﻿Welcome to my new animated series where I hope to cover topics about reptiles,
but also broader topics regarding science and nature.
My name is Rebecca, this is Leopard Gecko and today we’re looking at Internal Parasites,
what they are, how they affect your reptiles and how to treat them.
Quick disclaimer, I am not an exotics vet, this should not be taken as medical advice,
and if you are concerned about your reptile, please see an exotics vet.
Reptiles can catch a range of parasites, however if kept alone, in a clean environment,
fed captive bred insects, away from potentially infected faeces, the likelihood of your reptile
getting any of these is quite low, but it is important to know what your reptile
can catch and what signs to look out for. I have decided to cover the 5 most common internal
parasites your reptile can catch. [list appears].
First let’s look at pinworms. Pinworms are actually incredibly common, partly because
they don’t often present any outwardly negative symptoms, therefore they’re very easy to pass
from one animal to another. Reptiles will usually catch pinworms from infected feeders,
this is why it’s important to feed captive insects. If you do choose to feed wild caught
feeders, then be prepared to test your geckos faeces often, to ensure it is not infected.
Symptoms include reduced appetite, weight loss and diarrhoea. Treatment for pinworm
includes a deworming medication. It is also important to keep your reptile in a sterile
environment for the duration of the treatment, so that you can ensure its environment is clean
and the animal cannot reinfect itself. Next we have roundworms. Thankfully these
worms are easy to detect as they will appear in the reptile’s faeces. Imagine tiny strands
of spaghetti, that’s what you’ll see. Roundworms can be contracted if your
reptile eats infected faeces. Once again, an exotics vet should determine that your
reptile is indeed infected with roundworms, and prescribe an effective dewormer.
Another worm your reptile can get is hookworm. The most obvious sign that your reptile may have
hookworm is that their stools will be bloody, this is because, like their name suggests,
they hook onto the inside of your pet, specifically the lining of the intestines.
Next we have coccidia, this is a single-celled parasite that affects the lining of the intestinal
tract or bile duct. Symptoms include diarrhoea, a reduced appetite, lethargy, blood or mucus in the
reptile’s faeces and dehydration. This parasite is particularly difficult to pick up on a faecal
examination, but the symptoms should give your vet a good idea that your reptile is infected.
And finally Cryptosporidium, or if you’re a leopard gecko owner, you may know it better as
‘stick tail’. Now I have covered this particular parasite in a video of its own, which I will link
below, but this rather nasty parasite is not only extremely infectious, but sadly it is incurable.
This particular parasite will spread rapidly in unhygienic, over crowded environments.
Proper hygiene should always be top priority when handling any animal, whether that’s handling one,
or going from tank to tank. If you’re unaware that one of your animals has this parasite,
and you go from tank to tank handling different animals, you could easily spread it and wipe
out your entire collection. Not only that but humans can get this too, and you should seek
medical advice if you become unwell. The most obvious sign your animal has this, particularly
if you have a leopard gecko, is an extremely thin tail. But as I said, I will leave a link
to the video I did on this subject, below. So to sum up this video, if you are ever concerned
about your reptile’s health, please see an exotics vet. To lessen the risks of your animal becoming
infected buy your pet from a reputable breeder, who has a high standard of hygiene and does not
overcrowd their tanks. Feed captive bred feeder insects from a trusted distributor,
and quarantine any new animal you buy for at least 9-12 weeks.
I hope you’ve enjoyed today's video, thank you for watching and goodbye.