Parasites- please help!

[Horselo284]

Hi,

Before I start, let me give you info on my baby:

Age: 3 months
Tank: 33 gallon long (48x13x13)
Substrate: paper towels
Thermometer used: Digital probe
Cool side of the tank- 60 watt light-
Cool side temps range from 75-82 depending on temperature in my room. Cool side temp is usually around 80.
Hot side of the tank- 75 watt basking light over basking area- 60 watt basking light over floor.
Basking temperature is usually around 105 sometimes a bit higher/lower depending on room temp.
Floor temperature- middle to high 80's depending on room temperature.
UVB- Reptisun 10


My baby beardie has been having issue's with eating since I swtiched her tank. Although I orignally thought it was relocation stress, it's been a while and she has only gotten worse, not better. It has been suggested to me that she may have parasites and to get a fecal done. Today she had a runny poop- so im thinking it probably is parasites.

I have called multiple vets in my area- none will do a fecal without an office visit and most will not see a reptile. The few that will are charging amounts of money that I just can't afford. I feel just horrible about it (I am usually a very responsible mommy) but my husband just lost his job and I can't come up with the money!!

I was wondering if there was any treatment I could do on my own? I found this site- http://www.parazap.com which sells a product that claims to naturally help to get rid of parasites. Has anyone ever used parzap? Should I give it a try? Is there anything else that may be better that I can get over the counter?

Lizard (yes...thats what I call her- when I got her I wasnt sure if "she" was a she so I just called her lizard. Now I am pretty sure thats shes a she...but the silly name has kind of stuck! lol) doesn't look horrible.....She has lost some weight... but not ridiculous amounts. She will not chase any live food...but I have been able to get her to eat lettuce (just plain baby greens- she wont touch her collard greens right now) with chicken and squash baby food on it. It takes some coaxing...but she is eating some twice a day. I have also gotten her to eat a few phoenix worms daily. She appears alert and is fairly active. She has been staying on the cool side of her tank more then she used to and has been hiding a bit more. I just really want to get her back to normal and I would really appreciate any advice.

Thanks,
Laura

 

[Drache613]

Hello Laura,

Sorry your baby is having trouble. How long has it been since you switched her tank?
Parazap is pretty decent in helping to prevent & or treat parasites & worms. While it does not kill parasites or worms, what it does do is help expedite the excretion of them by way of a slight laxative effect which will naturally decrease the numbers. It helps get rid of any undigested fecal matter inside of the intestinal tract & colon. You just need to keep your girl well hydrated during the treatment. It is advised to use it no longer than a 5-7 day cycle, & no more than 3 times per year.


Tracie

 

[Horselo284]

Hey,

Thank you so much for the information. It has been exactly 3 weeks since I switched her tanks and she has only gotten worse. She has absolutely no interest in any live food- it takes a lot of time and coaxing to get her to eat anything. I place an order for the parazap....hopefully they will ship it out asap! Is there anything I can do besides bathing her to keep her hydrated during the treatment? I hope the treatment works! I feel so awful that I can't bring her to the vet right now! Things have just been so tough. I am putting money aside as much as possible so I will hopefully have enough for the vet visit if the parazap doesn't help!

Thanks so much for your advice!

-Laura

 

[Drache613]

Hello Laura,

Let me know how the Parazap does it is pretty effective. Hopefully you wont have to make a vet appointment & I hope that you get your shipment quickly also.
Let me know how things are going & how she is doing with hers eating.
You can use a plastic syringe or a plastic dropper along with daily baths, to help keep her hydrated.


Tracie

 

[Horselo284]

Thanks so much! The person selling parazap said she would ship it out this am. She recommended that I make the tea and give her as much as she wants, as often as she wants. She also recommended that I bathe her in the tea. She said it's safe and said I can't overdose- what do you think?

Thanks again!!!!!
-Laura

 

[Drache613]

Hello Laura,

Great that you are getting it shipped out quickly. Maybe you will get it before Christmas time.
I have heard of people bathing them in the tea, but, it is not necessary if you don't want to. I would only give for up to 7 days so it doesn't dry her out too badly as it can contribute to dehydration.
It is relatively strong, so I wouldn't overdo it on the dosing either. Give just enough to be effective & follow the instructions according to her weight, if they have a dosing chart.


Tracie

 

[Horselo284]

Hey,

Merry Christmas to anyone who celebrates it!

