WORMS in Urates??? (Gross Pic)

[PsychoSnake]

I saw this in my boa's water bowl today and I have no idea what it is. Any ideas?? He hasn't eaten in over a month and is usually a good eater. Otherwise he's acting normal. Sorry for the gross picture.

[SnoopySnake]

Idk but I'd definitely get a fecal done to be safe...

[Tsubaki]

Looks like a protozoa, tbh snakes can have worms without getting sick from them. However if they're a bit under the weather, they could stop eating and get a serious infestation. They're easily something the snake picked up somewhere earlier during its life, could've been ages ago. If housed together can also easily infect others through fecal matter. Other ways to get them is through live feeding, rodents can be infested and the parasites won't die unless they've been frozen for a good bit. Worm treatment is easy, even easier if they're still eating (you put the stuff in a mouse/rat) anyway not sure if you have to go to your vet, mine just sends me the stuff when asked. Worm in stool is pretty obvious, it's just one so it's not really bad.. Heavily infested animals poop out clumps of worms! Can't hurt to have a stool sample checked, but woulndt wait to get it a worm treatment. Ps also seriously clean the cage, or it will get reinfected.

[PsychoSnake]

Bahhhh!!! One problem right after another! First the power outage, losing nearly all my hours at work, the car accident, and now sick snakes! This is such a nightmare.

I'll call my vet on Monday. I doubt I can get a stool sample as the poophead won't eat! Maybe they can flush something out. Also I'll have to get all my big snakes tested. Fortunately they are still eating so I could just send their poop over for testing. During the power outage I had to bag them and put them all in one large bin sharing the same space for three days. I had no choice.

My boa is a rescue and has never showed signs of illness in my care until now. He was fed live pretty much his whole life until I got him and he was kept at a pet shop with other boas and probably ball pythons too. His previous owners neglected him.

[Tsubaki]

I think in many captive snakes you will find protozoa in some amount, try to calm down. No reason to overreact. Just give him a worm treatment, clean his cage, it will all be fine. :)

[chairman]

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that you can treat snakes for worms by dusting their mice/rats with food grade diatomaceous earth. It can also be sprinkled in an enclosure to take care of any stragglers. A treatment provided by the vet will be better but DE is a convenient interim solution.

[Albert Clark]

Sorry for the dilemma Psycho. Curious if you examined that urate that was in the water bowl and saw any movement, wriggling or such in that sample? It does look suspicious but a sample of stool, urate is called for. Also, can you zip lock that particular sample?

[PsychoSnake]

Thanks Tsubaki! I needed that. You are wonderful.

Chairman, I will not attempt that without discussing it with my vet. I'm aware of the use of DE for bedbugs and fleas but I would not want my snakes ingesting it without the okay of my vet. DE's action is mechanical and dehydrating.

Albert, I did inspect the stringy residue and it did not appear to be alive. However I have heard of dead parts of parasites being shed out while an active infestation was going on internally. I did not keep it as it was not a fresh sample. It had obviously been in his water bowl for hours (probably did it just after I went to work). I will try to feed him today to get a better sample. But if I'm able to take him to my vet on Monday they should be able to give him an enema and maybe a sample that way. Poor guy.

I found this article and I think I might try the povidone iodine bath as well as a deep cleaning of his tub.

Flagellated Protozoans of the Gastrointestinal Tract (http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Flagellated-Protozoans-of-the-Gastrointestinal-Tract/)

A friend has a microscope so I may ask him to borrow it to do home fecal testing on my other snakes.

[PsychoSnake]

I talked to my friend who has a degree in microbiology and has worked with microbes for years. She said it was a good sign that the "worms" did not appear to be alive as the boa's immune system is probably fighting it. She said the biggest thing to be worried about are the parasite's eggs and fecal/urate exposure to the other snakes. She recommended that I get him on treatment asap and keep everybody super clean.

[Albert Clark]

Great news and hope that it's not serious and requires minimal intervention.

[PsychoSnake]

Hey guys, so great news! I just got back from the vet and it was the vet's opinion that the stringy substance were sperm plugs and that my boa appears to be very healthy. He said to just keep an eye on his weight and come back if there were any new symptoms or significant weight loss.

What a relief!

[Minkness]

Woot!!! Congrats for that sigh of relief!

[EL Ziggy]

That is wonderful news Psych! Im glad it worked out well for you and the snake.