Under the Microscope

[guidofatherof5]

I was fortunate to be able to buy a microscope a month or so back. So I thought I would start this thread. I will post captured images from time to time and will also take request as to what you would like to see.
When the opportunity arises I will be posting a garter blood sample and fecal sample.
I am using the:
Celestron Pentaview LCD Digital Micrscope (44348)

LjzZaA-miX0

This first image is the brille(lens cap) from a recently shed skin (T.radix) It appears the brille takes a little bit of damage between sheds.
This was taken at 10X.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//821/medium/2013-01-19_221158.png

[infernalis]

Fascinating and educational.

something many people would never get to see otherwise.

[chris-uk]

Very nice. A microscope is on my list of "educational instruments for Joseph".

Is the photo of the lens cap taken with transmitted or reflected light? Presumably it's also unstained? You're in for a lot of fun with this microscope.

[CrazyHedgehog]

excellent, that really good!
my partner has a microscope set up on his pc, (or did have)
We got some pond water from outside and had a look, I will be washing my hands thoroughly after going near the pond!
this is amazing, all of these videos are from one lens with a drop of pond water, amazing how much life!!

micro pond water (http://www.mrgrumpy.net/microsite/html/pond/pondmain.html)

[indigoman]

Very interesting, still looking for one of the magnifing lights you showed.

[guidofatherof5]

Very interesting, still looking for one of the magnifing lights you showed.

I found mine on craigslist. Sometimes it takes awhile to find the items but the price make the wait worth it. ;)

[snake man]

Very cool stuff.

[kueluck]

Ok, you got me hooked to this thread. :D

[guidofatherof5]

I just hope I can use it well enough to make it interesting.

[Steveo]

Very cool.

For those interested in microphotography, a standard microscope can still be used. What we did in college was use a 3" piece of PVC as a removable connector. We'd line up the shot, put the PVC over the eyepiece, then mount the camera on top of the PVC. The PVC provided enough stability for the camera to autofocus and take a clear shot.

[Invisible Snake]

Interesting stuff, does this mean you will be able to do fecal floats Steve?

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Maybe you can start doing fecals!:p
i just hope i can use it well enough to make it interesting.

[guidofatherof5]

Maybe you can start doing fecals!:p

Funny you should mention that. I am.;)

My parasite ID skills need to improve I'm sure but I've got all the tools(fecasol, slides, centrifuge, I.D. chart and poop sample) now I just need the talent.

[chris-uk]

Funny you should mention that. I am.;)

My parasite ID skills need to improve I'm sure but I've got all the tools(fecasol, slides, centrifuge, I.D. chart and poop sample) now I just need the talent.

What sort of centrifuge do you have Steve?

and I don't think you'll ever be short of poop samples. :)


Edit - And for anyone else interested in the procedure for performing a fecal float, this article is pretty good:
http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/vetmed/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=357735

[guidofatherof5]

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//821/centr.jpg

[ProXimuS]

Super interesting thread. Can't wait for more!

[guidofatherof5]

The following blood sample was donated by one of my female T.radix girls after she received a bite to the nose during a food fight.

The first photo is at 10X
The second is at 40X
The third is at 400X(digital)
No stains were used as I don't have any yet.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//828/medium/blood_cell_10X.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//828/medium/blood_cell.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//828/medium/blood_cell_1.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

Funny you should mention that. I am.;)

My parasite ID skills need to improve I'm sure but I've got all the tools(fecasol, slides, centrifuge, I.D. chart and poop sample) now I just need the talent.

That is rather important. Snake feces will normally be teeming with life but most of that life doesn't need to be treated or medicated for. Not all parasites or living things in the gut are harmful and many are even necessary and helpful. Being able to identify the potentially harmful ones, and being able to distinguish them from the harmless ones is important. There are worms and other creatures that do nothing more than feed on waste and don't harm a healthy snake so just because you see something alive in their poop doesn't necessarily mean they should be medicated.

Neat pics Steve. Do you have any of fresh feces? As in, just came out of the snake. I'm interested in seeing what living things came out of the snake, rather than what got into the feces after it came out. I know that Stefan showed us something like that before.

[guidofatherof5]

Neat pics Steve. Do you have any of fresh feces? As in, just came out of the snake. I'm interested in seeing what living things came out of the snake, rather than what got into the feces after it came out. I know that Stefan showed us something like that before.

I don't have any in my hand at this time but should be able to get some upon request. :D
I'll see if I can shoot some video when I do it.

[Stefan-A]

Neat pics Steve. Do you have any of fresh feces? As in, just came out of the snake. I'm interested in seeing what living things came out of the snake, rather than what got into the feces after it came out. I know that Stefan showed us something like that before.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fad53_JsgYY

Almost straight from the garter's *** onto a slide. Shot through a cheap USB microscope.

[Selkielass]

Very cool.
is fecasol the flotation solution?
That article makes it sound pretty simple.
Do you have a book or chart with pictures of common parasites for comparison?

[guidofatherof5]

Very cool. Yes
is fecasol the flotation solution? Yes
That article makes it sound pretty simple.
Do you have a book or chart with pictures of common parasites for comparison?Yes

This website has a lot of good prices on very interesting/useful items.
Chart Store (http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Parasitechart.html)

[chris-uk]

The blood samples show the bi-concave structure of the red blood corpuscles fairly clearly without stain. I think I pointed you in the direction of some stains earlier, so hopefully you can find some H&E stains and read up on the staining technique (I've not done it for a long time, but looking forward to Joseph getting older as an excuse).

[ConcinusMan]

I don't have any in my hand at this time but should be able to get some upon request. :D
I'll see if I can shoot some video when I do it.

Oh, please, oh please do post the pooping video and make sure the audio catches that "squish" sound like Stefan's video did. Goody goody. :rolleyes:

No, but seriously, just some pics of microorganisms in the poop will do just fine. Then you could always try your own poop too:D. Or, a cheek swab. We did the latter in high school. It was surprising how many things are alive in your mouth, some of them quite nasty looking.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fad53_JsgYY

Almost straight from the garter's *** onto a slide. Shot through a cheap USB microscope.

Wow, look at 'em go! They seem to be in a huge hurry to get nowhere.

[guidofatherof5]

Had a food fight between a couple T.marcianus - Checkered Garter so a blood sample wasn't too difficult to obtain. The drop was recovered from a piece painted wood in the enclosure. I retrieved it with a disposable eye dropper. After placing it on the slide I used a cover slide. I'm guessing temperature change and cover plate pressure caused the movement in the video.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjlB1q1pCoU

[jwolfe152]

wow this whole post is very interesting, i love microscopes, i have one but its not very powerful it was from some kind of drilling company looking at rocks and such. i looked at all kinds of spiders and other bugs/insects. its amazing how stuff looks close up, even ashes from a cigarette.

[chris-uk]

Some good images there Steve.

I should correct you on the title in the video though. You're not looking a platelets, you're looking at red blood corpuscles. The pictures show the bi-concave disk very clearly.

Regarding the movement, you get a small degree of cell movement in the plasma purely because the cells can move within the fluid. It looks like simple Brownian motion - Brownian motion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownian_motion)

[guidofatherof5]

Thanks Chris. I will get a mod. to correct the title and thanks for the link.