help with tiger worm problem

[reconeyez]

just recently i received an eastern tiger snake. once i got him home i noticed he had a couple raised bits of his body to which i asume to be worms, (pretty confident). these two bumps are very simular to ones i find on tree snakes that i from time to time relocate.

i have never had to deal with this problem before and i have a few questions.

once i treat the snake for worms (with a reptile worming solution), will these bumps (worms) in time be absorbed into the snake? or do i have to nick under a scale and pull them out?

please let me know what my best option is.

 

[The Devil]

I'm thinking that your tiger has skin worms and treating internally would do nothing for them.

Out with the razor blade and have fun.....rather you than me.............

 

[reconeyez]

so oral reptile worming treatment wouldnt do anything at all?
what can i do/ if anything to prevent them from coming back?
cutting them out is my only option?

 

[reconeyez]

also can my other snakes catch them from being in the same room? or is it a food related issed?

was planning on using (CPV) reptile science worm-rid.

 

[reconeyez]

bump

 

[gillsy]

NO to contagious,

And here did you get ths animal from, sounds wild caught.

 

[reconeyez]

i bought him of another keeper, i think it was wild caught, its less then 3 feet, but fairly well tempermented

but all above board on the permit side of things, so thats sweet.

any ways to stop it reoccuring or once it is out (the worm/s) there should be no probs?

is it a food related problem?

 

[Jozz]

You need to remove the worm, but if you leave any part of the worm in there, it will re-grow. I don't know much more than that I did a course where we removed a couple. They're very long, so be gentle and try to pull the whole thing out carefully.

 

[dunno103]

Hi

I know a guy who used to take them out, he would slit the skin and pull the worm out. He jhad one near an eye and he needed someone he totally trusted to transfer a head hold between people and I wasn't confident enough, so didn't see it done.

IMO you need a very experienced handler to do it.

Good luck

btw, I think it is a wild caught because have heard this is from worms in frogs (tiger food, gts food etc) so probably is wild caught.

Cheers

btw I think that that guy is right, all the worm needs toi be removed. Sorry I can't see your nameon this edit post. Reason for edit.

 

[reconeyez]

ok thanks guys, i appreciate your help, i'll probly do it over the weekend. i'll post a few pics of the worm when i get it out, if any one else has done this before or could off some advice i would appreciate the help. thank you.

 

[Jozz]

Just found a picture! This was a Stephens Banded - they had his head in a restraining tube.

 

[Jonno from ERD]

Reconeyez,

As others have said, the worms need to be cut out. Skin worms are a pretty good indicator that the snake you have received has been poached from the wild.

If you send me another PM with your address I will come and show you how to remove it, free of charge.

Cheers

Jonno

 

[reconeyez]

PM sent jonno.

 

[Mulgaboy]

Skin worms can be removed with Drontal allwormer for small dogs and puppies, no need to cut and put your self at risk. If skinks were used to start the snake feeding they can come from that. Skin worms are a tapeworm that bores through the gut and get up under the skin. So the snake must be wormed to get rid of them, it may take 3 to 4 treatments but they will go.

 

[Jonno from ERD]

Killing the skin worms using a worming medication results in decaying worms under the skin - something you don't want. Physical removal of the skin worm is the only safe way of getting rid of them.

 

[Mulgaboy]

They don't decay under the skin, cutting them out is how they were removed 30th years ago.

 

[reconeyez]

ok now im confused, i want to do the best thing for my snake

 

[Mulgaboy]

They live in the snakes gut also, cutting will not get rid of them and also can cause infections, it is much safer for both you and your snake to use a wormer.

 

[Helikaon]

just to make it more confusing quite often prazyquantil will not penetrate the cysts in the skin as there is limited blood flow hence having no effect. but it will diffinately kill the rest of them. you may still need to remove the cysts manually. i would suggest trying the strong dose of wormer, the repta science worm rid is good enough and then if it does not work have them cut out.

 

[moosenoose]

I've got the same issue with a young lowlands copperhead I've got. Apparently they are nothing to worry about so I have been told & read.

Does anyone know what the life expectancy is on these specific skin worms?? My copperhead still gobbles down skinks atm and I know this must be where they are coming from. I figure once I have the snake on mice the skin worms would eventually die off. Do the worms keep breeding once they are in the snake...or are they merely using the snake as a stage host for a period of time??? I'm not a big one knowing about the livelihood of worms :lol: