Reptile & Amphibian Forums

two hours ago we used pyrethrin wiith two little boas with mites. Perhaps I used a wrong concentration..
after ten minutes I see the snakes with first signes of paralysis. Immediately we soaked them with water a lot of times.
But the boas looks sick
Now the boas are looking something paralized

WHAT WE CAN DO ????

PLEASE HELP US IMMEDIATELY

Gian

You need to contact a vet imidiately and get some Atropine that is the only antidote for pyrethrins. I never use pyrethrins on the snake only in the enviroment and then clean it out very well. It kills mites great but it can also kill snakes.

Ryan Centini LVT

thank you Ryan

I have contacted a vet, as you suggested.
Now I have atropine here with me, but because it can be only sintomatic drug, I look after the two boas. If they are looking better, I don't use atropine. otherwise I'll use it.
At this moment, the female is a little better, with only some little convulsions. The male has more convulsions, but he is looking better that two hours ago.

Of course I'll never use again pyrethrins!!

Anyway, I suppose i used the wrong concentration..

thank you very much

Gian

from Italy

Yes, when you applied it directly to the snake you used a wrong concentration, no matter how much you used. As Ryan said, NEVER use pyrethrin directly on a reptile. Reptiles have a high level of sensitivity to pyrethrin. If they got enough exposure to cause convulsions and paralysis, it is likely there will be permanent damage to their kidneys and liver that will manifest later in life. The neurological symptoms you describe may or may not subside. Atropine, if used soon enough, may neutralize enough of what hasn't already been metabolized to minimize further damage.
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We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Pyrethins are toxic to reptiles even in very low concentrations. There are many different pyrethoid chemicals, and even with the same generic name, they can have many isomers, each with varying degees of toxicity and effect on an organism. These products also have many other chemicals in their formulas that are listed as inerts, and therefore do not have to be specified. Since these formulas were never designed to be used with reptiles, they were not tested for such use. The problem with this is that many of the inerts, based on the tested usage, were shown not to have any effect on the site, target or host. These chemicals can often be toxic to non-tested hosts such as reptiles and would have to be listed as actives if the company tried to add this use to the label. Obviously, because of the toxic effects, such products would never be issued EPA or other approvals due to such test results.
Most formulas that use pyrethrins also use a snyergist which is toxic to reptiles. This synergist does not have any harmful effects to mammals, the host the products were tested for.
Once an animal has received a toxic exposure to most pyrethoids, there is little that can be done, as the chemicals are effecting the nervous system interally. Atropine isn't effective with most pyrethroids and washing or soaking the animal will have little effect. Since one doesn't really know which chemical is really causing the problem with an off labeled use product, no one would know how to treat the problem. If the exposure is not lethal, the reptiles will usually pull through in about a week or so. Any long term effects will depend on the specific pyrethroid and molecular formula as well as the other toxic chemicals that were also in the formula.
Products containing pyrethrin should not be used with reptiles, either directly on the animal or by treating newspaper or any other surface. It is toxic to reptiles, no matter what the concentration or method of application used.

Bob @ Pro Products
Pro Products