Unfortunately the parazap hasn't come yet. My baby really wants nothing to do with food... :-( but she does seem active and has been basking. She ate 8 medium P. Worms yesterday but only one so far today. She just didn't want it and nothing I did would get her to eat it...:-(

She is running around her tank while I 'm writing this and appears to want to come out. I have my 18 month son on my lap right now falling asleep, so she will have to wait. lol It's good that's she's alert and active... right?

Hopefully the parazap will come tomorrow. Any suggestions on anything I should do until then. I'm gonna try to get her to eat some worms or baby food later. I will give her a bath in a little while.

Thanks so much!
-Laura

 

[Drache613]

Hello Laura,

Yes, it is good that she is active, basking & wanting out of her tank too! At least she did eat some phoenix worms yesterday, maybe after her bath today, she will eat something for you.
I hope it does come tomorrow, the holidays mess up the mail & deliveries. You are doing everything you can right now, just try to get her to eat some babyfood for you & some worms if she will take them also. Keep her a little bit warmer at night, just to help boost her immune system a little right now.

Keep us posted on her.

Tracie

 

[Horselo284]

Hey,

Thanks for your reply! I got her to eat 2 more medium P. Worms. I'm gonna offer her some baby food and greens in a few mins.

I have a question on what to do at night. I don't have any night time heat in her tank (I was told not to). The temp in the tank usually drops down to the mid to high 60's. She sleeps in a blanket at night (it's very cute....she stays under it the whole night). I do have a red night bulb but I was told not to use that. Should I put it in for not and just keep it towards the opposite side of the tank from where she sleeps? That way it will raise the temp slightly but not irritate her?

Thanks!

-Laura

 

[zebraflavencs]

As long as it doesn't drop below 60... she'll be fine.
Janie

 

[Horselo284]

I received the parazap in the mail today and gave her some tea a little while ago! She has had no interest in food so far today.... :-(

I am going to give her a bath in a little while and then offer her some food again. Hopefully then she will want it.

Wish me luck!

-Laura

 

[Pacmanandy]

Hey Laura, good luck to the both of you! Just wanted to chime in and let you know that my guy has parasites too. I took him to the vet and got two kinds of oral medicine prescribed. The medicine and the fecal together turned out to be $90, just so you have an idea of what it costs. I don't know how it will work yet, let us know how the parazap goes!

 

[Horselo284]

Hey,

Thanks for the info! Every vet near me who will look at a reptile wants roughly that amount just for the visit- fecal not even included! Plus extra for meds. :-/ It was gonna be so much money if I had to do that...so I really hope the parazap works!

So far it seems to be helping (I think!) Today is day 3 of the parazap. My baby girl has been ULTRA active and hasn't been hiding. Although she has been active and basking right along, she seems more active and appears to be basking more! Also, this am she willingly ate lettuce with chicken/squash baby food on it. Before this it always took coaxing and rubbing the food on her lips until she opened up and then getting the lettuce in. Today she just ate it when I put it by her lips. I also noticed that she seems to be noticing her live food more. She is not chasing it yet (at least not in front of me) but she turns her head and stares at it- before today she would completely ignore it...as if I hadent put it in her tank. I think she may have eaten some phoenix worms before but I am not sure. I have 5 worms on a plate in her tank and now they are gone. I am hoping she ate them...however it is possible that she was running across the tank and knocked them out. I don't see them anywhere but they could be under the paper towels.

I put 11 worms on her plate again...they are all nice and active. Ive seen her glance at them a couple of times but so far she has not eaten any. I am gonna leave the room now. Hopefully she will eat some while I am gone!!

Wish me luck!!!

 

[Horselo284]

So far so good today! She willingly ate baby food on lettuce again!!! 9 or 10 pcs of lettuce smothered in baby food! I don't think she ate the worms yesterday...I found 2 wandering around the tank this am...but I havent found the other 3 yet. I left her some veggies and worms if she gets hungry. She did eat lettuce all on her own yesterday when I left it it her tank!

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

That is great news she seems to be doing so much better now & eating on her own also. Hopefully, the parazap will be very effective for her. Remember to keep her hydrated during this time, too.
What type of greens & veggies are you feeding? Mustard or collard greens?
I hope that she continues to improve now. Basking & running around is a great sign she is feeling much better now.


Tracie