worming

[junglebenn]

I have recently been told by a friend that im suppose to worm my snakes.
ive never heard this b4, but it sounds logical.
am I suppose too?

 

[pythonmum]

It is a personal preference unless you are sure they have worms. Some people worm them once or twice a year, others never worm unless parasites are confirmed on a stool sample. You will get many strong opinions on the subject!

 

[junglebenn]

It is a personal preference unless you are sure they have worms. Some people worm them once or twice a year, others never worm unless parasites are confirmed on a stool sample. You will get many strong opinions on the subject!

ok cheers.. thank you for your reply

 

[saintanger]

i never worm any of my reptile unless i know for sure they have worms.

 

[junglebenn]

i never worm any of my reptile unless i know for sure they have worms.

ok this might sound silly.. I know how to tell for worms on my dog and cat, what are the tell tail signs on snakes?

 

[saintanger]

well wen they poo we clean it up straight away, i always check to see if there are any worms in there, also i open their mouths every now and then and look at the back of their throat. but checking their poo would be the best way and if they throw up check their vomit too.

 

[junglebenn]

well wen they poo we clean it up straight away, i always check to see if there are any worms in there, also i open their mouths every now and then and look at the back of their throat. but checking their poo would be the best way and if they throw up check their vomit too.

perfect.. thank you very much. appreciated.

 

[Lawra]

well wen they poo we clean it up straight away, i always check to see if there are any worms in there, also i open their mouths every now and then and look at the back of their throat. but checking their poo would be the best way and if they throw up check their vomit too.

This might be a silly question but how do I make one open its mouth?

 

[junglebenn]

This might be a silly question but how do I make one open its mouth?

I generally use a smooth plastic kids spoon. not the really soft ones. ones that u reuse.. its always worked for me without any problems at all

 

[saintanger]

i hold the head with my left hand and using my right hand i grab the skin/lower jaw and gently pull down with stuborn snakes i sometimes have to pull a little harder. but i never use to much force as i do not want to hurt them.

 

[pythonmum]

You folks are rather rough with the mouth opening! If you get a cotton swab handle (hatchlings) or a pencil/pen (adult carpets) you can gently roll it at the lips and they will open. Move it to the back of the mouth to prop it open. No fuss or force necessary and a great view of the mouth.

 

[Lawra]

Thanks guys I've always wondered and have only gotten to take a sneak peek when they're eating or on the odd occasion yawning.

 

[Helikaon]

If a reptile has live healthy worms you will likely not see any signs until the burden gets to high. Openign their mouth and checking their stools will not tell you much. if you want to be sure then you need to do a faecal exam if you dont want to pay for that to be done then worm them preventatively and only feed safe foods. If you have lizards then i rec you worm them more often but also get faecal exams done more regularily as they tend to pic up more parasites