Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i picked up a pair of w.c. madagascar giant hognose snakes 2 weeks ago. i have them in quarentine, they are settled in and ate twice now. how long should i wait to take them to the vet for deworming? also, could you tell me what treatments/medicines the vet should give my snakes so i feel confident that my vet is really familiar with reptiles? thanks for the help, these are my first w.c., hardly anybody is breeding them!

I may get some heat here when I say this, but I would not treat them if they are dooing well. I have raised very delicate tree vipers for years, and all the wild caught ones did better when I did not treat them. I am talking dozens. If a snake shows no signs of suffering from parsites, such as weight loss, runny stool, or regurging. I leave it alone. All snakes have some amount of parasites and survive. Stress could make the parasites worse. If you keep a real clean tank, and fresh water there should be no broblem. Fresh water means changed at least 2 times a week. When snakes drink from a dirty water bowl they reinfect themselves. In nature they have fresh and diffrent water sources replenished by rain and moving water sources. I do not know how the metabolism on your species of snake is. I have seen snake species with slow a metabolism die after being treated. Simply because the parasites died in them and were not deficated out fast enough. This can happen. If your snakes show no sign of being sick do not treat. If they do show the slightest sign then you must treat because it will only get worse verry fast. This is only from my years expreience, and just my belief. Cheers Greg

Great advice,...I would quarantine them for another month or so, just to be on the safe side. If they are doing fine, seem robust and alert, stools looking okay, I wouldn't do a thing either.

Now if something DOES go wrong, and you take it to the vet, along with a stool sample, and they find pathogens such as Entamoeba invadens, Trichomonas, Balantidium, Rhizopoda, Flagellates, or Cilliates,.....the vet should administer Flagyl(Metronidazole) at a dose of 25 to 50 mg. per/kg of body weight, repeat in 14 days. I go on the higher side of 50 mg., as this drug is very well tollerated, and MUCH higher doses have been administered for other problems with no ill affects.

For several types of worm infestations, such as Nematodes, Cestodes,and Trematodes, Thiabendazole, and Fenbendazole(Panacur) are another well tollerated drug that are administered at a dose of 50-100 mg. per/kg of body weight, repeat in 14 days.

Again, with snakes, many times it's like the ol' saying, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

Good luck with the Giant Hogs!

~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

What?

Two people, in a row, with sound medical advice? Say it ain't so.

Greg,
Looks like the only heat you're gonna get so far is the warmth of agreement.

Great advice, guys! I can also say that it is the same with Monitor lizards (actually, ALL lizards) as well as snakes.

Keep 'em in line, Doug. Hahaha!!!

Ya'll take care!
Mike
(HH)
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

www.natures-signature.com

Hi Mike!,.......I'm glad you thought that makes sense too.

Hope things are going well for you, and your animals, buddy!

thanks again!, ~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

Thanks guys, I wish my wife agreed with me as much as you guys do. Cheers Greg

HAHAHAHA!!!,...BOY!, can I relate!

~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

"Hope things are going well for you, and your animals, buddy!"

Everyone's doing just fine, thank you! In fact, at the time you asked here's what I was doing with my farrier/friend, who wanted to take a pic.

And of course, Rufus was close by to pick up the trimmed off hoof.

Is that not the world's ugliest dawg or what? Hahaha!!!

Catch ya later!
Mike
-----
Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

www.natures-signature.com

Hey, that's great stuff!,..glad to hear everythings goin' well.

That dog looks fine to me,.....it's THIS one that is REALLY ugly. As a matter of fact, it holds the actual title of "Worls Ugliest Dog"!

take care!, ~Doug

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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

i agree whole heartedly (as someone who just spent a bunch of $$ at the vet only to be told my snake was free of all parasites) took the snake in for a RI and treatment was going well. doc said might as well treat for parasites too (no indication of parasites) but what do i know, it was a petco snake after all. of course no parasites but the RI cleared up quite well.
cheers
mike
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..1 Jayne "The Hero of Canton", Ball Python
..1 Edmund Slackbladder, Mexican Kingsnake
..1 El Diablo "They haven't built a cage I can't get out of" Pueblan Milksnake
(Currently serving 25 to life in a Maryland Supermax
______________________________________________________

Me; And finally monsieur a wafer thin pinkie
El Diablo: blaggh
Me: ah sir its only 1 leetle pink one
ED: ahh, sod off! I'm full
Me: ah sir hmm? its only wafer thin?
ED: bah! i couldn't eat another thing I'm absolutely stuffed. bugger off!
Me: ah sir, sir just ...just one......?
ED: ok just one
Me just the one.
Me: voila!
Me: bon appetite!.......

lots of good advice here, thank you all. it makes good sense to me to not bother if it isn't broken. if i have a problem down the line, i can use your info on the meds. i'll continue the 60 day quarentine before i move them out of my bedroom and into my reptile room. thank you again, and thanks in advance to anybody else who has something to add!