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.

[ Hide Replies ]

• Hard lump in midsection of snake-any ideas? - lolaophidia, Sat Feb 7 07:21:47 2004
• Here's the pic- - lolaophidia, Sat Feb 7 07:43:41 2004
• Sometimes when... - Sybella, Sat Feb 7 14:07:29 2004
• Thanks! Long response... - lolaophidia, Sat Feb 7 15:51:17 2004
• Back from the Vet's much poorer and no wiser... - lolaophidia, Mon Feb 9 18:36:16 2004
• Egads! No wonder no one here could help either. Please keep us updated. np - Sybella, Mon Feb 9 20:40:40 2004
• RE: Back from the Vet's much poorer and no wiser... - oldherper, Tue Feb 10 12:38:57 2004
• Questions about Cryptosporidium - lolaophidia, Tue Feb 10 19:36:28 2004
• RE: Questions about Cryptosporidium - oldherper, Wed Feb 11 09:00:42 2004
• Thanks for the detailed reply! - lolaophidia, Wed Feb 11 17:26:07 2004
• RE: Thanks for the detailed reply! - oldherper, Wed Feb 11 18:01:14 2004
• Oldherper- I spoke with the Vet again... - lolaophidia, Fri Feb 13 18:41:08 2004
• RE: Oldherper- I spoke with the Vet again... - oldherper, Sat Feb 14 13:07:49 2004
• info on crypto - ryancentini, Sun Feb 15 21:58:38 2004