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Cazador · 01-31-2007, 06:17 PM

Hi Crazyhedgehog,
Lumps can be from a lot of things, and don't necessarily mean cryptosporidium. Crypto is highly contagious, so if it was crypto, all your snakes would probably have it. You could pretty much rule out crypto by feeling your T.s. concinnus (and others) for a lump near (or in front of) the stomach. Crypto is fast acting and highly lethal to snakes, so I doubt it was crypto, in your case.

Lumps could also mean something undigested in its stomach, pregnancy, tumor, fecoliths, cloacoliths, retained embryos, scar tissue, etc., etc., etc. Their significance depends a lot on where they are and other symptoms that the snake experiences. Boeh (Cyrill) had a bout with crypto and is a very good source for more info.

Apparently mice colonies are sometimes infected by crypto, and it hasn't been proven to be able to (or not to be able to) be spread from mice to snakes. Though I don't know of any reason why it couldn't be spread from mice to reptiles.

01-31-2007, 06:17 PM	#13 (permalink)
Cazador Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Alaska, USA Posts: 1,609 Country:	Re: Help! I think my snake is ill! Hi Crazyhedgehog, Lumps can be from a lot of things, and don't necessarily mean cryptosporidium. Crypto is highly contagious, so if it was crypto, all your snakes would probably have it. You could pretty much rule out crypto by feeling your T.s. concinnus (and others) for a lump near (or in front of) the stomach. Crypto is fast acting and highly lethal to snakes, so I doubt it was crypto, in your case. Lumps could also mean something undigested in its stomach, pregnancy, tumor, fecoliths, cloacoliths, retained embryos, scar tissue, etc., etc., etc. Their significance depends a lot on where they are and other symptoms that the snake experiences. Boeh (Cyrill) had a bout with crypto and is a very good source for more info. Apparently mice colonies are sometimes infected by crypto, and it hasn't been proven to be able to (or not to be able to) be spread from mice to snakes. Though I don't know of any reason why it couldn't be spread from mice to reptiles.