Parasite Magnification?

[James_Scott]

With the threat of parasites so abundant out there, I am looking at purchasing a microscope and was wondering what magnification is needed to identify parasites in excrement?

 

[mebebrian]

Bored mate?....

 

[JasonL]

I think it's a good idea, been meaning to do more of it myself as I used to have a few microscopes as a kid and found the micro world fascinating. I'd suggest you ask your vet on what you can see and what you can't under a normal microscope

 

[James_Scott]

I used them at Uni a few years back, but wanted to check out new herps and food for future stock. I also wanted to use it on my father in laws birds to help determine death from time to time.

 

[Wild~Touch]

Vet Danny Brown has a wonderful little book "Under the microscope" if you can get a hold of one you will be laughing

 

[James_Scott]

Thanks BredliSlave,
I will try and hunt around on amazon for it. I have another book on reptile parasites coming in the mail, so I am sure that will have plenty of info too. Can never have too much info.

 

[shlanger]

Parasites

I've keeping herp for 40yrs. I have my own microscope and a couple of books, "Understanding Reptile Parasites" By Rodger J.Klingenberg, and "Reptile medicine and surgery" by Douglas R Mader. Thus armed, I have saved many animals (and dollars) by treating my own, and in some cases others animals, by treating them myself. Not withstanding the f/wits who ask "are you bored mate" and the "take it to the vet brigade" its interesting and rewarding to treat your own animals for parasites. Its not rocket science and in particular Klingenbergs book is easy to read, and understand but well out of the reach of the "are you bored mate" types. Let them spend money at the vets. These books will show you how to do, feacal floats, direct smears and even blood smears for parasites. I have gone one step further and examine and treat accordingly, my feed rodent colonies. Thus I can with confidenced, feed my animals with fresh kills rather than the freeze it for 4-6 weeks people.
You dont need an expensive scientific type microscope as smaller cheaper types will do the job! Have a look around second hand shops for microscopes you may well be suprised!
A good book to have, (and I've seen it in lots of second hand book shops) is "How to use a microscope"
I now sit back and await "flaming" by the younger, know it all, five minute wonders of the herp world!

 

[Southside Morelia]

Well done mate and if I was a younger know it all, I would listen to you!!!
Thanks for the advice! It's been something I was contenplating doing and now I will...cheers

I've keeping herp for 40yrs. I have my own microscope and a couple of books, "Understanding Reptile Parasites" By Rodger J.Klingenberg, and "Reptile medicine and surgery" by Douglas R Mader. Thus armed, I have saved many animals (and dollars) by treating my own, and in some cases others animals, by treating them myself. Not withstanding the f/wits who ask "are you bored mate" and the "take it to the vet brigade" its interesting and rewarding to treat your own animals for parasites. Its not rocket science and in particular Klingenbergs book is easy to read, and understand but well out of the reach of the "are you bored mate" types. Let them spend money at the vets. These books will show you how to do, feacal floats, direct smears and even blood smears for parasites. I have gone one step further and examine and treat accordingly, my feed rodent colonies. Thus I can with confidenced, feed my animals with fresh kills rather than the freeze it for 4-6 weeks people.
You dont need an expensive scientific type microscope as smaller cheaper types will do the job! Have a look around second hand shops for microscopes you may well be suprised!
A good book to have, (and I've seen it in lots of second hand book shops) is "How to use a microscope"
I now sit back and await "flaming" by the younger, know it all, five minute wonders of the herp world!

 

[pythonmum]

I've keeping herp for 40yrs. I have my own microscope and a couple of books, "Understanding Reptile Parasites" By Rodger J.Klingenberg, and "Reptile medicine and surgery" by Douglas R Mader. You dont need an expensive scientific type microscope as smaller cheaper types will do the job! Have a look around second hand shops for microscopes you may well be suprised!

Great advice - I've been thinking about investing in such a book, as I already have the microscope (and the snakes). You can often pick up a microscope for next to nothing from a high school. They are getting rid of old ones with mirrors instead of built-in lights. I've got a lovely Zeiss clone which was being thrown out. Now is a great time to get friendly with the science assistant or teacher at your nearby school while they do end of year cleanups.

 

[AUSGECKO]

For parasites you dont need to spend much, you can get a cheap microscope from dick smiths, you only need it to do 100x anything more and you will be picking up fine details on a single parasite which is not needed and can sometimes make it harder to identify a particular parasite. I use a microscope for identifying parasites on fish on a weekly basis, My microscope kit cost me $50 Dont get too carried away with spending too much unless you want to identify bacteria also.

 

[Oldbeard]

I've keeping herp for 40yrs. I have my own microscope and a couple of books, "Understanding Reptile Parasites" By Rodger J.Klingenberg, and "Reptile medicine and surgery" by Douglas R Mader. Thus armed, I have saved many animals (and dollars) by treating my own, and in some cases others animals, by treating them myself. Not withstanding the f/wits who ask "are you bored mate" and the "take it to the vet brigade" its interesting and rewarding to treat your own animals for parasites. Its not rocket science and in particular Klingenbergs book is easy to read, and understand but well out of the reach of the "are you bored mate" types. Let them spend money at the vets. These books will show you how to do, feacal floats, direct smears and even blood smears for parasites. I have gone one step further and examine and treat accordingly, my feed rodent colonies. Thus I can with confidenced, feed my animals with fresh kills rather than the freeze it for 4-6 weeks people.
You dont need an expensive scientific type microscope as smaller cheaper types will do the job! Have a look around second hand shops for microscopes you may well be suprised!
A good book to have, (and I've seen it in lots of second hand book shops) is "How to use a microscope"
I now sit back and await "flaming" by the younger, know it all, five minute wonders of the herp world!

