Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So i got a new BP today. I have one already. I was wondering if there is a way you can tell if a snake has worms. I was Captive Hatched (i think thats how you say it. like born here but imported) He doesnt havent parasites or any dirt that might be from parasites. I was wondering if there is a pysical ting that happens when there are parasites. I have 2 snake like i said and i have to keep them in the same rooma nd would like to put them in the same cage so i dont want him to have parasites. can they pass parasites?

andrew

here are a couple of pics of her. i haven't thought of a name yet.

Three things to look out for in a new snake: diseases, external parasites, internal parasites.

Your new snake may have been recently exposed to any number of diseases, especially if it just came through a pet store or importer. My vet was just telling me how common IBD is in boa constrictors. Apparently they can live for a long time with it but a python will die quickly. If you keep your new snake in isolation for long enough the hope is that it will either die from or get over any diseases and at some point after it has been healthy for long enough you can introduce it to the rest of your snakes without worrying about it introducing new diseases. I'm not sure what the recommended quarantine period is but I'm thinking 3 to 6 months.

External parasites (ticks and mites) are thought to be one of the main ways that diseases like IBD are spread through collections. Watch the water bowl for drowned mites or check around the eye sockets (at least I used to see them there in Burmese pythons, I've been lucky enough not to have had mites since I switched to ball pythons). Although ticks are often visible they can apparently go undetected sometimes. It's probably best to just go ahead and treat all new snakes for mites and ticks while they are in quarantine and then keep and eye out to be sure you got them all.

Internal parasites requires a fecal exam to identify. Find a good reptile vet and see how they would like to do these. I bring my vet fresh (still wet) samples (the dark stuff, not the white) in double zip lock bags. As long as you keep them cool but don't freeze them or let them dry out they can keep over the weekend fine. After identifying the parasites your vet can prescribe the appropriate treatments. Apparently almost all wild caught ball pythons have some type of parasite, I'm not sure how common they are in the wild breed/captive hatched, I suppose it depends on the quality of water and cleanliness of the cages they are kept in before they reach you. I think a lot of people with large collections just go ahead and treat everything for everything without testing but I don't get enough new animals to justify keeping fresh meds on hand so will probably continue to take samples to my vet. I recently discovered that an animal I got two years ago from a pet store that was doing very well had two types of internal parasites but presumably she and her mates will do even better cleaned up. Parasites are just an extra stress that a shy stressed captive ball python doesn’t need and can sometimes overwhelm and kill them.

At least long enough to varify you won't spread anything to your other snakes.... With a new addition it is always best to do this...

Just my $.02

But internal parasites can live for a very long time (in my example she still has two types after two years in my care and who knows how long from the wild or since contact with the source). You have to quarantine but if you want to get rid of internal parasites (and you should) you will also need to either treat with a wide spectrum of drugs or do fecal exams to narrow down what treatments may be needed.

can snakes pass internal parasites to each other? do all snakes have worms?

1) Yes
2) No

Can they pass, YES... Quarantine, and have their stool checked, etc, if it appears there is a problem. You can check them for GP, which would be wise, but he said he just rec'd one and had wondered IF it had something, CAN IT PASS TO THE OTHERS...

And I also said, “With a new addition it is always best to do this...” (Quarantine)

Sorry, I know I'm going to go "Dohhh!" as soon as you tell me but what is GP?

I don't have the paper with me but I remember reading about a study my vet did where 100% of a large number if wild caught ball pythons had some type of internal parasite, most more than one. Fortunately, I believe the number of wild caught ball pythons has decreased and that the wild bred/captive hatched are considerably cleaner but I'm not sure how much cleaner. After my experience with the pet store girl that was doing great and gave me no reason to believe that she had parasites I'm now going to assume that any new snake has them regardless of the source until I can prove otherwise with a fecal sample. Basically I no longer believe that doing well through the necessary quarantine is enough to avoid spreading internal parasites.

is there anyway to tell if teh snake has worms, any pysical sign?

can snakes give each other worms? and is tehre a pysical sign of worms? the reason im so concerned is i am low in the wallet and dont have to money to take my new snake to the vet , i willin a couple of weeks i know you guys are going to say that then i shouldnt have purchased it but i had to it was irresitable. i have to keep my two balls int he same room, so whats the point of quaritine if they have to be right next to each other. o yeah, and if they can pass worms , how? sorry im im being a little redundent im just a little worried.

andrew

All I can say is that by the time some illnesses get to the point of us 'seeing' it, it has progressed a lot further than we'd like.

Fecal and other discharges (urine and calcium deposits) can retain virii and 'eggs' of parasites. Two enclosures that sit side-by-side are 'generally' nothing to worry about. WASH WASH WASH... after you deal the quarantined snake, and mites are another thing you need to watch for on the new one.

Some of the best resources is online 'care sheets' like they have at python.net and books by EXPERT herpetologists like The Ball Python Manual.

GP= General Purposes

Just make sure you don't have mites crawling from one cage to another and clean the cages separately with some sort of disinfectant. As long as they are in separate cages and not crawling through each other's messes or drinking from the same water the risk is probably low.

My vet only charges about $15 for a fecal exam and that is the only for sure physical way to identify internal parasites that I know of. A heck of a deal to have an expert do such a dirty job. Of course if something is found the meds will cost more. I would recommend having it done for both snakes as soon as you can get the money together and before putting them together (after a good long quarantine for disease).

i have the ball python manual and read the parasites section and junk last night. i do have them in spereate cages and will stay there unil i can get to the vet and stuff. I will let you everyone know what happens. I fed her today and she ate with ease.

andrew

...my original male Indian python, acquired as a 4' import in 1972, had an active tapeworm infestation for 10 YEARS before I discovered them in 1982!! His only "symptom" was relatively slow growth...his stools looked healthy. I discovered them when I happened to be in the snake room when he had what I call to this day, an "intestinal convulsion". He very forcefully contracted his body and gaped several times, and on the last one blew out his cloaca (bunghole) what looked like a mass of spagetti. My eyes popped out of their sockets!! The spagetti was moving slowly! I was a first-year vet student at the time and I used an old pair of Carmalt intestinal hemostats to feed my snakes. I grabbed 'em, opened the cage door, and clamped down on what I could grab. They broke off and the rest squeegeed back into the snake. I knew what I was looking at, but you need the scolex (head) of the tapeworm to I.D. it to species. I didn't care what species they were, I knew they were python tapeworms!!! Anyways, I treated him and he went on to sire his first offspring in 1985. So snakes can sometimes go a long time without apparent signs or symptoms. Poor weight gains in imported snakes is a good one.
Fecal exams are obviously a good plan, but note that shedding of eggs or oocysts can be INTERMITTANT, meaning that a negative fecal doesn't always eliminate the possibility of infestation. Serial (repeat) fecals are sometimes necessary.
Yes internal parasites can be spread from snake-to-snake, most commonly via the fecal-oral route. Some parasites such as most flukes (trematodes) need an intermediate host such as a snail, so snake-snail-snake must occur. Scott J. Michaels DVM