Did you know that even the healthiest reptile and amphibian pets can still carry germs beneath the surface? Even when they appear to be at their healthiest, our cold-blooded friends can carry around pathogens that could transfer to your other pets.
But the good news? You can easily get your exotic pet’s health checked! By getting your pet tested for pathogens, you can have peace of mind that they’re safe from getting sick, which would certainly be a relief for any pet parent! (Plus, your efforts can get you a tax deduction!) Keep reading to find out how.
The North American Reptile Breeding Conference is Coming Up
The North American Reptile Breeding Conference (or NARBC) is a large-scale trade show where people and organizations from across the country come together to adopt reptiles of all species. But more importantly, the Tinley NARBC event will offer you the opportunity to check on your reptile’s health this year.
Stop by the Healthy Trade Institute booth at the NARBC Tinley Park event on October 11 and 12 – we’ll be located at the entrance! You’ll be able to have your recently purchased pet snake, bearded dragon, or amphibian tested for pathogens.
How Does Herp Pathogen Screening Work?
With a simple swab of your pet’s skin or cloaca, we can test for:
- Amphibians = Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), B. salamandrivorans (Bsal), and ranavirus (Rv).
- Snakes = Cryptosporidium serpentis (Cs) and Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola (Oo)
- Bearded dragons = Agamid adenovirus 1 (AAdv)
Our experienced staff will quickly conduct the reptile health testing, and all you have to do is wait for your email with the results – which you’ll receive within fourteen days. If the pet testing comes back positive with any of the concerning pathogens, we will provide clear guidance about what the next steps will be.
What’s the Cost of Getting Your Pet Tested?
Typically, it costs exotic pet owners $25 to get bearded dragons tested, and $40 to get amphibians or snakes tested for pathogens.
But at the NARBC Tinley Park Conference, HTI is offering free testing – because it’s just that important to do! And while the pet test itself will be free of charge, we’ll be welcoming donations to the cause, which are eligible to be tax-deductible.
Donations to HTI go directly toward:
- Grants for small businesses to be HTI members
- Funding HTI’s nationwide Herp Adoption Program – the first of its kind
- Research for vaccines and healthier pet care methods
So, not only are you looking out for your own pet by getting them screened, you’re also looking out for all herp pets by supporting HTI’s research and healthy trade certification!
Visit HTI’s Booth at Tinley Park NARBC
Pathogen testing is critical for your pet’s health. And by getting them tested at the NARBC event, you can have fun while you test them – by meeting other herp owners, learning about the most up-to-date care protocols, and maybe even adopting a friend for your exotic pet! We’ll see you there!