Parasites? Help!

[Haligren]

Is it normal for a leos feces to look sort of runny if they stay on the cooler side of the tank all the time?

I'm beginning to worry that Tiamat might have parasites. As I've read about so many others on here who have had their leos for a while and all that time they are lethargic, hardly eat, and eventually stop eating and start losing weight. Tiamat seems like she could begin that pattern soon as for as long as I have had her, she sleeps all the time (although she seems normal and active when I take her from the tank) only eats one super worm every other day, and her poop appears runny with what look like chunks of superworm chitin, but I'm not sure.

I've read that you can see the parasites (or their eggs) in a leos feces. What are they supposed to look like?

I want to take her to the vet and have her checked out (if I can find a decent exotic vet around here) to be sure but I am not working at the moment and can't afford a vet visit.

Please help!

 

[fallen_angel]

It could be more runny if she's drinking a lot of water.
Eating 1 superworm every other day isn't bad.
You can only see the parasites with a microscope in most cases (I think there is one kind that is visible with the naked eye).

When we had a gecko get parasites, his poo was smeary (not necessarily runny) and he stopped eating completely (I hand fed him slurry). He lost weight in his tail before losing any in his body. The Acidophilus (sp?) in the slurry really helps with their digestive track, and he had more normal poos when he was taking it on a regular basis. Got any pics of T's poo?

 

[Haligren]

Thanks for your quick reply - I'm really worried.

And I was just thinking of taking a pic of Tiamat's poo this morning when I was doing my daily maintenance. I'll take a pic next time she has a bowel movement to see what you guys think. She might just be getting more moisture than sustenance as her urates are quite large. It's just that her poos like so much more runny than Mandarin, who I'm pretty sure is healthy. I've been very careful not to expose either of them to each other. I wash my hands after handling either one.

It's just that Tiamat acts like so many leos I've read about on these forums before succumbing to parasites; perhaps the parasites take a while to multiply before they become a problem? I've also read that they can get parasites from their food too (from what I've read, largely crickets).

I should take a picture of Tiamat now. She's getting really fat despite her one-a-day diet. lol

 

[fallen_angel]

Well I certainly hope that everything is okay with her, although parasites, when caught early, are easily treated. They definitely do not cause a severe/life-threatening problem overnight. Our poor little guy that got them looked fine besides the occasional bad poo, plus having to be hand fed. He started showing signs in October, got treatment in November, died in December.. but he didn't get really bad until the last month.

 

[Haligren]

So do you think it would be good if I got both my leos tested for parasites just in case?

If I really need to I can get help paying for the vet bills, although getting a float done shouldn't be very expensive.

 

[fallen_angel]

Yeah, that would be safest. Parasites are so common too..

and besides, we'll be able to help you *wink wink* since I should definitely have what we owe you to you within a week

 

[Haligren]

Hooray!

I'll see about vets then in the meantime.

 

[BGalloway]

If they do have parasites, and even if they don't, you might want to up the cleaning and disinfecting of their poo areas to break any parasitic life cycles. Also wash out feeding and water dishes more often.

A lot of parasites have a fecal-oral method of infection. Gecko steps on poo containing parasite eggs, then in mealworm dish, calcium dish, water dish, anywhere that a cricket in the tank might pick up parasite eggs and then when the gecko eats or drinks from these places they just reinfect themselves.

Best wishes with the vet and I hope your leos are parasite free.

 

[Haligren]

If they do have parasites, and even if they don't, you might want to up the cleaning and disinfecting of their poo areas to break any parasitic life cycles. Also wash out feeding and water dishes more often.

A lot of parasites have a fecal-oral method of infection. Gecko steps on poo containing parasite eggs, then in mealworm dish, calcium dish, water dish, anywhere that a cricket in the tank might pick up parasite eggs and then when the gecko eats or drinks from these places they just reinfect themselves.

Best wishes with the vet and I hope your leos are parasite free.

Thanks for the wishes.

I clean out both my enclosures once a month and immediately any poo when I see it. I also don't put food in their tanks. I know, I spoil them. I hand feed both her and Mandarin; although Mandarin gets fed in his critter keeper (gives me a chance to handle him and stuff as, for a gecko, he seems to enjoy getting attention) and I feed Tiamat in her tank, although I don't let the food get too far before she downs it.