Using PAM in a Planted Enclosure

[bigballs]

i had a couple wild caught geckos in a planted glass exo-terra vivarium and now theyre out and i was thinking of using the same viv for some baby CB gargoyles but am worried about the whole WC-parasite issue.

so, i was wondering if it would be fine to PAM the whole enclosure and let it sit for a month before introducing the new baby gargoyles.

would the feeders still die even after allowing the tank to sit for a month before introducing them?

would the geckos get poisoned if they were to lick any water droplets off of the glass or plant leaves that were sprayed with PAM?

would the plants survive if sprayed with PAM?

has anyone ever done this? and how did it work out?

thanks in advance!

[JLC]

PAM (Provent-a-Mite) is for treating for mites. Not internal parasites. And no...I personally wouldn't risk using it in the manner you've described...but I don't know the details of whether or not it will dissolve in water again once it's dried or not.

[bigballs]

ok thanks! im pretty sure they didnt have ectoparasites. do you think that internal parasites could be transferred by placing a new gecko in a viv after an older WC one was removed from it?

[JLC]

ok thanks! im pretty sure they didnt have ectoparasites. do you think that internal parasites could be transferred by placing a new gecko in a viv after an older WC one was removed from it?

I honestly couldn't even guess on that one. Maybe if you're talking about new world geckos and old world geckos....maybe the possible parasites would not be compatible or transferable. But I really have no idea which species might have been harbored, which might find a new host in the new geckos, nor have any idea how long they've been outside a host body or how long they might survive before needing a new host. Just toooo many variables to even take a WAG.

[bigballs]

ok too many variables but lets just say that all i am concerned about is how long an internal parasite can live outside of its host. thats why i was considering PAM just incase any endoparasites are waiting for a new host to show up. the PAM would kill them and i would have nothing to worry about. but i dont think that they could survive without a host for long so even if i just let the tank sit empty for a month then i should be safe?

[JLC]

I just don't know enough about parasites at all to answer any of those questions. Except to say that I doubt PAM would be the right thing to use because it's for BUGS, rather than internal organisms.

But I'm sure we have other members that know more about such things than I do, so maybe answers will come from another quarter.

[bigballs]

ok cool. thanks a lot!

[mlededee]

i would definitely not use PAM on anything that is going to come in contact with a gecko. their skin is more delicate and they can absorb chemicals through it more quickly/easily than a snake.

i also would not recommend using an enclosure or anything else that had been used for or come in contact with any wild caught geckos for a gargoyle or other rhac enclosure. if you want to re-use items they need to be stripped down and disinfected first (10% bleach/water solution works well).

the parasite risks are just too high with WC geckos and rhac geckos do not have immunity or strength built up against the common diseases and parasites found in other geckos. no matter how much you spot clean it is likely that, in a setup such as you describe, the new geckos will come in contact with some leftover WC gecko feces, and there is no way to know for sure that any parasites in the feces have died due to time.

[bigballs]

ok so should i dig up all the plants, throw out the soil, wash the plants and use new soil to replant everything as well as disinfecting the whole enclosure?

[mlededee]

yes, that would be your best bet. you can use bleach solution on the tank itself and any decor, bowls, etc. just rinse very well so there is no bleach smell. wash the plants and wipe them down with chlorhexadine/nolvalsan. also make sure to use an organic soil, or one with no additives or fertilizers.

i'd like to see some pics once its all setup and housing the gargoyles too!