Symptoms include:



Not feeding

regurgitaion (if they do feed)

hardened mid-body swelling

dehydration (resulting from refusal to drink)

ultimately death



Yes, if the sample was drawn from the hardened swelling (it's usually the stomach itself that is swollen) then that fluid should bear Crypto. The vet needs to be looking specifically for Crypto to find it, though. It takes specialized staining procedures (acid-fast differential staining) to make it show up. It is difficult to see and requires high magnification for a light microscope (1200x or so). It is a very tiny (2-6um) coccidian.



Crypo is usually present in higher numbers in the stomach of snakes and in the intestines of lizards.



If this animal tests positive for Crypto, then it is essential that you destroy all of it's cage furnishings and the cage itself (or at least never house another animal in it).



Unfortunately, if the snake does test positive there is a high probability that the female snake has been exposed also. It is very easily vectored from one cage to another by things such as mites, ticks, flies and the keeper. You can easily transfer it from one cage to another on your hands and clothes.



Roccal-D is available from your vet or from a veterinary supply house. It is expensive, about $50.00 a gallon. It is normally used in a 128:1 solution so a gallon should last for a very long time.

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