Kevin,

Thats good to hear... Keep us updated on the little ones...



pikiemikie,

I have to disagree... Most parasites are not harmful to their host under normal conditions... It would be highly counterproductive to a species of parasite if it killed its host... Parasitoids on the other hand will kill its host... Reptiles generally do not get parasitoids...



The only parasites I can think of off hand that would be a real danger is lung worm, Cryptosporidium saurophilum and Cryptosporidium serpentis...



From keeping lots of wild caught Bitis, I know that the majority of parasites will be delt with by a snakes own immune system... I was unable to treat gaboons puff adders and rhinos with worming meds because of their very slow metabolic rate and the fact that they will retain fecal matter that makes up about 20% of their total body weight... The same goes for Atheris as well...



Most of the animals I treated with worming meds when I first started to keep them died from septicemia as shown in the necropsy reports... The meds killed the worms and the worms and other intestinal parasites rotted in the intestinal tracts of the treated snakes...



I have not lost an import since I stopped treating... After a few of proper husbandry with minimal interaction fecals came back clear... Even mouth flukes died off...

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