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Stress-free worming

The BoidSmith

The BoidSmith

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Worming boas can be both stressful for the snake as well as difficult for the owner. Here’s a trick to worm boas that are aggressive, difficult or just plainly to avoid stressing them out by handling and forcing a tube down their throats. If your boa eats dead prey, cut an opening on the side of the mouse or rat. Separate a little bit the skin from the subcutaneous below to leave a small cavity. Do this incision as far back in the body of the prey as you possibly can to avoid the snake scenting any off-odor of the drug. When dosing with Panacur paste have your vet weigh the amount needed and place it with any kind of spatula in a small container. Once home remove it from the container (with similar spatula or any object), and spread it inside the opening of the prey. Cover with skin fold and feed.

Good luck!
 
simple but great idea. I'm going to try this on a nasty Nile i have. Have you tested your results after they were treated with this method?
 
The results should be the same if you ensure that the dosage is right. The drug is under a flap of skin thus it would be readily absorbed (no need for the whole mouse to be digested as the drug is “almost” outside of the mouse). I use a pair of scisors to open the hole under the skin of the mouse.

Good luck!
 
what is this stress free worming for.is it for a sick animal or to start breeding i just never heard of it before.
 
I would assume it's just a helpful tip for not stressing out any snake.....it's a lot easier on both them and you than just shoving it down their throat, eh? ;)
 
what is this stress free worming for.is it for a sick animal or to start breeding i just never heard of it before.
Click to expand...

As Cathy explained, the term “stress-free” was used thinking mainly on the reptile welfare. Handling them and forcing a tube down their throats is always a source of stress. Providing their are eating pre-killed rodents on their own including the drug in the prey it's easier on both the snake and yourself. Most snakes will fight vehemently when you try to force feed them something. This will result in stress or even trauma (teeth loss) for the snake. Ideally, screening and treating for parasites should be done on any new animal that enters your collection. Some people even practice yearly routine worming to all their snakes. Even if you keep your collection under the best conditions there is always the possibility that they can be re-infested with parasites or their eggs when they eat an infested rodent (particularly when you feed live or freshly killed).

Regards.
 
Another suggestion....

Panacur (Fenbendazole) is sold as a liquid by Safeguard (suspension 10%). You should be able to find it at your local feed store. It is sold in small bottles of 125ml for goats. I like the suspension much better than the paste because it is a liquid that can be drawn up into a syringe and the exact dosage can be injected into the muscle tissue of the f/t rat. I find the paste expands and contracts, and it's hard "for me" to get the exact dosage I need.

If you can't find it at your feed store, there are several online farm supply sites that sell the liquid in small and large bottles.

Cheers,

Linda Hedgpeth
 
One more thing....

I use an 18 to 20 gauge needle for injecting the Fendbendazole into medium - largest rats. Sometimes a drop will come out onto the fur when you pull the needle out. Be sure and rinse any wormer off the fur before feeding the rat to the snake. I have heard that if the snake tastes the wormer, it will reject the rat.......the wormer must taste really bad. :ack2: I haven't had this happen with any of mine, but I do rinse any residue off. Also, by injecting it into the hindquarter, the rat is 3/4 swallowed by the time any wormer could be tasted. The liquid is kind of thick, but you could probably use a thinner needle. I think it will work with a 22 or 23 gauge, but I'm not sure.
 
Thanks for the tip Linda! That will certainly makes things easier. :)
 
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