Mosquito born illness

[Scottsquatch]

I am going to be building an outdoor enclosure so that my Chams can get some sun this summer. One thing that occurrd to me is mosquito born illness. I know that West Nile and a couple other viruses are found here, does anybody know if that or any other mosquito born virus can affect chams?

 

[jamest0o0]

Do mosquitos even bite chams? I dont think they go for reptiles, or even can through their scales. Or do you mean if the cham eats the mosquito?

 

[Scottsquatch]

I mean through biting. I imagine when they heat up a mosquito could find them. They locate targets via heat and CO2. I don't see why they wouldn't bite chams.

 

[jamest0o0]

Just googled it because I didn't know if they bit reptiles and apparently they will if they have to, but prefer mammals usually. I woulda never thought they'd go for reptiles due to the scales.

Can't answer your question, but I thought viruses were host specific? I could be wrong.

 

[Syreptyon]

Different species have different preferences, but the general consensus is that while they do bite reptiles, they tend to prefer mammals. You could always just stand next to your cage all day and distract them with your mammal blood Not sure about the cross-species potential of mosquito-transmitted infection, though!

 

[Scottsquatch]

I dont know, but I do know west nile is carried by mosquitos and both birds AND humans can get it from mosquitos.

 

[Scottsquatch]

It was just a curiosity really. It wont stop me from letting my chams get sun this summer.

 

[Syreptyon]

Okay, apparently they can transmit disease in reptiles:

Particularly tortoises: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/8...lapagos-tortoise-mosquito-bites/#.VAxTlmOf7IU

And here's a review from a few years back which name drops mosquitoes a good handful of times (neither of these articles are chameleon-specific, but it stands to reason that there is a possible risk, West Nile or otherwise): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3230843/

 

[Scottsquatch]

Interesting...

 

[Syreptyon]

Apparently they can transmit viruses both by biting reptiles and by being eaten by reptiles. Gotta love mosquitoes...

 

[Scottsquatch]

That's a long read and I can't find my dang glasses! I had to give up until tomorrow. Thanks for the link.

 

[jamest0o0]

I just keep a moat of fire around my enclosures

 

[Decadancin]

I just keep a moat of fire around my enclosures

Interesting, so no need for a basking light, but what about the glow at night? They need darkness for proper sleep!

 

[jamest0o0]

Interesting, so no need for a basking light, but what about the glow at night? They need darkness for proper sleep!

Actually at night it turns to a red fire so my cameelyan cant see it