Hi,

I am a new uromastyx owner. My daughter decided her mother of 58 years needed one for Christmas. Not quite what I was expecting but she knows I would become attached.

Anyway, He is captive bred and about 5 mos. old. He was pretty active at first but over time became less and less active. After a trip to the vets I found out he had a tapeworm. Since he has had his first shot (one of two)he has become much more active again.

I am wondering if anyone has had this experience?

My friends think I am nuts as I have come to really like this ?guy?gal. In fact, they have all refused to babysit him (they squirm) so I am really happy to find this site.

Sheryl

I dont think I have ever had the tapeworm problem with reptiles. I have had other worm issues with them. However all The cats I rescue seem to be infested with tapeworm, lol.

tapeworm now grosses me out ever since I watched the show on animal planet that showed it coming out of icky places on a grown man, lol. Tapeworm falls out in segments. So what you are seeing is not the whole worm, just a segment looking for a comfy spot to become a giant worm itself,, EEEWWW, lol.

By the way, welcome to Herpcenter

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I have sucker tattood on my forehead

Hi Nicole,

Yes the segments are gross and they move. From what I have learned there is a tapeworm for just about everything- frogs, birds, lizards, snakes and mammals. Its hard to imagine a tapeworm in this little lizard body. He is only about 5 or 6 inches long.

thanks for the welcome

Sheryl

eeeww I know, lol, I had one fall on me from this little kitten I had in a while ago. I was mortified, lol. I can take a lot of gross things but those things take the cake,lol.

I was watching how they can get into the human bloodstream and enter into the brain and live there for a while and grow, yuck. Eventually they start causing huge issues with people. I am sure that does not happen often,, but one case is enough to creep me out! lol

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I have sucker tattood on my forehead

Nicole, you haven't had tape worms in your iguanas? All 3 of ours had tapes, as did the bearded dragon and the blue tongued skinks. Proglotids all around. Ugh.

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"The power of imagination makes us infinite." - John Muir

~Lacey~

My Photos

maybe they were tapeworms but my vets know I have the heebie geebies and spared me,, maybe they lied, lol. I have used panacur a million times it seems though. I have have pinworms, roundworms,, and I am still fighting flukes with Oscar.

I am sure I have had them, lol. However I am the poo poo inspector,, I look all the time (that doesnt mean that they never had them) Anything coming in here automatically gets wormed. I just call with the weight as I have a ton af panacur.

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I have sucker tattood on my forehead

Uri, aka, itty bitty, (he weighs 5 grams) has had a good two weeks since his first shot for his tape worms. Today he goes to the vets for #2. He gets it in his little leg. Glad I have a good vet.
Thanks for the compliment for taking him to the vets. I can't stand to see anything suffer and Uri diffinetly was suffering. I had to take him out of his log everyday so he would bask and you could see it in his eyes. Now, he has much enthusiam for life.
Do lizards get worms and parasites if they are kept along in their cage?

Sheryl

Parasites can come form many sources, other animals, the food that they eat, tank decorations that came from outside, even you carrying them in on your clothing.
Thats why its a good idea to have at least a fecal test done every year or so.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Sorry, I made a typo, Uri, aka, itty bitty is 25 grams not 5.

Sheryl

Thanks Merlin, I have a lot to learn about reptiles. Can you feed them flowers and dandelions from outside or should they be avoided because of parasites?

Sheryl