How does Coccidia spread?

luckykarma

New Member
I'm trying to figure out if this animal reinfects itself or I just never quite get rid of the coccidia.

AFAIK, coccidia is spread by an animal walking on or in someway coming in contact with infected feces (apart from breeding with a infected animal). I constantly sterilize everything. Does an infected animals body itself spread coccidia like the feet etc? Or is it only feces?
 
Coccidia strains are extremely hard to get rid of. Some can live on a dry surface for up to 6 months. There are vaying methods of sterilization but every one requires a long contact time to kill the coccidia oocysts (30min+). Bleach seems to be most commonly recomended, but it requires very high concentrations. Up to 70% in the case of cryptosporidium.

The life cycle of the coccidia takes place within the animal. The oocysts are what you need to worry about, they are passed in the fecal material. They will lie dormant in this stage untill they find a sutible host.

The animal's body doesn't spread the oocysts, but anywhere where a fecal has sat there is a probability that there are some still around.
 
Thanks Scott.

If he poops and some gets on the lefts I cut them off to be sure. I take the trees out and hose it down with warm soapy water to try and flush it off. Everything else I either pour boiling water on or use amonia mixture which I was told kills the Coccidia whereas bleach doesn't. This is the first animal where I had to deal with this parasite. What a mess.
 
hi Lucky,
i don't think you can actually get rid of coccidia completely.
what you can definitely do is try to reduce the risk of reinfestation.
Also, by taking care of your chameleon and reducing his stress, you are allowing him to have a healthy immune system. That itself will keep the population in control.

Cocidia are everywhere and prevail in the nature. On the soil dominantly.
so try to maintain a good sanitary condition and hope for the best.

70% bleach are way too much hassle and too dangerous for everybody to try.

try steamer, it might help a bit.
 
Hi Dodolah. I had gotten it way down with two cycles of Albon. Three weeks ago there was 'maybe' two in his poop. Now its exploded. I don't understand why his immune system isn't handling it.

He doesn't have any stress. He's free range. The only time he's not happy is when he goes into his outdoor sunning cage. He wants to be free and will push on the door and scratch at it from time to time.

Dave Weldon is trying Appertex. I just don't want to keep pounding him with Albon.
 
Remember that with each treatment you need to gut your cage, and I mean gut it! Throw out everyhting that was in there when he was infected. Scrub the cage screen walls and pvc with a bleach solution. Rinse and refurnish.

I was told to do this in the last week of treatment for trichomonas. Did the trick for me.
 
I did this and continue to do this with his outdoor cage. In the house he lives in a 7' ficus. Which I hose down with hot soapy water for ten minutes. Replace the soil and now even have river stones on top of the soil which I soak in an Ammonia mixture of 30% Ammonia to 70% water.
 
From what my vet told me, as well as Catherine Adams and some other experienced members, you have to throw out anything that you can't scrub - ie plants. If you can't scrub it with a brush and bleach for several minutes without killing it, you have to toss it. Hosing it down won't do anything to the cysts that cling to surfaces. Or you can just be extra careful and toss everything.
 
What a nightmare. I've been growing that ficus and training it for the perfect Chameleon tree for a year and a half.

I have to take him into a vet again this Saturday. I'll talk to Dr. Greek about all of it. I'm sure everyone is right. I just have to figure it all out...

Thanks.
 
I was pretty devistated too when I found that I had to throw out my stuff. Otto had lived in there for a year, he had his favorite spots, my pothos was incredible, my bio vines were expensive..ugh.

I feel your pain.

I kept Otto in a minimal setting until the final test came back negative for trich. Then I went and bought a new plant.
 
When we're watching we let him climb in all the trees in the garden. Are these all diseased now too? He never poops on them.

I guess I'll try to soak the 7 foot tree in ammonia solution. If it kills it well I guess it'll have to be replaced then.

I'm just angry that this poor guy was essentially murdered by a well known member here on the board. I bought him as a breeder and he ended up being a rescue. He came near death and was so loaded with parasites the vet couldn't believe it. He's been off/on meds for the entire three months we've had him and still can't get him 100% healthy. He's such a beautiful animal with a great personality. Its really a shame. Some people shouldn't be allowed to raise and sell Chams.

Ok, end of rant, sorry.
 
Sorry to hear that. It can be hard for breeders to keep cages clean inbetween sales and new clutches. But it is important.

I would encourage you not to call out the forum member, but make sure you've taken up the matter with them personally. Also remember that chams go downhill really fast, one minute they're sleeping during the day, a week later they're dead.

Not to downplay your experience though, I'm sorry it's been so rough.
 
I didn't call them out. I wouldn't even though they deserve it. This animal was treated like a commodity and nothing more.

Anyway, the issue is to find a way to get him back to health. I thank the members here for all their help.
 
we went through some coccidia stuff. it was real pain. its important to keep him away from any other chams or reptiles. we used a reptarium that we broke down everyday and cleaned with bleach and extremely hot water. the only cage furniture we had was a plastic branch she could walk on. we did this for about two weeks. there are also different strains that albon does not work against like the one we had. for a healthy immune system u may want to supplement her with nutri bac or parazap.
 
This is all good information. I'm considering jailing him. He wasn't free range when I got him but he's taken to it so much that he gets stressed out when in a cage outside. Constantly clawing.

I supplement his food with 'Da Good Stuff' which is supposed to be as good or better than Nutri Bac although I'm going to buy Nutri Bac at the big show at the end of the month. I haven't heard of parazap.

What's your experience with both?
 
personally ive only used nutri bac. ive read quite a bit about them and they seem to do the same thing. i havent heard of one being better. if hes free range you need to clean everything he possibly could have walked on or there is a chance he can get it again after you get rid of it.
 
My veiled chameleon (Blue Eyes) has coccidia also but instead of hitting her with some strong drugs/poison, I decided to try a natural remedy approach first. Has anyone tried Kocci Free from Wolf Creek Ranch.
After contacting them they suggested diluting it 1 drop Kocci with 2 drops water 4 times a day for ten full days. She seems to like the taste? and is even becoming my friend (stopped trying to bite me all the time). Not that has anything to do with it but we'll see if it works...
Visit their web site at www.wolfcreekranch.net/coccidia.htm
 
Blue Eyes. I agree with you. I don't want to ever give my Chams Albon. Dave Weldon has been experimenting with alternative and found Appertex promising. He's not done testing yet.

Please let us know if it works. 4x a day. Hope that's not too stressful on Chams. Glad yours seems to like it. Mine will accept once a day. After that he keeps his mouth shut.
 
mine reacts adversely with Albon treatment that he stopped eating for almost a month. I have to force feed him until he finally regains his appetite for hornworms.

Now, that's the only thing that he will eat.
 
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