cryptosporidium is a spore that attacks the digestive system of many animals. It is contagious through feces and usually kills the reptiles. Once the animal catches crypo it start is throw up food, loose weight and then the stomach expands to look like it is always full. Once this happens death is not far.



It is passed many by the human from one snake to another or by nats (ie bugs) that feed on the feces and then go to another cage to feed.



Crypo can wipe out an entire colony in a matter of a few months. So snakes are a-typical carriers meaning they are able to infect other snake, but do not show any sights of being infected. A acid-fast test from the vet for about $20 can tell you if they have it. 3 tests are recommended to be sure of negative results.



tom

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• Hyperimmune Bovine Colostrum? - boscoman76, Sun Feb 15 19:08:45 2004
• good exapmle of why new snakes need quarantine! - IcedGoddess, Mon Feb 16 10:19:22 2004
• Quarantine may not catch Crypto unfortunately... - lolaophidia, Mon Feb 16 16:50:24 2004
• true.. - IcedGoddess, Tue Feb 17 09:01:29 2004
• Crypto?? - cowtownherper, Tue Feb 17 11:38:06 2004
• RE: Crypto?? - boscoman76, Tue Feb 17 13:19:18 2004
• Thanks for the info n/p - cowtownherper, Tue Feb 17 14:01:21 2004