Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My Beardie was diagnosed with Pin Worms. How would he have gotten them? I've only had him 2 months. His stool was soft since the day I got him, I thought it was his diet and have been playing around with the diff greens listed on the online care sheets I've found. But no matter what I fed him, the results were the same. I got him from a reputable breeder so never suspected it was worms. Could he have gotten them from the feeder crickets? He lives alone, and has not come in contact with any of my other animals. My vet said he's just loaded with the worms. That kind of makes me think he likely had them already when I got him. I'm still curious how he could have gotten them in the first place? He's on Panacur for the worms, and also Albon because he has some Coccidia too. My vet said he's seen a lot of Coccidia turning up in Beardies lately. Is that just in my area, or is it a problem in other areas too? He seems healthy and is alert and eating good. He's 11.9 ounces and is between 6 and 8 months old.

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Lyns Lair
WNY Herpetological Society

0.1 Cat (Mia)
4.2 Ferrets (Wolf, Shadow, Verdell, Sullivan, Boo, Peach)
2.0 Rats (Inky & Oy)
1.0 Carpet Python (Bear)
1.0 Malagasy Blonde Hognose (Wilbur)
1.0 Malagasy Giant Hognose (coming soon)
1.0 Yellow/Everglades Rat Snake (Pumpkin)
1.0 Russian Sand Boa (Fang)
0.1 Normal Corn Snake (Mysty)
1.0 Anery Corn Snake (Suezo)
0.0.3 Eastern Milk Snakes (Uno, Dos, Tres)
1.0 Ball Python (Slytherin)
2.0 Smooth Green Snakes (Fred & George)
1.0 Northern Water Snake (coming soon)
0.1 Golden Greek Tortoise (Sunshine)
0.2 Mississippi Mud Turtles (Squirt & Shyanne)
1.0 Green Iguana (Norbert)
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Moose)
0.0.1 Mountain Horned Dragon (Tiramisu)
0.1 Oustalets Chameleon (Cera)
1.0 Whites Tree Frog (Trevor)
1.0 Solomon Island Eyelash Frog (Gimli)
1.0 American Toad (Bump)
1.0 AFT Gecko (Cocoa)
5.5 Leopard Geckos (Trouble, Scooter, Simba, Firenze, Teddy, Mystique, Freckles, Dotty, Zipper, Twister)

Yes, dragons can get them from crickets, or he certainly could have been infected already when you got him.
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Mom to:

1 little boy born 7/19/04
2 male RES, born 2001
1 ribbon snake, age unknown
3 FBT, ages unknown
1 female bearded dragon, born 5/2002
1 male lab mix, born 5/24/03
1 female calico cat, born 6/7/04

If i'm not incorrect stress can disrupt gut flora and cause parasite levels to rise which would also be another way.Keeping unclean cages could also result in a parasite infestment.

I know lack of cleanliness can perpetuate it and make it hard to get rid of. Was just curious how he got them in the first place. I can't stop feeding him Crickets. Guess the safest thing to do is to do stool samples annualy on all of my critters who eat crickets. Better safe than sorry!
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Lyns Lair
WNY Herpetological Society

0.1 Cat (Mia)
4.2 Ferrets (Wolf, Shadow, Verdell, Sullivan, Boo, Peach)
2.0 Rats (Inky & Oy)
1.0 Carpet Python (Bear)
1.0 Malagasy Blonde Hognose (Wilbur)
1.0 Malagasy Giant Hognose (coming soon)
1.0 Yellow/Everglades Rat Snake (Pumpkin)
1.0 Russian Sand Boa (Fang)
0.1 Normal Corn Snake (Mysty)
1.0 Anery Corn Snake (Suezo)
0.0.3 Eastern Milk Snakes (Uno, Dos, Tres)
1.0 Ball Python (Slytherin)
2.0 Smooth Green Snakes (Fred & George)
1.0 Northern Water Snake (coming soon)
0.1 Golden Greek Tortoise (Sunshine)
0.2 Mississippi Mud Turtles (Squirt & Shyanne)
1.0 Green Iguana (Norbert)
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Moose)
0.0.1 Mountain Horned Dragon (Tiramisu)
0.1 Oustalets Chameleon (Cera)
1.0 Whites Tree Frog (Trevor)
1.0 Solomon Island Eyelash Frog (Gimli)
1.0 American Toad (Bump)
1.0 AFT Gecko (Cocoa)
5.5 Leopard Geckos (Trouble, Scooter, Simba, Firenze, Teddy, Mystique, Freckles, Dotty, Zipper, Twister)

Parasites can be a very interesting study in how biology and evolution works.

to I hope shed some light on your question:

some parasites have stages where dormant "Eggs" or "Cysts" can survive cold, heat, wet or dry conditions and also be very difficult to kill with bleach or other treatments.

this is one reason you see posts here about "Best substrate" that often come down to this: throw it out from time to time.

and why wood or other porus items in an "infected" home are best disposed of.

another factor is that some parasites can live (some MUST live) in more than one stage and or host.

so for example cocidida have no noted effects on criciets but can make a dragon sick. they are (as I understand it) passive or dormant in the insect and when they detect the environment of the digestive tract they activate and multiply.

so only expose a food item to one reptile and then dispose of it is one rule to use.

some parasites are deficated as larva or dormant eggs.
another animal makes contact and carries them.

some parasites pass from mother to offspring in the womb, when the mothers blood supply builds the new life it may also pass on any number of parasites also.

and last there are some parasites we need to live.
yes thats right!

for example e. colli, some strains are normal in the human dirgestive tract and help you process your food.
others are native to cattle and when introduced to a human become a killer as they are "Programmed" for a cow's system not for ours.

hope that gives you some ideas on how complex the subject can be.
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This space reserved for future use...

