Buying Pre-Planted Used Frog Tanks

[ems1016]

Numerous froggers talk about air and/or water exchanges between different tanks, as part of a frog room system, for example, as being not advisable because of the risk of introducing air born pathogens and whatever else from one tank to the other.

When we build our vivs, we sterile live oak leaves, dry ice the tanks to destroy unwanted insects, we clean any rocks or stones etc. before making these items part of the vivariums.

Query: Is it advisable to buy someone else's pre-planted, used frog tanks? Best you can do is dry ice the living tank; nothing more. Doubt that carbon dioxide will elimiate pathogens and the like. Now, if the answer is a definitive "no" to this question, then my very next question would be whether frog sites should allow advertisements for same.

Lest there be any misunderstanding, the "tone" of this post is sincere, genuine, non-accusatorial, and inquisitive. Any resemblance to activities and/or posts of froggers, living or dead, is merely coincidental. In other words, I'm not trying to pick a fight with anybody here---just want to know how buying such items makes any sense. Ed

[Philsuma]

Correct Ed.

Nothing short of tearing a tank down and using a 10-15% bleach to water ratio and other steps will serve to make sure it's "clean". Anything else is just going to leave you with "what-if's" or worse...

[ems1016]

OK, Phil, then how about the second part to my question: "Now, if the answer is a definitive "no" to this question, then my very next question would be whether frog sites should allow advertisements for same."

BTW, hope you're planning on hanging out in Hamburg to party Saturday night---as I'm buying your first drink (and it won't be tadpole tea)!

[Philsuma]

haha...save the drinking for Frog Day. You're already a veteran of Frog Day partying, Ed.

Re-using a viv is not horrible or immoral.....it's just that you need to be aware and make sure everyone else is aware of the potential dangers and then they can make their own decisions. The only time its bad, is when someone new gets involved in used tanks and people are ignorant to the potential issues.