worming snakes
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
Joined
·
25,685 Posts
There is no definitive yes or no answer.
Any wild caught animal is likely to come in bearing a heavy load of parasites that they would naturally pass on in their large range in the wild.. but in captivity, they reinfect themselves from being in the same enclosure as their waste products, which can be transmitted to other animals, or just build up to a serious amount in the animal that may have had a health parasite load (for a wild species) when it came in.
In captive bred animals, it is possible to get a few different types of worms and parasites from contaminated food sources in livefood, or it is possible that the parasites can survive the freezing process in frozen food, a reason why some people now prefer to breed their own.
I've spoken to 2 classes of people with opposing ideas on worming;
The first says that like a cat or a dog, surely it's better to be safe than sorry, and worm on a regular basis. After all, it's widely accepted with large mammals, and also tortoises - the theory is the same, snakes & lizards can get worms and the same treatment is used to eliminate it.
The second says that why pile in the medication on a healthy animal, there are always the possibilities of side effects or that the science of these drug effects on reptiles is not fully explored. Those people usually recommend a faecal sample to confirm worms, before giving the treatment.
I have spoken at length to my vet on this. She is strongly advising that I vigorously worm all wild caught animals, and that I use a minimal dosage on my captive bred animals - every 3 months. You would need to be careful with giving the dosage - too much can do damage, too little is going to be pointless. The animal has to be weighed precisely and the dosage measured according to a vets recommendation, which will vary based on the origin, condition, age, weight and even species.
Sorry for the long essay, but really, it is something you should consult a vet about and have a good discussion on the why's and wherefores - you will have to consult one for the dosages anyway, and a consultation fee is usually minimal, and the drugs themselves cost very little.
Any wild caught animal is likely to come in bearing a heavy load of parasites that they would naturally pass on in their large range in the wild.. but in captivity, they reinfect themselves from being in the same enclosure as their waste products, which can be transmitted to other animals, or just build up to a serious amount in the animal that may have had a health parasite load (for a wild species) when it came in.
In captive bred animals, it is possible to get a few different types of worms and parasites from contaminated food sources in livefood, or it is possible that the parasites can survive the freezing process in frozen food, a reason why some people now prefer to breed their own.
I've spoken to 2 classes of people with opposing ideas on worming;
The first says that like a cat or a dog, surely it's better to be safe than sorry, and worm on a regular basis. After all, it's widely accepted with large mammals, and also tortoises - the theory is the same, snakes & lizards can get worms and the same treatment is used to eliminate it.
The second says that why pile in the medication on a healthy animal, there are always the possibilities of side effects or that the science of these drug effects on reptiles is not fully explored. Those people usually recommend a faecal sample to confirm worms, before giving the treatment.
I have spoken at length to my vet on this. She is strongly advising that I vigorously worm all wild caught animals, and that I use a minimal dosage on my captive bred animals - every 3 months. You would need to be careful with giving the dosage - too much can do damage, too little is going to be pointless. The animal has to be weighed precisely and the dosage measured according to a vets recommendation, which will vary based on the origin, condition, age, weight and even species.
Sorry for the long essay, but really, it is something you should consult a vet about and have a good discussion on the why's and wherefores - you will have to consult one for the dosages anyway, and a consultation fee is usually minimal, and the drugs themselves cost very little.
Joined
·
13,877 Posts
I have to add here that if you pile full dose of wormer into an animal with a HEAVY worm burden then the sheer number of dead worms clogging the system can kill animals also. I have a feeling this is a reason for some WC red-tailed racer deaths.......probably wrong on that though *shrugs*
Consult a vet to get correct advice/treatment dose rates.
Consult a vet to get correct advice/treatment dose rates.
I must have read thousands of care sheets on all types of reptile since I started keeping them and not once did I see worming mentioned. But last week at university we had a lecture on reptile husbandry (I study animal behaviour) and the lecturer said all snakes should be wormed once a year. I don't think I'll start now - if it ain't broke, don't fix it - especially, as Athravan said, since you need to get the dosage precisely right.
Joined
·
25,685 Posts
You can buy it on line, it's liquid panacur that is used... but do not follow the instructions on the back as it is designed for kittens and puppies and the dosing is not the same for reptiles. If you're just getting the medication when you ask about the dosage, it's not going to cost more than online anyway.
Joined
·
5,956 Posts
What would the dosage be for a 300grms royal then in comparison to a 519grm corn???
Is it the 10% panacur that is needed??
I have found that the drugs are far cheaper bought from our animal chemist than from the vet even if getting them at the same time as a consultation.
My animals were due their regular de-fleaing and de-worming recently and, just as an example, the 500ml bottle of frontline was £13 cheaper from the chemist.
Is it the 10% panacur that is needed??
I have found that the drugs are far cheaper bought from our animal chemist than from the vet even if getting them at the same time as a consultation.
My animals were due their regular de-fleaing and de-worming recently and, just as an example, the 500ml bottle of frontline was £13 cheaper from the chemist.
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!