When do you know when to treat?

[prairiepanda]

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

So why "treat for parasites" at all after 12 months? Sounds silly to me. If it's still alive and doing well I don't see the likelihood of any parasites at all.

Many parasites can lay dormant for longer than 12 months. Toxoplasma, for example, has been known to survive in dormancy for 30 years or more in humans(they do not attack reptiles, however; I'm not familiar enough with reptilian parasites to provide a specific example) So I wouldn't assume that a WC snake is parasite-free after any length of time. However, I also wouldn't bother treating for parasites unless the animal actually became ill. I guess after 12 months you can be fairly sure that the animal is healthy and unstressed enough to survive treatment, but I still wouldn't risk it personally. Not with reptiles, anyway. With mammals I'd feel better about preventative treatment simply because mammalian medicine, with regards to very common pet/farm mammals anyway, has been much more thoroughly researched.

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by prairiepanda

Many parasites can lay dormant for longer than 12 months. Toxoplasma, for example, has been known to survive in dormancy for 30 years or more in humans(they do not attack reptiles, however; I'm not familiar enough with reptilian parasites to provide a specific example) So I wouldn't assume that a WC snake is parasite-free after any length of time. However, I also wouldn't bother treating for parasites unless the animal actually became ill. I guess after 12 months you can be fairly sure that the animal is healthy and unstressed enough to survive treatment, but I still wouldn't risk it personally. Not with reptiles, anyway. With mammals I'd feel better about preventative treatment simply because mammalian medicine, with regards to very common pet/farm mammals anyway, has been much more thoroughly researched.

Thanks for the tip on dormancy.

My line of thinking was that of the life cycle of parasites in reptiles and how they harbour them.

For those who may not be familiar it goes like this. Let's assume our reptile in question already has the parasites.
Once it poops. Bugs use it for their purposes in the parasite laden poop. Another small animal may eat those bugs ingesting the same parasites and then the snake eats that animal and gains the same parasites back. They lay eggs in the snake and then get passed with the poop once again and the cycle repeats.

It means to me, that if we keep our animals cages clean and feed them non-contaminated prey items that the parasites will "cure" themselves IF we keep proper husbandry for our animals.

I agree with you that if the animal is ill then it's time to treat for parasites. Far too often we fail in husbandry and blame the parasites.

[jjhill001]

Originally Posted by prairiepanda

Many parasites can lay dormant for longer than 12 months. Toxoplasma, for example, has been known to survive in dormancy for 30 years or more in humans(they do not attack reptiles, however; I'm not familiar enough with reptilian parasites to provide a specific example) So I wouldn't assume that a WC snake is parasite-free after any length of time. However, I also wouldn't bother treating for parasites unless the animal actually became ill. I guess after 12 months you can be fairly sure that the animal is healthy and unstressed enough to survive treatment, but I still wouldn't risk it personally. Not with reptiles, anyway. With mammals I'd feel better about preventative treatment simply because mammalian medicine, with regards to very common pet/farm mammals anyway, has been much more thoroughly researched.

The thing is, that said "dormant parasites" don't show themselves until something happens that compromises the immune system. So if your snake doesn't have something happens that compromises it then it will remain healthy. The reason that WC animals are known for parasite infestations is because the stress of capture, combined with bad husbandry before sale to the end customer causes the animal to get sick. Thus allowing the balance between snake and parasite to get out of whack.

[Derek1]

Thanks for the replies! I'm not big on WC's but couldn't pass up a juvi Texas Rat that I caught myself. And I probably wouldn't pass up a baby Yellow Belly Racer, which I damn near caught, but didn't.

I'll wait and see.

[jjhill001]

Originally Posted by Derek1

Thanks for the replies! I'm not big on WC's but couldn't pass up a juvi Texas Rat that I caught myself. And I probably wouldn't pass up a baby Yellow Belly Racer, which I damn near caught, but didn't.

I'll wait and see.

Racers have A MUCH MORE DIFFICULT time adjusting to captivity than rat snakes. They need very large enclosures especially when wild caught. I would highly recommend against catching and keeping wild snakes.

[Albert Clark]

The biggest sign that a snake needs treatment for a parasite load is inappetance (no appetite). Other signs can include diarrhea , listlessness , and depending on the specific parasite regurgitation and or vomiting. There can also be a bloody diarrhea in some cases. It is assumed that all w/c reptiles have parasites but only really need treatment if they are symptomatic. Parasite loads are tolerated but only need medication if they get out of control and cause symptoms in the animal.

[reptiledude987]

Thats some good info. Ill keep that in midn when the order arrives in late july early august. see what kind of shape theyre in and go from there.