Linda,

. I do not think you can be sure about any snake remaining parasite free for a year. Dirty cages and water dishes are as likely as feed items to introduce a parasite. There are some parasites which can be continually present in snakes in small numbers and only cause a problem when their numbers increase to pathogenic levels or when the snake becomes debilitated due to other health problems. Good clean healthy rodents fed fresh to snakes are not particularly likely to pose a parasite problem but there is the possibility. Freezing will actually kill many parasites.

Jeff



>>If I have checked 8 to 10 fecals by flotation and direct smear that the snake, a year later, would not have any internal parasites? The rats I use are fresh, never frozen, would there be any concern of exposure through prey? Lots of parasites are host species specific, but I was wondering if that would be the same for sneaky snakes?

>> Linda

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