Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently aquired a trio of DIs. They are awsome! Two are very friendly and the third gets better all the time.

They are healthy for the most part, but they are WC, and just aren't filling out like they should, so I need to worm them. I have the meds and dosage, but do any of you have any suggestions as to how to make the dosing easier on them?

Thanks,
dc

I have real reservations about worming herbivorous lizards. I know they are omnivorous but they eat more green I believe. You have only had them a couple weeks. Give them time. It can take a few months for them to acclimate and eat to their full potential. As long as they are not loosing a lot of weight and are just maintaining leave them be. Offer insects too. DI's seem to relish zoophobas and wax worms(very hi fat content). Don't mess with them alot it stresses them. Also be sure of the sexes and if you have more than one male separate the males. This is also very stressful. It could be why the one animal is so skittish. Keep us posted. Good luck-Tom

Thanks, Tom. I'll wait and try to get a fecal to the vet. That is a very good point about their being herbivores, but I have a friend whose wild caught uros were just diagnosed with tape and pin worms. They are eating like horses, so maybe more time will do the trick.

They were supposed to have been sexed by the person that I got them from. I'll have to get them out tomorrow and see. The one seems more stressed when I go near the tank, but gets better all the time. I don't handle them really, but the two do run to the front of the tank for a handout when they see me, especially the smaller one that I think is one of the females. Any advice on sexing them?

Hi DC. Yeah I have had really good luck worming uromastyx also. Mainly eagyptius and maliensis. Very bad luck worming Sauromalus. They seem not to take it well at all and seem to completely stop eating and really go down hill after worming. That has been with panacur and metronidazole. I have used ivermectin successfully with chucks but that is a very dangerous one to use. Maybe dipsos are different but I would be careful. Give them more time for sure. Dipsos are tough to sex when not in the breeding season so you should be able to quite easily at this time of year. Femoral pores are not that reliable since I have seen quite large ones in females. What I look for is the shape of the base of the tail and hemipenal bulges which are quite evident on the males in the breeding season. The base of the tale on the male will be more oblong than round north to south on the males with very evident hemipenal bulges. Try to post photos of the vent/tail base area and we can maybe be of some help.

Tom

Hemipenal bulges I am good at! I've sexed many a beardie that way. I am catching up with cage cleaning today, but will take some pics before the week is out.

As for ivermectin, OMG! I am very wary of it. I have used it for years as a wildlife rehabber, but the side effects, when they occur, can be devastating and permanent. I would be very slow to use it on a reptile, though birds seem to tolerate it well. I generally use pyrantel unless my vet recommends something else for a very good reason (he explains his every move to me ), and my other reptiles do fine with it, but you have scared me with the DIs. I will be very slow to medicate them, and only after a confirmed parasite load.

I also ordered phenix worms for my collared and spinys, so I might try those. I have been adding hard veggies like squash zuccini, apple, and beans to their salad along with small bird pellets (I do this for the uros) and of course they each get a flower or more if they are available. As per Doug Dix, I also grind up Mazuri pellets for the uros, so I add that to all of the lizard salads as well. They are cleaning it up every day!

So, I will hold off on the worming, and get pics of butts by the end of the week.

.

went well, but my camera would not cooperate. Still, the largest one has very clear hemi bulges, as clear as they are on beardies, and the two smaller ones do not. I am proud to say that I have a true 1.2 trio!

And, they are heftier than they look, and obviously have more weight on them than they did when they came in. One of the girls is very shy, but the ,male and other girl like shoulder rides! The friendly girl walks up my arm if I let her.

So, I will hold off on worming for now, get a stool sample to the vet next week, and let them shoulder stroll when they feel like it!

Thanks, Tom! I promise to take pics soon. Just a bad lighting day, here.