Parasite ID???
- Thread starter AndrewH
- Start date
THECHAMMAN
Established Member
one appears to have 4 nuclei.?
Eric Adrignola
Avid Member
I'm not a vet - but I have seen coccidia over and over (...albeit 10-12 years ago).
that looks like it to me - and there appear to be no more than 2 nuclei per cell - the other thigns seem to me to be organelles, but not nuclei... I think.
that looks like it to me - and there appear to be no more than 2 nuclei per cell - the other thigns seem to me to be organelles, but not nuclei... I think.
PardalisGirl
Avid Member
Coccidia.....
It looks like coccidia to me. There are more than one species of Coccidia. I'm betting your magnification must be much greater than 40X to see them in this fashion though................Time for Albon.
It looks like coccidia to me. There are more than one species of Coccidia. I'm betting your magnification must be much greater than 40X to see them in this fashion though................Time for Albon.
Dave Weldon
Avid Member
Howdy Andrew,
I took those photos at 400x. The images are also a bit zoomed in when I cropped them so they are even magnified on top of that. I guess I could agree with an ID of coccidia
. I was hoping that since it didn't look like the perfect coccidia format that maybe you escaped .
Here's a 400x coccidia photo that I took from another chameleon for comparison:
I took those photos at 400x. The images are also a bit zoomed in when I cropped them so they are even magnified on top of that. I guess I could agree with an ID of coccidia
. I was hoping that since it didn't look like the perfect coccidia format that maybe you escaped .Here's a 400x coccidia photo that I took from another chameleon for comparison:
AndrewH
New Member
Howdy Andrew,
I took those photos at 400x. The images are also a bit zoomed in when I cropped them so they are even magnified on top of that. I guess I could agree with an ID of coccidia
Here's a 400x coccidia photo that I took from another chameleon for comparison:
Thanks Dave
yea, looking at the chart you had the other day i didnt see anything else that looked like it. maybe it was just a different strain from the common one normally found. What is the recommended dosage for Albon? and Dave, what was the recommended dosage for Apertex??
PardalisGirl
Avid Member
Coccidia types.............
The original photo that is zoomed and cropped could be Eimeria Coccidia. That type has an oocyst that is subdivided into four sporocysts. The depth of field in the original photo could be "hiding" one or two of the sporocysts in some of the oocysts. Since the oocysts are round and three dimensional you can't have all the sporocysts in focus at the same time. The second photo you have for comparison is classic Isospora Coccidia. That type has an oocyst that is subdivided into two sporocysts. After oocysts of both types have been exposed to air outside the body for a couple of days the sporocysts subdivide and the Coccidia actually becomes infectious. Cryptospordium is another type of Coccidia that is a deadly and dreaded form. You can't see the sporocysts in that type in our microscopes because they are super tiny. I think your cham has Eimeria type Coccidia. But in any case, both Eimeria and Isospora are treated the same way. Hope this helps....
The original photo that is zoomed and cropped could be Eimeria Coccidia. That type has an oocyst that is subdivided into four sporocysts. The depth of field in the original photo could be "hiding" one or two of the sporocysts in some of the oocysts. Since the oocysts are round and three dimensional you can't have all the sporocysts in focus at the same time. The second photo you have for comparison is classic Isospora Coccidia. That type has an oocyst that is subdivided into two sporocysts. After oocysts of both types have been exposed to air outside the body for a couple of days the sporocysts subdivide and the Coccidia actually becomes infectious. Cryptospordium is another type of Coccidia that is a deadly and dreaded form. You can't see the sporocysts in that type in our microscopes because they are super tiny. I think your cham has Eimeria type Coccidia. But in any case, both Eimeria and Isospora are treated the same way. Hope this helps....
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AndrewH
New Member
Thanks Paradlis Girl, that was super informative.
I am turned on by your big brains jk..kind of- Eimeria Coccidia can be treated with Albon?
- What is the best way to clean a cage with a chameleon who has coccidia other than throwing everything away?
- will bleach kill coccidia on equipment?
dodolah
Retired Moderator
- What is the best way to clean a cage with a chameleon who has coccidia other than throwing everything away?
Other than that, the unconfirmed way is to use steam cleaner set to the highest setting. You want it hot since coccidia will die from boiling water. Do realize it's not yet researched or proven by data of some kind. Just from couple of bearded dragon keepers suggested me to do it.
You can always scrub with 10% bleach, let it dry, rinse, scrub with soapy water, and rinse. Although it will not kill them, at least the soapy water will loosen up the eggs so you can rinse them away
- will bleach kill coccidia on equipment?
No. as far as i know, not even at the strength of 100%. Only boiling water will kill them during their oocyst period
Other than that, the unconfirmed way is to use steam cleaner set to the highest setting. You want it hot since coccidia will die from boiling water. Do realize it's not yet researched or proven by data of some kind. Just from couple of bearded dragon keepers suggested me to do it.
You can always scrub with 10% bleach, let it dry, rinse, scrub with soapy water, and rinse. Although it will not kill them, at least the soapy water will loosen up the eggs so you can rinse them away
- will bleach kill coccidia on equipment?
No. as far as i know, not even at the strength of 100%. Only boiling water will kill them during their oocyst period
royden
New Member
How effective is it to poor boiling water over everything? It's kinda hard to break aeverything down and get it on a pot on the stove. I'd like to scrub with 50/50 bleach solution and then rinse with boiling water.
Is it worth it? Or by the time the water cools as it hits a surface and spreads out does it lose it's effectiveness?
