Used tanks on the cheap

[Steveo]

I found a second-hand tank with a heat pad on the side also. Unless your animal perches next to it, it doesn't really do any good because the heat rises up and out. I think maybe the guy had it turned on the side for an arboreal animal and maybe it was under-tank heat in that configuration. I tried to use it but ended up running some heat cable under the bottom of the tank.

[Dan72]

Not cryptosporidium, though.

No on the Mite, and what is cryptosporidium??

[guidofatherof5]

Cryptosporidium Fact Sheet

[Stefan-A]

Well, that fact sheet applies to humans. In reptiles the symptoms can take a couple of months to appear (rapid weight loss, frequent regurgitation etc.) and it's known to easily spread from one enclosure to the next through tongs, bowls and decorations, sometimes wiping out entire collections. It's a bloody nightmare.

[Dan72]

Okay, so that is totally scary.... now I don't know if I want anything used, ever. How often does this creep up and happen to people? Granted my snakes at this point total 2 and WC at that, but I don't want to lose anyone to anything.