New first chameleon parasite concerns

[kinyonga]

I don't know if waiting a week before treating the parasites is enough time to let their numbers decrease. As long as the chameleon seems fine, I usually wait for several weeks.

Parasites would be unwise to kill the host because that will mean they will die too.

 

[Carlton]

I just don't know about bleach cause it takes so much rinsing. I don't have a tub, just a stand up shower, and it just has a normal showerhead, not one you can aim, so I dont trust rinsing bleach out good enough to not worry about you know the fumes & corrosiveness, and drinking bleach water after something gets wet afterwards.

Not sure what this product might be called where you are, but I routinely use a diluted solution of Virosan or Nolvasan and spray cage furniture. It's a veterinary disinfectant that isn't hazardous around herps. Lots of rinsing isn't necessary. I have even used it in my frog terrariums and bird aviary. Steam will scald your live plants of course but possibly regular old soapy warm water would remove bacteria and shed parasites from live leaves. Heat and drying may damage or kill most parasites at least reducing them to a very low level that the cham is not likely to pick up again from its cage. Am I right everyone?

I have to admit my various herp cages have never been sterile...but a healthy cham isn't all that fragile either.

 

[Texas Panther Man]

I would do spot cleaning for the first few weeks to a month. Check the chams poos. If he/she is infested with parasites most of the time you can tell by the consistencey of the poop. If parasites are there most times the poo is watery and not firm and round like from a normal clean cham. Poops could look like they have half digested bugs in them also. So let him fully acclimate first. If he has parasites you can actually clean the cage during and after treatment with a hydrogen peroxide solution. If coccidia or certain other parasite are present I wouldnt mess with any but a 4% peroxide solution add a cup to a gallon of hot/warm water. then clean everything. You have to get the 4% the 1% is not strong enough. 4% will kill everything, its much better than bleach. Bleach will not kill all parasites.

 

[Todnedo]

I would do spot cleaning for the first few weeks to a month. Check the chams poos. If he/she is infested with parasites most of the time you can tell by the consistencey of the poop. If parasites are there most times the poo is watery and not firm and round like from a normal clean cham. Poops could look like they have half digested bugs in them also. So let him fully acclimate first. If he has parasites you can actually clean the cage during and after treatment with a hydrogen peroxide solution. If coccidia or certain other parasite are present I wouldnt mess with any but a 4% peroxide solution add a cup to a gallon of hot/warm water. then clean everything. You have to get the 4% the 1% is not strong enough. 4% will kill everything, its much better than bleach. Bleach will not kill all parasites.

How can you mix a cup of 4% with a gallon of water and still have a solution stronger than 1%?

 

[Texas Panther Man]

I was always told to mix it. I'd never thought about that. I got the 1% and a member told me I needed the 4% to be sure it was strong enough to kill everything. What do you use on fresh wc imports?

 

[Todnedo]

http://www.using-hydrogen-peroxide.com/Concentrations-of-hydrogen-peroxide.html

 

[Texas Panther Man]

Ok so I dont have to worry about diluting as long as Im using the 3-4% then. I was told to dilute. Thanks

 

[Todnedo]

Ok so I dont have to worry about diluting as long as Im using the 3-4% then. I was told to dilute. Thanks

Yeah the way you were mixing it was a solution of less than one half of a percent of peroxide.

 

[Echoezra]

Thanks again for all the advice, guys! I like the peroxide idea.
So, can anybody give me directions how to post pictures on here for when I want you guys to check the new guy and his poo out? Do you have to have a separate hosting account or something?