Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My Daughters snake has an infestation of both, and the Vet says only treat with Pancure (she is captive bred)
Vet says pinworms are from rabbits (that she has never eaten as far as I know) and tapeworm from mice (she eats those, and now pink rats)
we have been trying to get her over onto Frozen thawed, but she will only take them after a live animal
Wont deep freezing the prey kill off even tapeworms? (I used to be a parasit major, a thousand years ago)
how long can she go without food to get her to take the frozen thawed?
we do have a separate enclosure to feed her in, but she just slithers over the thawed food, and she has gone 3 week without food instead of eat the F/T (or even the f/k)
I have tried various ways of wiggling the prey, and leaving her over night with it in the dark, or with a heat light over the prey to TRY to keep it warm.
we have tried a UTH under one end of the enclosure, but she climbs up on the handles of either side trying to escape
Please help
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Elizabeth (ecb)

Make this world a better and more beautiful place that You have been in it
*Edward W Bok*

Sorry, I don't have a many answers for you but how common it is for captive bred snakes to have each type of parasite and how the get them is a subject of interest to me. I'll grill my vet when I next see him but it might not be very soon so if you get more information that doesn't get posted here please add it.

How old and big is your ball? From the size of the prey I'm thinking rather small so sad to hear that they can pick up these nasties that quickly. I'm assuming it hasn't been fed any wild caught rodents?

How long it can go without food depends on how big it is and how much fat it has. Even if it's fairly small and only moderately fat I wouldn't think 3 weeks would be too long. However, if you have a scale it would be good to monitor it for weight loss. If you have seen other balls to compare it with you might be able to tell if it's skinny by looking - you don't want to see a prominent backbone.

Best of luck cleaning it up (shouldn’t be a problem with the right meds)!

Vet is getting the doses ready for us to give ourselves
she is 106 gm, and 21 inches long and NOT skinny or fat (vet was really impressed with her color and overall health) and she was only 14" when we got her in the end of July, so she is GROWING well
I have a Mtn Dragon that he says has "worms" but nothing specific for her, and I have 3 kids who handle the animals, but use hand sanitizer (but may not be perfect with it)
I just want to convert her over to the MUCH healthier Frozen prey, and she is not going for it.
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Elizabeth (ecb)

Make this world a better and more beautiful place that You have been in it
*Edward W Bok*

I've post a very detailed comment about worms, a week ago or around.
I think that you still can access to this comment in the archive, under the tittle "ABOUT EFFICIENT, in the ball python forum, or in the general python forum or also in the general boa forum.
You should read it, it will help you, I think...

Thank you for that
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Elizabeth (ecb)

Make this world a better and more beautiful place that You have been in it
*Edward W Bok*

its gone now
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Elizabeth (ecb)

Make this world a better and more beautiful place that You have been in it
*Edward W Bok*

I've post (in the ball python forum, in the general python forum and also in the general boa forum) a very complete comment about worms, a week ago or around.
I think that you still can access to this comment in the archive, under the tittle "ABOUT EFFICIENT DEWORMING".
You should read it, I think it will help you...

When I got my little male he was eating live prey and I switched him to FT because I didn't want live rodents in my apartment. How do your thaw your mice? I know some people put them under a heat lamp or in a glass of water. I figured I wouldn't want to eat a soggy rodent if I were a snake so I thaw mine in a plastic bag in very hot tap water and he takes them every time. On pin worms, if they are the same species I am thinking of be VERY careful or the whole family is going to have them. My female is on antibiotics and worm meds, hope you're not squeamish about giving injections (not my favorite activity). I hope your snake gets better soon and starts eating.

I believe the Tx we are going to be doing is PO (oral)
but I M an RN so injections are not a hardship for me
and yes I M concerned about the kids, they all come on contact with the animals, we DO use hand sanitizer, but no one is perfect (not even surgeons)
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Elizabeth (ecb)

Make this world a better and more beautiful place that You have been in it
*Edward W Bok*

Good I hope your snake gets better. Can you give me some suggestions on giving a good injection? I'm really terrible and I'm sure my snake doesn't appreciate my technique.

That is what we are going to need to do to keep her healthy
or just keep dosing her (never a good plan)
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Elizabeth (ecb)

Make this world a better and more beautiful place that You have been in it
*Edward W Bok*