Coccidia.. now what :(

[PlanetRemulak]

Update to this thread

Beau‘s fecal came back positive for Coccidia. Can’t speak with the vet until next Wednesday as he Is only in once a week, sometimes twice (he normally works as a zoo vet). I‘m going to call the vet’s office and explain that I need a prescription ASAP, can’t wait until next week to pick up meds. For now, what should I be doing? We do have a beauty supply store that I can check for 40% liquid peroxide.

I don’t have a spare cage. Should I remove all plants and branches and disinfect, or replace it all now? What do I do with Beau in the mean time? I have a sterilite tub he can be kept in. Should I allow him to fall asleep, or keep his UV and basking bulb over it? It’s going to take me some time to deep clean. How often SHOULD I be deep cleaning..? I have two new Tamura 24 x 24 x 48’s coming. When they arrive, should I switch Beau to the new cage with brand new plants/branches?

I’ve got a second chameleon paid for. I explained my situation to the breeder when I first noticed an abnormal poop and they were understanding. I let them know earlier today that it is, in fact, coccidia and am awaiting their response. I obviously want to do what’s best for both animals here, but don’t want to burden the breeder with holding onto an animal they may not have space for. What would be the next best course of action?

 

[Beman]

Uggggg first of all I am so sorry to hear about this. Don't panic coccidia is totally treatable in a healthy cham just a pain. ok so do not put him into the tamura cage until you have a few clean fecals come back. Yes, you want the meds asap to get him started.
Ponazuril is the med most typically recommended for this. But it normally has to be done through a compounding pharmacy.

Its a bare bottom cage yes? You will be spot cleaning everything. Anything porous like branches you can not clean effectively so toss those. I would exchange out for some flukers vines since those can be wiped down easily. All plants turn those into house plants, The oocysts are extremely resilient and the 40 volume on plants will kill them off so that is a no go.

Making the cage bare enough to easily clean and remove fecal. That is how reinfection happens. Make sure your not free feeding as well another reinfection risk.

Do not strip the cage until you get meds. Get 40 volume liquid peroxide. Get plastic gloves, spray bottle, and eye glasses to protect your eyes.
You can take and put the cage in your bath tub... Scrub the heck out of all the surfaces first with hot water and something like dawn soap. Rinse extremely well. Then you are spraying the heck out of the cage with the peroxide. Letting it sit for 20 minutes wet on the surfaces.

What you can keep in the cage... If you can mount a plant higher then where he poops for him to drink off of. only vines that are cleanable.

As far as bringing in the new one. Only if you have another area away from Beau. And only if you do not cross contaminate anything. Meaning no feeders from one cage to another and no cleaning from one to another. Everything separate.

 

[PlanetRemulak]

Uggggg first of all I am so sorry to hear about this. Don't panic coccidia is totally treatable in a healthy cham just a pain. ok so do not put him into the tamura cage until you have a few clean fecals come back. Yes, you want the meds asap to get him started.
Ponazuril is the med most typically recommended for this. But it normally has to be done through a compounding pharmacy.

Its a bare bottom cage yes? You will be spot cleaning everything. Anything porous like branches you can not clean effectively so toss those. I would exchange out for some flukers vines since those can be wiped down easily. All plants turn those into house plants, The oocysts are extremely resilient and the 40 volume on plants will kill them off so that is a no go.

Making the cage bare enough to easily clean and remove fecal. That is how reinfection happens. Make sure your not free feeding as well another reinfection risk.

Do not strip the cage until you get meds. Get 40 volume liquid peroxide. Get plastic gloves, spray bottle, and eye glasses to protect your eyes.
You can take and put the cage in your bath tub... Scrub the heck out of all the surfaces first with hot water and something like dawn soap. Rinse extremely well. Then you are spraying the heck out of the cage with the peroxide. Letting it sit for 20 minutes wet on the surfaces.

What you can keep in the cage... If you can mount a plant higher then where he poops for him to drink off of. only vines that are cleanable.

As far as bringing in the new one. Only if you have another area away from Beau. And only if you do not cross contaminate anything. Meaning no feeders from one cage to another and no cleaning from one to another. Everything separate.

Jesus. Okay. I actually found the 2019 thread of yours detailing your Coccidia experience. Sitting here shaking lol

It is a clean bottom cage. Just one large plastic pot on the bottom, right in the middle. Should I ditch all the plastic pots too? Or can just be disinfected/reused? I think I’m kind of answering my own question here.. probably best to throw it all out.

