Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I usually put snails in my water areas, for color and fun, but also to clean up some. i know that WD, being omnivorous may eat or try to eat snails. i know that the pointly river snails would be hazardous, but does anyone know if the round snails, which range in color and size from like a dime to a apple, are OK to put in with my WD?

The dragon may eat them, which isn't a bad thing, except that snails can carry parasites.
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So i am guessing that the parasites can adversly affect the WDs? How do the snails get parasites and how would u know if they have or do not have them? can these parasites get on fish?

The snails would have them from the lake or wherever they lived previosly. There is no way to tell if they have them or not, and they would infect your dragon. The fish can carry parasites to, any living prey can. You should have your dragons tested for parasites every year or so just to find out if they are infected.
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so would this be blood infections or like topical? How would a vet diagnose or treat this?

You would bring in a fecal sample, and if your dragon was infected, he would prescribe medication. The parasites live in your reptile's belly normally. They can get mites which would be external, but not from snails.
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Snails are intermediate host for a number of internal parasites. An intermediate host is not where the parasite intends to live to adulthood, it expects that the intermediate will be eaten by a larger animal, like a fish, bird or in this case a waterdragon. In the primary host the parasite will mature and reproduce. the parasite eggs are released through the host feces and need the snails to eat them to continue the cycle. To make a long story short, snails are a bad idea.