I will have to look into College Station...
Click to expand...
I think that would be a good idea. However, as mentioned above the LACK of wouldn't automatically mean a clean bill of health, but it would give you a little more piece of mind. Then I would have another testing done next year before I even considered adding/selling any snakes.

I still do not feel that my collection, Yvonne's collection or any animal that has been around any of them are in danger... But I would rather prove that to y'all then get harassed about it this season.
Click to expand...
I don't care if you prove anything to me or anyone else. They are your snakes, I'd feel bad for someone that gets a sick snake from you that wipes out their collection, but unfortunately it wouldn't be the first or last case of THAT happening.

You should want to prove the well being of your snakes to yourself, IMO.
 
well you already posted my reply but here it is again...

I, obviously, understand the concern about the health of the animals... As I stated, I do not believe that there is anything wrong with any of my animals and that there hasn't been since that one, hopefully, isolated incident with the BCL...

But, I have decided to hold off on my projects for this year simply to INSURE to the community that there is no issue... By next season, it will have been 2 years since the BCL incident and provided that there are no issues with ANY animal until then, then there should be no issues... And even though I believe that there is no issue, NOW, I would rather wait and INSURE it to everyone else then have a bunch of babies that no one wants due to "possibilities"...

I feel that that is the best thing I can do as of now... well, including not getting anymore animals, but the hubby already told me I can't anyway because we don't need anymore, but that's besides the point... IF my vet can find someone around here to do the live tissue biopsy that isn't like, several hours away, I will look into the live liver biopsies as well... I believe there may be one about 45 mins in Salado that will do it, but if not I will have to look into College Station...

I still do not feel that my collection, Yvonne's collection or any animal that has been around any of them are in danger... But I would rather prove that to y'all then get harassed about it this season.

I've already stated this and if you so choose you can tear it apart as you please, as you already have...


And if you want to bring this up in it's own thread, the community should know that Yvonne's snakes were also housed with mine for breeding and some in the same room as hers... So IF I did have any IBD issues, then that should throw up a red flag for her collection too... Although I'm sure it won't because someone will come up with an excuse there...
 
No, I agree, Ashley you are correct.. I hadn't even thought of that.
 
Bring about proof that they were housed with your animals at the time of possible infection and something should and will be posted.
 
Ashley, sounds like you are on the right track. From what I've read about this disease it can take quite a while for it to become apparent that an animal has it and it would only lead to more problems if it was passed on to someone elses collection. The only thing that everyone wants out of this is to not let this pass on to others. No one is looking to tarnish your name there just needs to be insurance that the infection is contained, if in fact your animals did somehow contract it. Furthermore if this other person, Yvonne's snakes have come into contact with that snake then you should probably make a thread letting people know about this as well and she needs to take the same precautions that you are taking. This seems like the HIV of the reptile world, is there anyone trying to find a cure for it at all? or at least doing extensive research on this disease?
 
also what do you say about the pretty solid proof that you have sold snakes that we're in contact with the snake in question. Have you let the buyers know that there could be a possiblility that these snakes may carry IBD?
 
IIRC the incident happened what, almost a year ago? With IBD, it can go unnoticed longer in boas, but pythons will get it and pass substantially quicker than boas. If it's been almost a year and I KNOW she had her spider ball python BEFORE the infected BCL, and the carpet python she has, reticulated pythons, and ball python are still alive, it sounds like the isolated case is just that - isolated.

i've been reading and re-reading info on IBD and every vet site and reptile site I've read (Courtney posted links in another thread as well) say that pythons that contract IBD pass faster than boas.
 
I'm going to put it out there - Ashley and I ARE friends, and I do think some of this has gone overboard, I have also told Ashley that she has made a mistake with all of this broadcasting of her own personal information.

Now that everything is out there, I do not think she has a case of IBD in her collection. I can also vouch that she would take one of her snakes to the vet in a heart beat if there was an issue. Setting aside financial discrepancies people are bringing up, I can honestly say that she DOES have good intentions.

Carry on.
 
It just could of been that her pythons weren't infected, she specifically said that the het albino boas were the ones that were most likely exposed. Just because her pythons didn't get it doesn't mean her boas didn't and aren't carrying it. You can't be sure, IBD works in weird ways. It's just better to be safe than sorry considering how little we know about it.
 