The good news is that Beau seems to be in really decent health otherwise. My exotic vet actually complimented me on this last week. Stated his lungs sound great, eyes look great, no dehydration, healthy weight.. he even invited my family and I to the zoo he works at for a reptile room tour because he “really likes seeing owners that give a sh*t about their reptiles.“ I’d like to preface by saying this is not a humble brag - just thinking that a vet that works with reptiles all day/4 days a week at a zoo would‘t have said that if he didn’t think my animal was in good health. Maybe we’re off to a good start, fingers crossed here

i have some temporary branches I can toss after this, but will replace everything else with flukers vines. His “drinking pothos” his way up at the very top left corner of his cage, situated right beneath the dripper. Too high up for him to poop on, should I still disinfect this one for the sake of safety?

Found a roach on the cage floor yesterday and i threw it back in the tub I keep the dubias in. So unbelievably stupid. Toss?


Thank you so, so much for your input

 

[Beman]

Jesus. Okay. I actually found the 2019 thread of yours detailing your Coccidia experience. Sitting here shaking lol This is not your situation, my situation was very very different. So no stressing.

It is a clean bottom cage. Just one large plastic pot on the bottom, right in the middle. Should I ditch all the plastic pots too? Or can just be disinfected/reused? I think I’m kind of answering my own question here.. probably best to throw it all out. I tossed everything but I had another cham I was worried about and honestly was panicking. plastic would clean with the 40 volume so this is up to you.

The good news is that Beau seems to be in really decent health otherwise. My exotic vet actually complimented me on this last week. Stated his lungs sound great, eyes look great, no dehydration, healthy weight.. he even invited my family and I to the zoo he works at for a reptile room tour because he “really likes seeing owners that give a sh*t about their reptiles.“ I’d like to preface by saying this is not a humble brag - just thinking that a vet that works with reptiles all day/4 days a week at a zoo would‘t have said that if he didn’t think my animal was in good health. Maybe we’re off to a good start, fingers crossed here This is wonderful. He is strong and should handle the meds like a champ.

i have some temporary branches I can toss after this, but will replace everything else with flukers vines. His “drinking pothos” his way up at the very top left corner of his cage, situated right beneath the dripper. Too high up for him to poop on, should I still disinfect this one for the sake of safety? So has he crawled up on that one? If not then you should be good to leave it or replace it if your worried..


Found a roach on the cage floor yesterday and i threw it back in the tub I keep the dubias in. So unbelievably stupid. Toss? Yep.... Sorry love... This is high risk. While they do not carry coccidia you just contaminated your entire tub because the dubia could have had oocysts on it from walking through fecal.


Thank you so, so much for your input Of course... Let me know if you need anything. I understand how stressed you must be. Please take a big breathe and know this is going to be fine. So no stress just time to clean and medicate lol.

 

[Mendez]

I'm rooting for you! You can do this, and you will get through this! Thankfully this forum has @Beman! She's right, your current situation is different from Beman's previous situation. Your cham will be just fine, so take a deep breath and relax for a second. Everything is going to be alright.

As for Beman, thank you again for being everyone's rock in a time of crisis!

 

[PlanetRemulak]

Jesus. Okay. I actually found the 2019 thread of yours detailing your Coccidia experience. Sitting here shaking lol This is not your situation, my situation was very very different. So no stressing.

Thank you so much for this. I’m so very sorry for your experience.

I tossed everything but I had another cham I was worried about and honestly was panicking. plastic would clean with the 40 volume so this is up to you.

These pots were like $2 each from Hone Depot.. probably better safe than sorry, I think we (well, I) tend to ask stupid questions when we’re panicking lol

This is wonderful. He is strong and should handle the meds like a champ.

Going to take all the good news I can here and treat it as a win.

Yep.... Sorry love... This is high risk. While they do not carry coccidia you just contaminated your entire tub because the dubia could have had oocysts on it from walking through fecal.

Lesson learned! It really is no biggy. Nearing the end of the month, so I was preparing to buy bugs again anyhow. Although, I do wonder if I should stop feeding crickets..? I’ve been doing some reading, and it sounds to me like dubias aren’t typically a vector for Coccidia. I buy crickets from Rainbow Mealworms, but last month I ran out of feeders earlier than I had anticipated. I went out and bought a container of crickets and super worms (I know, not the greatest. I picked up what was available) from Petco. I wash my hands before and after handling Beau, and currently he’s the only reptile I have. He’s been in my care since the 28th of July, so I can’t blame the breeder. Surely he’d have stopped eating/growing of he’d been exposed for that long. On top of that, the runny poops started a little while after I ran out of petco crickets and started feeding off the new ones from my last Rainbow Mealworm order. I can‘t point fingers in any one direction because obviously I don’t know, but if I had to GUESS, I’d blame the Petco bugs..

