Feeder Fish with anchor worms!

[naturekim]

I work at a nature center and we fed several types of feeder fish for our animals. We got a batch just over a week ago and now I see anchor worms on them. We have feed them to our Garter snake and to our Red Ear Slider turtle. Any ideas on if they can cause a health issue if eaten by a reptile? If I freeze future fish and feed them frozen will it kill any eggs or larvae?

Last year we had a terrible drought in out area. We had a Garter come up to our building starving. She found a toad and ate it, she was very thin. This proceeded to make her pretty sick. She wouldn't move just keep striking at anyone who came to close. We had classes going on and she couldn't stay there so I caught her up. Later I checked her out to see if she was hurt. I couldn't find anything so I was going to release her in the morning. Next day I realised why when she threw up the toad. She was not feeling well after that meal! We kept her for 2 weeks before she ate and then she went to town! By then she was so calm we decided to keep her. She is so funny. You could leave her cover off all day and she will not leave the tank! Lack of food and fresh water has made her rethink wanting to head back out of the cage. She went another month and had 20 newborns. I would like to treat her for possible parasites and later her young. Any Idea what I should use and dosage? Panacur or Praziquantel a option?

[guidofatherof5]

Wow.

Not sure if Anchor Worms are a threat to garter snakes, not sure they can survive the digestive process.
There is some debate if freezing in standard freezers has a low enough temp to kill the eggs or larvae of some parasites. Length of time in the freezer also has been debated.
Why do you think you need to treat the babies?
Do you have an on-call Vet. that you can ask some of these questions or at least get a fecal float done on the mom. Then you will know how to proceed with meds.

What State are you in and have you identified the snake you are working with?

[d_virginiana]

Wow.
There is some debate if freezing in standard freezers has a low enough temp to kill the eggs or larvae of some parasites. Length of time in the freezer also has been debated.

I know some guys who have hunted/eaten wild boar, and they say the length of time that you need to freeze game minimum is 3 months. I know different parasites affect snakes than humans but I feel like if it's considered safe for people, there's probably nothing living in it.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Also the adult that you see poking out of the fish is the last stage of life. That is the stage where she is dispersing eggs into the water. The babies are free swimming tiny creatures. Anchor worm are dependent on a totally aquatic environment with a fish host. They can't survive outside those conditions so you don't need to worry about larvae hurting the snakes.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Anchor worms are actually a tiny crustacean and they certainly will not survive being digested by the snake

[guidofatherof5]

Thanks for the clarification Shannon.

[naturekim]

I knew they reproduced in water but was not sure if she goes in the water if they would survive digestion. We use the same hose to suck out all the tanks bleaching it in between.

She is wild caught and have not sent in a fecal float. I am in Illinois. I just thought it would be a good idea to treat her for possible parasites. If she did have parasites the young would most likely have them correct? We have one vet in town who does exotics and am not real confident in him. I wouldn't want to try doing fecal on 20 of them! Her young are a year old almost.

[guidofatherof5]

I don't think you have to worry about the babies getting parasites from the mother. I don't think she should be treated without a positive fecal float. Treating not only kills parasites but it also kills good bacteria in many cases.

[chris-uk]

I agree with Steve. Get a fecal done on the mother before treating her. Others would disagree and treat a wild caught preemptively, that's not necessarily wrong but I prefer to medicate when there's a proven need. The flipside is that a wild caught will almost certainly have a parasite load and whilst it may be asymptomatic now treating for parasites is stressful and may not be possible if the snake becomes ill.
I treated my wild caught parietalis, but only after a fecal float showed she had a heavy load.