Actually a cricket free diet is possible.I believe lisa at beginners basics raises all her beardeds on rep-cal pellets its just sometimes hard to get them started.

Yeah, he doesn't like the pellets. I sprinkle them on his food sometimes and he eats around them. He sure loves his crickets and I'd hate to take away his fun of chasing them around. But I will be doing regular stool checks from now on to keep an eye on any potential problems. If I get them all cleared up and he gets them back then I'll know it's the crickets. I just tossed his driftwood. That sucked. It was a $40 piece and he loved it. But he pooped on it and it was very hard to keep clean so I really had no choice. I gave him a plastic igloo to climb on so he can still get closer to his light. I can bleach the igloo and keep it clean easier. I'm bummed that his newspapers don't look nice. His cage is really blah looking. At least no risk of him eating any substrate which is nice. And it will be easier to keep clean. He only had the one dose of Panacur and his poop today was more formed than it's ever been since I got him. Could it really work that fast? He starts the Albon today.
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Lyns Lair
WNY Herpetological Society

0.1 Cat (Mia)
4.2 Ferrets (Wolf, Shadow, Verdell, Sullivan, Boo, Peach)
2.0 Rats (Inky & Oy)
1.0 Carpet Python (Bear)
1.0 Malagasy Blonde Hognose (Wilbur)
1.0 Malagasy Giant Hognose (coming soon)
1.0 Yellow/Everglades Rat Snake (Pumpkin)
1.0 Russian Sand Boa (Fang)
0.1 Normal Corn Snake (Mysty)
1.0 Anery Corn Snake (Suezo)
0.0.3 Eastern Milk Snakes (Uno, Dos, Tres)
1.0 Ball Python (Slytherin)
2.0 Smooth Green Snakes (Fred & George)
1.0 Northern Water Snake (coming soon)
0.1 Golden Greek Tortoise (Sunshine)
0.2 Mississippi Mud Turtles (Squirt & Shyanne)
1.0 Green Iguana (Norbert)
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Moose)
0.0.1 Mountain Horned Dragon (Tiramisu)
0.1 Oustalets Chameleon (Cera)
1.0 Whites Tree Frog (Trevor)
1.0 Solomon Island Eyelash Frog (Gimli)
1.0 American Toad (Bump)
1.0 AFT Gecko (Cocoa)
5.5 Leopard Geckos (Trouble, Scooter, Simba, Firenze, Teddy, Mystique, Freckles, Dotty, Zipper, Twister)

If you want to save money and do your own fecals go to www.beautifuldragons.com and check out Veronicas offer on microscopes and everything you need to go with it! It would be costly up fron but wo9uld pay for itself in 6 months or less if you do a fecal test once a month or so. Just a thought.

Later,
Robert
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A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,
adored by little statesmen, philosophers and divines.
Ralph Emerson

I have access to a good Microscope, just don't know how to use it. I also have access to someone who does know how though. Just have to get my animals poop, the microscope, and the person who can use it, all together at the same time. Probably easier said than done.
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Lyns Lair
WNY Herpetological Society

0.1 Cat (Mia)
4.2 Ferrets (Wolf, Shadow, Verdell, Sullivan, Boo, Peach)
2.0 Rats (Inky & Oy)
1.0 Carpet Python (Bear)
1.0 Malagasy Blonde Hognose (Wilbur)
1.0 Malagasy Giant Hognose (coming soon)
1.0 Yellow/Everglades Rat Snake (Pumpkin)
1.0 Russian Sand Boa (Fang)
0.1 Normal Corn Snake (Mysty)
1.0 Anery Corn Snake (Suezo)
0.0.3 Eastern Milk Snakes (Uno, Dos, Tres)
1.0 Ball Python (Slytherin)
2.0 Smooth Green Snakes (Fred & George)
1.0 Northern Water Snake (coming soon)
0.1 Golden Greek Tortoise (Sunshine)
0.2 Mississippi Mud Turtles (Squirt & Shyanne)
1.0 Green Iguana (Norbert)
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Moose)
0.0.1 Mountain Horned Dragon (Tiramisu)
0.1 Oustalets Chameleon (Cera)
1.0 Whites Tree Frog (Trevor)
1.0 Solomon Island Eyelash Frog (Gimli)
1.0 American Toad (Bump)
1.0 AFT Gecko (Cocoa)
5.5 Leopard Geckos (Trouble, Scooter, Simba, Firenze, Teddy, Mystique, Freckles, Dotty, Zipper, Twister)

Well, Veronicas site has a chart to go by so you can tell what the bugs look like, along with all the supplies you'd need to do the test yourself and you could just borrow the microscope!

Later,
Robert
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A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,
adored by little statesmen, philosophers and divines.
Ralph Emerson