AddictedToBoas said:
It just could of been that her pythons weren't infected, she specifically said that the het albino boas were the ones that were most likely exposed. Just because her pythons didn't get it doesn't mean her boas didn't and aren't carrying it. You can't be sure, IBD works in weird ways. It's just better to be safe than sorry considering how little we know about it.
Click to expand...

from what I'm reading about IBD, it sounds like pythons contract the disease much more easily than boas. One of the papers I'm reading is written by a professor at the University here where I live/attend. I will see if I can get in contact with him as he specializes in reptile vet practices.

Again, it seems like, from what I've read, that the exposure to contraction time for pythons is much faster and they show symptoms and die quicker than boas. Yes, moving a quarantined snake WITH the other snakes was a bad move. Personally I would not have done it.

Ashley also posted that Yvonne's snakes were kept and bred with some of hers. Yvonne has not lost any snakes to IBD SINCE that time either.

I agree that IBD is tricky. I also know Yvonne has pythons as well and again, since pythons contract IBD easier, she hasn't lost anything so I think it's more than likely the case was an isolated incident. :shrug01:
 
AddictedToBoas said:
You can't be sure, IBD works in weird ways. It's just better to be safe than sorry considering how little we know about it.
Click to expand...
That's my opinion as well, and one expressed by some of the main researchers studying this disease.

There's a LOT of unknowns pertaining to IBD.
Including how long it can lie dormant in a collection, and exactly how it's transmitted.

I think you guys are expecting IBD would have just wiped out her pythons in a short period of time, and completely relying on the viability of her pythons to give her collection a complete bill of clean health.

I don't think it's responsible to rely on "well my Pythons are still alive so it wasn't IBD" as a proof positive.

She's lost 3 or 4 snakes in this past year's time. There are reports of snakes not showing ANY signs of IBD, being asymptomatic and lacking the presence of inclusion bodies in necropsies. These are discrepancies in her claim that she hasn't lost any more snakes. Personally, I think further testing should be done on ALL the snakes in the collection.. I think it should have been done IMMEDIATELY after the FIRST report.

I don't know for sure that she does or does not have IBD because SHE doesn't know without a shadow of a doubt if she does or doesn't have IBD.

What IS known is that there is Ashley's admission she had IBD and the necropsy to back it up followed with 3-4 dead snakes within the past year.

She stated she was NOT to sell the snakes she thought might be exposed, but her posts show she did before having any further testing and receiving a proven clean bill of health in the collection.
 
It's definitely a possibility it was isolated and yes from what I have read pythons are affected more rapidly than boas but I haven't read anything about them being more susceptible. The only really significant thing I've seen is that boas can carry and not show while pythons can't.

Like I said before it's just better to be safe than sorry and inform your customers of the possibility that exposure might have happened. No one can remember exactly what happened a year ago, maybe she touched one of her boas after touching the BCL but not the pythons... It's really hard to say. I'm not accusing her of anything or claiming her animals are diseased I just think she should do what she has said she would do. Give it another year to be sure and warn customers of that possibility, though slim it may be, after all this time.

If Yvonne's animals were housed with hers she has the same responsibility even though her animals haven't shown any symptoms either.
 
I understand, and respect what you are saying. And I am sort of relying on the fact that her pythons aren't wiped out completely as more solid proof, but I think it's also important to show that Yvonne's collection was exposed to the potential risk of IBD and her snakes are all alive and well. So there's two sort of potential proofs that there are no signs of IBD.

But for anyone to NOT quarantine ANY animals is absolutely ludicrous, unless you can walk through and see the condition of the animals yourself and you can without a shadow of a doubt trust that person.
 
One of those boas died from an infection of the reproductive tract while it was gravid... maybe IBD related, maybe not. IBD suppresses the immune system.
 
My point being she doesn't KNOW it was an isolated incident, and didn't when she sold snakes.

That's all the point that's attempting to be made here.

You may drag in whomever you wish, but I think even a vet will agree that without testing the snakes in the collection, it can't be absolutely ruled out as "clean".
All we have is her word, which I think has proven itself to change.
 
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