Of course... Let me know if you need anything. I understand how stressed you must be. Please take a big breathe and know this is going to be fine. So no stress just time to clean and medicate lol.

Again, thank you so much. I really took your “no stress” suggestion to heart. It is what it is, and it could be worse! At least I have a healthy cham starting out. For my second chameleon, I really won’t have to worry. I went with a different breeder this time and let him know what’s happening. He’s been beyond understanding and is willing to hold onto baby #2 until we get at least two clean fecals from Beau.

One last question for now and it is pertaining to my wet vac. Can I assume to sanitize that with the 40% peroxide as well? It will definitely need new filters..

Thank you so much for the reassurance and support. It is so very appreciated!!

 

[PlanetRemulak]

I'm rooting for you! You can do this, and you will get through this! Thankfully this forum has @Beman! She's right, your current situation is different from Beman's previous situation. Your cham will be just fine, so take a deep breath and relax for a second. Everything is going to be alright.

As for Beman, thank you again for being everyone's rock in a time of crisis!

Thank you so much!! The reassurance and kind words are beyond appreciated. In regards to Beman, I could not agree more!

 

[MissSkittles]

but if I had to GUESS, I’d blame the Petco bugs.

Yup. There’s always the chance that crickets uneaten by an animal are placed back in the bin with their germs little feet carrying who only knows what.

Thankfully this forum has @Beman!

Amen! @Beman not only knows so very much, but she is the heart and soul of the forum.

 

[Beman]

Thank you so much for this. I’m so very sorry for your experience.


These pots were like $2 each from Hone Depot.. probably better safe than sorry, I think we (well, I) tend to ask stupid questions when we’re panicking lol


Going to take all the good news I can here and treat it as a win.


Lesson learned! It really is no biggy. Nearing the end of the month, so I was preparing to buy bugs again anyhow. Although, I do wonder if I should stop feeding crickets..? I’ve been doing some reading, and it sounds to me like dubias aren’t typically a vector for Coccidia. I buy crickets from Rainbow Mealworms, but last month I ran out of feeders earlier than I had anticipated. I went out and bought a container of crickets and super worms (I know, not the greatest. I picked up what was available) from Petco. I wash my hands before and after handling Beau, and currently he’s the only reptile I have. He’s been in my care since the 28th of July, so I can’t blame the breeder. Surely he’d have stopped eating/growing of he’d been exposed for that long. On top of that, the runny poops started a little while after I ran out of petco crickets and started feeding off the new ones from my last Rainbow Mealworm order. I can‘t point fingers in any one direction because obviously I don’t know, but if I had to GUESS, I’d blame the Petco bugs..


Again, thank you so much. I really took your “no stress” suggestion to heart. It is what it is, and it could be worse! At least I have a healthy cham starting out. For my second chameleon, I really won’t have to worry. I went with a different breeder this time and let him know what’s happening. He’s been beyond understanding and is willing to hold onto baby #2 until we get at least two clean fecals from Beau.

One last question for now and it is pertaining to my wet vac. Can I assume to sanitize that with the 40% peroxide as well? It will definitely need new filters..

Thank you so much for the reassurance and support. It is so very appreciated!!

No need to apologize for my experience. Granted I really wish I had never had the experience due to all the factors involved. It is why I think everyone should get a fecal when they bring home a new cham, no matter where they get the cham from. A chameleon can have coccidia without you realizing. Slightly lower weight being a sign. But until it goes into massive production which is common with a stress event you do not tend to see the other symptoms.

Yes, crickets can be a vessel... I won't buy from petco or pet stores due to the chances of getting infected crickets. When I was feeding crickets I ordered through Rainbow...

Depending on the breeder you went through it would not hurt to ask them to run a fecal and you pay for it before you bring the baby in.

So wet vac I tossed after everything was done. But I could not figure out how to clean everything without getting into the electrical. And honestly I was throwing everything away at that point.

 

[Lindasjackson]

I’m so sorry this is happening to you and Beau!