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So there is this group on Facebook with over 11,000 members and they are telling people it's ok to go out and harvest plants and mosses form the wild. I told one person this was a bad idea and they referred me to their myths document. The only pat of that that covers harvesting things from the wild is this:
"1)Using natural materials risks introducing snake mites.
No. Using materials, vivaria or introducing snakes that have not been properly quarantined from dealers or keepers whose premises are infested risks introducing snake mites. Although there are many species of mite native to the UK and other temperate climates, none of them are parasitic on snakes and other reptiles. The dreaded snake mite itself (Ophionussus natricis) is thought to have been introduced to collections from Africa, possibly along with royal (ball) pythons, and cannot survive outside in our climate. There is practically zero chance of introducing them through natural material collected in the countryside."
Well that's pretty vague is it not? Only covering snakes and mites when there is loads of other animals and organisms.
This isn't about mites. It's about bringing in other harmful things like Nemerteans, scale bugs, snails, all kinds of creatures can come with harvesting outside things. They destroy the plants in the vivariums. Though you can also get spider mites.
So this myth document on covers mites it's not covering all the other harmful organisms that can come with harvesting moss and plants form the wild. Anyways the mosses need a dormancy period which most mosses get during winter periods. which they won't get in vivariums.
So Yeah I just wanna pick your brains on this and they are a "Bioactive" vivarium group yet they seem to think cocofiber and fake plants are bioactive. They truly don't understand the complexity of what a bioactive vivarium really is. Though it's not all that complex they just seem to to fully grasp what it means.
Would you tell someone it's ok to be going out and harvesting mosses and plants fron the wild with no treatment to the plants or mosses or even wood?
"1)Using natural materials risks introducing snake mites.
No. Using materials, vivaria or introducing snakes that have not been properly quarantined from dealers or keepers whose premises are infested risks introducing snake mites. Although there are many species of mite native to the UK and other temperate climates, none of them are parasitic on snakes and other reptiles. The dreaded snake mite itself (Ophionussus natricis) is thought to have been introduced to collections from Africa, possibly along with royal (ball) pythons, and cannot survive outside in our climate. There is practically zero chance of introducing them through natural material collected in the countryside."
Well that's pretty vague is it not? Only covering snakes and mites when there is loads of other animals and organisms.
This isn't about mites. It's about bringing in other harmful things like Nemerteans, scale bugs, snails, all kinds of creatures can come with harvesting outside things. They destroy the plants in the vivariums. Though you can also get spider mites.
So this myth document on covers mites it's not covering all the other harmful organisms that can come with harvesting moss and plants form the wild. Anyways the mosses need a dormancy period which most mosses get during winter periods. which they won't get in vivariums.
So Yeah I just wanna pick your brains on this and they are a "Bioactive" vivarium group yet they seem to think cocofiber and fake plants are bioactive. They truly don't understand the complexity of what a bioactive vivarium really is. Though it's not all that complex they just seem to to fully grasp what it means.
Would you tell someone it's ok to be going out and harvesting mosses and plants fron the wild with no treatment to the plants or mosses or even wood?
