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[hazzard]

I love the way people reccomend the use of pesticides.

Whilst "TOD" has low mammalian toxicity, continual use of such as a residual leads to a cumulative effect. Hence why today they no longer spray it in Cabin Crew areas because of continual exposure to staff and related pesticide illnesses.

In todays age we talk about integrated pest management and resistance and biological control.

Integrated pest management is using everything accceptable to achieve a control and to only interveine with pesticides as a last resort. This helps prevent resistance build up. Unfortunately it's usually what we all first reach for because we "can see it happen"

Apart from the fact there is no conclusive scientific information "Yet" on the use of TOD and it's long term effect on reptiles many use it like household fly-spray. I've heard of cases where people spray every two weeks "just in case" which is the golden rule of what not to do in any pest situation.

Pemerthrin is hardly ever reccomended for mites in any other industry as because of the ease of resistance build ups in populations. So to reccomend spraying it regularly is a dangerous practice on two fronts. Those mites that survive will pass on resistance to future generations breeding TOD resistant mite populations and the potential residual build up in your reptile from continual use with the result of possible long term health effects.

Today there are a range of alternatives that can be used first, such as the design of a relatively mite proof enclosure, all gaps silicon sealed, easily disposable substrate. The predatory mite known as Hypoaspis miles commonly used in America. Very effective in display enclosures with substrates where mites and eggs hide plus other products etc, etc.

Maybe we should take a lead in this industry and stop being single minded like previous generations of pest controllers and come up with an integrated approach to mite control. Then and only then will products like "TOD" remain effective for a long time.

Your thoughts?