From:
mjanke@miamiferret.org
Date: 2005-06-08 15:55:36 UTC
Subject: RE: Melatonin implants
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <2674235.1118246136738.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Author wrote:
> The problem --- this same company (Melatek) is only selling the implants for the reduced rate to mink ranches only, and raising the rate to $8 per implant with the needle and syringe packet.
I have spoken to Tim at Melatek several times and in the course
of conversation, the topic of individual implants vs. the whole
setup that they now sell came up. Keep in mind I am not on their
payroll and do not sell their products. :) This is only my take on what was said or inferred.
Sterility is a big part of why they are doing this the way they are. It is my guess that sterility is not a major concern with mink farmers.
The reality is, mink or fox probably don't have long to live after they get a nice, lush coat. If one gets an infection from an improperly handled implant, it's probably written off as the cost of doing business. Again, this is just my guess and not anything specific Tim said.
What would you say to Melatek or Neo-Dynamics if your ferret got an overwhelming infection as a result of a non-sterile implant and died as a result? The chance of that happening may be remote, but it certainly is possible.
Yes, they no doubt saw a market and also saw that they pretty much had a corner on it. I have no idea if they're making a huge profit off of this or not, but with the numbers Tim told me they sold, it didn't sound like they'd be in business long if this was their only item.
They do have a special program in place for shelters, so call them if you need bulk quantities. Tim will almost certainly answer the phone. He's a decent guy to talk to and I'm sure he will try to answer any questions you might have.
Ultimately, the ferret health list is really not the place to debate the business practices of Melatek as it relates to their pricing structure. If you have questions in that regard, they should be directed to Melatek.
mike