How to Treat Leopard Geckos With Cryptosporidium
Leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) are nocturnal geckos, found in the deserts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. These small geckos have become popular in the pet trade due to their ease of keeping, as well as the amicability they show to captive breeding programs. Leopard geckos are hardy lizards that rarely require special treatment if cared for properly. But infections of cryptosporidiosis, a deadly pathogen, can threaten entire gecko colonies.
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Instructions
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Identify any abnormal behavior or physical symptoms in the geckos. Cryptosporidium is a pathogen that infects the stomach of geckos and causes vomiting and liquid stools in the infected animal. Consequently, infected geckos lose weight quickly.
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Remove and quarantine any geckos suspected of being infected. Cryptosporidium is highly infectious and can quickly spread in leopard gecko colonies, even in meticulously cleaned enclosures.
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Seek veterinary attention for the ill gecko immediately. Positive identification of cryptosporidium infections requires expert identification to ensure that there is not some other problem causing the illness. Although there is no definitive treatment for cryptosporidium infections at the time of writing, there are several experimental treatments becoming available that your veterinarian may know about.
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Practice meticulous husbandry of the ill gecko and follow your veterinarian's recommended treatment. Often, cryptosporidium becomes fatal in leopard geckos when coupled with a secondary health issue, and proper treatment may help your gecko recover its health.
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References
- Photo Credit leopard gecko image by Ivan Polushkin from Fotolia.com
