Under the Microscope

[guidofatherof5]

Maybe you can start doing fecals!

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....jsp?id=357735

[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.
I'll see if I can shoot some video when I do it.

[ConcinusMan]

I don't have any in my hand at this time but should be able to get some upon request.
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.

No, but seriously, just some pics of microorganisms in the poop will do just fine. Then you could always try your own poop too. 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.

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.

[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.

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