Posted by:
CheriS
at Sun Aug 3 16:28:56 2003 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by CheriS ]
When you do isolate the oocysts, wait about 5-7 days as that is how long it takes for the sporozoites to develop to identify the species.(you probably already know this)
What you say is correct, but picture this..... many people feed out crickets in a tank and either put what is not eaten back in the cricket bin or it roams the tank for several hours and comes in contact with dragon feces then is eaten by the dragon. (that most likely does have oocysts in it). The ones put back in the bins are infected and later ate by the dragons also. Restarting the whole life cycle again.
Cleaning and good sanitary conditions are the key to avoiding and ridding coccidia in an animal.
Human hands can pass them to the dragon, handling other animals at shows can pick them up, they are very resistant and can survive on any surface for a long time. Egg crates at a show was checked and found to have many oocysts on them (species not identified) A dealer who had infected dragons can handle the bag or item you are buying and pass them to that, or in turn you handle it, walk in the door and pick up your dragon or grab a handful of crickets to feed them. ( you is used generic here, not really meaning YOU)
Now, most healthy dragons can deal with taking some in, their immune systems has no problem with them..... but one already sick, stressed. young or we also know, that inbreeding can reduce the immune system can have problems.
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RE: Coccidia and crickets - CheriS, Sun Aug 3 16:28:56 2003