Is it worth it? Or by the time the water cools as it hits a surface and spreads out does it lose it's effectiveness?
PardalisGirl
Avid Member
Killing Coccidia.........
I've been keeping reptiles for longer than I care to admit.....I've always used a method of soaking things in a very strong bleach/dish soapy water mix and then blasting/rinsing with a hose jet sprayer. The bleach kills bacteria and other nasty things. It also loosens organic material (including the oocysts) far better than plain soap and water does. The jet water spray from a hose rinses it all away. If a plant can't survive that process it goes into the garbage. I've had great success in eliminating all manner of persistant parasites with this method. I may get a steam cleaner. That would be great for cages and branches. It would be a killer for plants though. Another thing I do since I am home most of the time....I encourage pooping of the affected chameleon outside of the cage. In most cases I keep an acrylic Kritter Keeper with a paper towel bottom and branch handy. Most of the time my chams poop after misting/showering and before eating. So I shower the cham and get it to drink some water in the morning. Then I put it in the Kritter Keeper until it poops. Then I wash off the cham before putting it back in it's cage. Then I disinfect the Kritter Keeper with bleach and have it ready for the next day. This process is a bit of a pain, but it really keeps the cham from reinfecting it's cage during the whole treatment process. You would have to figure out your own cham's pooping "routine" to do this. Another thing....consider turning off the auto mist equipment during treatment. Mist by hand so you are not misting infected poops. Just imagine the spread of oocysts if the cham poops while you are gone and the auto mister mists it and causes dripping of oocysts.....Yuck
I've been keeping reptiles for longer than I care to admit.....I've always used a method of soaking things in a very strong bleach/dish soapy water mix and then blasting/rinsing with a hose jet sprayer. The bleach kills bacteria and other nasty things. It also loosens organic material (including the oocysts) far better than plain soap and water does. The jet water spray from a hose rinses it all away. If a plant can't survive that process it goes into the garbage. I've had great success in eliminating all manner of persistant parasites with this method. I may get a steam cleaner. That would be great for cages and branches. It would be a killer for plants though. Another thing I do since I am home most of the time....I encourage pooping of the affected chameleon outside of the cage. In most cases I keep an acrylic Kritter Keeper with a paper towel bottom and branch handy. Most of the time my chams poop after misting/showering and before eating. So I shower the cham and get it to drink some water in the morning. Then I put it in the Kritter Keeper until it poops. Then I wash off the cham before putting it back in it's cage. Then I disinfect the Kritter Keeper with bleach and have it ready for the next day. This process is a bit of a pain, but it really keeps the cham from reinfecting it's cage during the whole treatment process. You would have to figure out your own cham's pooping "routine" to do this. Another thing....consider turning off the auto mist equipment during treatment. Mist by hand so you are not misting infected poops. Just imagine the spread of oocysts if the cham poops while you are gone and the auto mister mists it and causes dripping of oocysts.....Yuck
AndrewH
New Member
I've been keeping reptiles for longer than I care to admit.....I've always used a method of soaking things in a very strong bleach/dish soapy water mix and then blasting/rinsing with a hose jet sprayer. The bleach kills bacteria and other nasty things. It also loosens organic material (including the oocysts) far better than plain soap and water does. The jet water spray from a hose rinses it all away. If a plant can't survive that process it goes into the garbage. I've had great success in eliminating all manner of persistant parasites with this method. I may get a steam cleaner. That would be great for cages and branches. It would be a killer for plants though. Another thing I do since I am home most of the time....I encourage pooping of the affected chameleon outside of the cage. In most cases I keep an acrylic Kritter Keeper with a paper towel bottom and branch handy. Most of the time my chams poop after misting/showering and before eating. So I shower the cham and get it to drink some water in the morning. Then I put it in the Kritter Keeper until it poops. Then I wash off the cham before putting it back in it's cage. Then I disinfect the Kritter Keeper with bleach and have it ready for the next day. This process is a bit of a pain, but it really keeps the cham from reinfecting it's cage during the whole treatment process. You would have to figure out your own cham's pooping "routine" to do this. Another thing....consider turning off the auto mist equipment during treatment. Mist by hand so you are not misting infected poops. Just imagine the spread of oocysts if the cham poops while you are gone and the auto mister mists it and causes dripping of oocysts.....Yuck
That seems like alot of work, but I am willing to go through with it before i end up spreading it to my other herps. Seems like a real quarentined way of elminating the coccidia. thanks again ParadlisGirl for the knowledge and info.
dodolah
Retired Moderator
Alcohol can kill lots of stuff. But, as far as i know, it needs to be in contact for at least half an hour. Since alcohol evaporates too soon, it become highly ineffective.
Boiling water does the job but unfortunately you might kill the plants in the process.
So far, I now extensively use a steam cleaner for my chams.
Plus, they are really fun to use. Swoooooshhhhh!!!! Die you parasites!!! Die!!!
AndrewH
New Member
Alcohol can kill lots of stuff. But, as far as i know, it needs to be in contact for at least half an hour. Since alcohol evaporates too soon, it become highly ineffective.
Boiling water does the job but unfortunately you might kill the plants in the process.
So far, I now extensively use a steam cleaner for my chams.
Plus, they are really fun to use. Swoooooshhhhh!!!! Die you parasites!!! Die!!!
haha, is there a particular brand you would recommend using for the steam cleaner? i am shopping online right now and am reading alot of bad reviews!