I think the young know it alls on here would probably appreciate what you have to say. Its great to get info from a knowledgeable old codger. I used to be a young know it all , now im just an old know it all.
The knowledge you have should be passed on to the younger ones. Use your knowledge to help them.
I would encourage anyone wanting to learn about parasites to go ahead with it. You can learn so much from snake faeces.
I have seen too many snakes misdiagnosed and then mistreated, when all it takes is a look through a microscope to work out the problem. As you said it isnt rocket science
The late great Tim Nias did a lot of research on parasites, and most of what he knew was self taught. The great thing about Tim was that he passed on as much info as he could to every person he talked to. The reptile industry needs more people like that to get in and do the work and then pass it on to help others.
There are too many people who have so much knowledge that are too scared to pass it on for whatever reason. (usually the wrong reasons)

With the right info about parasites so many animals could be saved a lot of stress and it can also save a lot of lives.
The Klingenberg book is a great start.
Shlanger ,your knowledge is so important please share as much as you can.
Sorry about the rant.
Sharing is caring.

 

[Renagade]

MMmmm... does curiosity ever get the better of you shlanger? what else have you looked at that has surprised you? have you ever looked at something and gone..'WOW!!! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT????!!!!' if so what was it?

 

[cris]

I have been meaning to do this for a while, has anyone tried those usb microscopes? are they good enough?

 

[shlanger]

parasites

Greetings Renegade, Yes curiosity often gets the 'better of me', about a whole range of things. One never stops learning! The first time I ever saw a 'chigger mite (Trombiculid)' under the microscope, I most certainly said, "WOW!!! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?????!!!!" A tiny little thing that looks hideous under magnification. It took awhile to research it, but I found that it was a grain mite, whose larvae stage only is parasitic. The adults are free living. It would seem that it is a fairly innocuous parasite, but that any parasite, larval or adult , innocuous or not, can be vectors for disease transmission and best got rid of!

It never ceases to amaze me the amount of pics. on this site, where keepers take their reptiles outside and exercise/photograph them on the lawn or ground! A parasite exists called Strongyloides. A quote from klingenberg, "Understanding Reptile Parasites" page 57: "STRONGYLOIDES HAS A DIRECT LIFE CYCLE, AND LARVAE HATCHING FROM EGGS GAIN ACCESS TO THE BODY BY PERCUTANEOUS PENETRATION (THROUGH THE SKIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!) AND ORAL INGESTION OF FECALLY CONTAMINATED FOOD AND WATER!
For this reason I 'strongly' (pardon the pun!) recomend keepers do not let their animals crawl around on the ground/lawn etc. I sure as hell dont!
I once met a bloke who had this parasite, (and couldnt get rid of it!) from walking barefoot up in the tropics. He was amazed that I knew what he was talking about, as he had never met anyone else that did! Be warned gentile people, read and learn!

 

[mebebrian]

I've keeping herp for 40yrs. I have my own microscope and a couple of books, "Understanding Reptile Parasites" By Rodger J.Klingenberg, and "Reptile medicine and surgery" by Douglas R Mader. Thus armed, I have saved many animals (and dollars) by treating my own, and in some cases others animals, by treating them myself. Not withstanding the f/wits who ask "are you bored mate" and the "take it to the vet brigade" its interesting and rewarding to treat your own animals for parasites. Its not rocket science and in particular Klingenbergs book is easy to read, and understand but well out of the reach of the "are you bored mate" types. Let them spend money at the vets. These books will show you how to do, feacal floats, direct smears and even blood smears for parasites. I have gone one step further and examine and treat accordingly, my feed rodent colonies. Thus I can with confidenced, feed my animals with fresh kills rather than the freeze it for 4-6 weeks people.
You dont need an expensive scientific type microscope as smaller cheaper types will do the job! Have a look around second hand shops for microscopes you may well be suprised!
A good book to have, (and I've seen it in lots of second hand book shops) is "How to use a microscope"
I now sit back and await "flaming" by the younger, know it all, five minute wonders of the herp world!

All vaild points mate, but was there any need for the name calling?
I think it's not just the young ones who need to grow up...

 

[shlanger]

parasites

Mebebrian, I appologise most profusly for the name calling. Its just that one gets heartily sick of smart alec comments to posts by others! Its little wonder that experience herp keeps stop posting on this site. I appologise once again.

 

[pythonmum]

For those interested, the Klingenberg book is only $16.50 from HerpShop. So cheap there's no excuse not to get it! The Maden book is $250, probably for the more experienced. What's wrong with my snake? is a good starter at only $19.

 

[Oldbeard]

Well there you go, I always thought chiggers were a myth made up by the yanks. You learn something new every day.
Whenever I go herping in Arizona, the yanks pull out this chigger spray and we all cover ourselves in it, cos they say it is the worse thing to get chiggers. I never got them and dont know of anyone who did so i started to wonder if it was all in their heads.
I guess it wasnt, thanks for the info Shlanger!!

 

[TheOnlyGoodSnake]

Oh my God! I can get parasites from the garden! I should have known it was too dangerous for me or my animals to go outside!

 

[elapid66]

you tell em shlanger :lol: