Internal Parasites - Ball Pythons
- Thread starter tripleG
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Yeah i'm waiting to see the little buggers also.
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I second that! I'm not gonna debate anymore till we see adults. IF i was a bettin woman.... 
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I said IF i was a bettin woman (and I ain't), and I'm not a certified entomologist or animal parasitologist. I'll argue of I know I'm 100% correct. Other than that its pure speculation to ME until I have HANDS on proof. Still waiting for that reply anyway. Given the mysterious circumstances---It could be anyones guess.
But only one truth.
After edit:
Botfly. If you look in Maders Reptile Medicine and Surgery page 189 Figure 16-6 A and B, you will see a photo showing the breathing holes for the bot flies, as well as picture underneath of the botflies removed from the wound. I didn't say its common in snakes, but there is documented proof of at least one type of reptile that can be paratised by botflies.
That is 100% proof to me (medically documented veterinary textbook) that your above statement concerning botflies is wrong. I would scan the page, but that would be copyright infrindgement. Theres a reason these medical texts cost alot of money and the internet is basically free. Not to say you didn't consult texts, but I'm not sure it/they were the right ones.
But only one truth.
After edit:
Botfly. If you look in Maders Reptile Medicine and Surgery page 189 Figure 16-6 A and B, you will see a photo showing the breathing holes for the bot flies, as well as picture underneath of the botflies removed from the wound. I didn't say its common in snakes, but there is documented proof of at least one type of reptile that can be paratised by botflies.
That is 100% proof to me (medically documented veterinary textbook) that your above statement concerning botflies is wrong. I would scan the page, but that would be copyright infrindgement. Theres a reason these medical texts cost alot of money and the internet is basically free. Not to say you didn't consult texts, but I'm not sure it/they were the right ones.
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My source used The Manual for Neartic Diptera. This means that in U.S. and Canada not a single bot fly species is known to parasitize reptiles. Perhaps wild caught animals from other parts of the world could have genera of bot flies that parasitize reptiles.
But think about it.....if a wild caught animal came in with that many bot fly larvae in it, wouldn't the owner have noticed all the big breathing holes in the snake?
But think about it.....if a wild caught animal came in with that many bot fly larvae in it, wouldn't the owner have noticed all the big breathing holes in the snake?
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I'm pretty sure a few of us outlined this ealier.with the breathing holes. Regardless I'm not going to get into a your book said this my book says this discussion. I work as an exoctic vet assistant for 5 years, I SAW TORTOISES and TURTLES WITH BOT FLY and BLOW FLY LARVAE. 1st hand. There is ONE reptile with bot fly larvae attacks. Regaurdless of how many books it is and is not documented in. So its possible. Any introduced species would find it possible to be attacked given the right conditions (beaten up, full of puncture holes from prey, TICK BITES).
I'm not sure why we are still on the subject of botflies, or even discussing it anymore considering we still have no response from this person.
I'm done, if you wanna argue more for your point - go for it. I'm not dignifying it with a respose until I see the flys.
I'm not slingin anymore mud.
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There seems to be some confusion about what blow flies are. They're house flies. Big, metalic green house flies. They are in no way, shape or form parasitic.
We are never going to see the adults of those maggots, period. This whole "debate" is pointless.
We are never going to see the adults of those maggots, period. This whole "debate" is pointless.
Yay for me! The fly pictured above is a Sarcophagid. Layed on the snake soon after death or possibly on an open wound when the snake was near death. Not an internal parasite.
"Sarcophagids are similar to the Calliphoridae, except aristae are plumose only in their basal half. Bodies are typically black with longitudinal gray stripes"
http://www.bugpeople.org/taxa/Diptera/Sarcophagidae/FamilySarcophagidaePage.htm
More info:
"Flesh flies (sarcophagidae) are stripey-backed or chequered flies, often with bright red eyes. They arrive at corpses slightly later than the pioneer blowflies (calliphoridae), but the eggs hatch in the uterus of the female, before she lays them, with the result that the larvae are deposited directly on the body. This allows them to catch up on the blowflies, whose eggs take around 24 hours to hatch.
Adult flesh flies still sometimes find themselves in competition with blowflies, as they fight for the best laying sites. When several flies attempt to lay in the same site, flesh flies can often be observed using their legs to kick other flies that stray too close"
http://www.deathonline.net/decomposition/corpse_fauna/flies/flesh.htm
"Flesh flies (sarcophagidae) are stripey-backed or chequered flies, often with bright red eyes. They arrive at corpses slightly later than the pioneer blowflies (calliphoridae), but the eggs hatch in the uterus of the female, before she lays them, with the result that the larvae are deposited directly on the body. This allows them to catch up on the blowflies, whose eggs take around 24 hours to hatch.
Adult flesh flies still sometimes find themselves in competition with blowflies, as they fight for the best laying sites. When several flies attempt to lay in the same site, flesh flies can often be observed using their legs to kick other flies that stray too close"
http://www.deathonline.net/decomposition/corpse_fauna/flies/flesh.htm
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YAY finally! I was waiting with baited breath! Good job guys!
Yup, it's really too bad it wasn't something cooler and more exotic, but I was almost positive it was going to be the same old same old. I just got done taking larval entomology and I was pretty positive on the ID. As for keying that larvae out, it is pretty simple to get it to family until you have to decide between calliphorid and sarcophagid......
I'd bet some of those larvae are calliphorids as well, any flies emerge that look different?
I'd bet some of those larvae are calliphorids as well, any flies emerge that look different?
Martin Villet
Arachnopeon
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Flesh flies
Hello,
The 'parasites' seem to be the maggots of flesh flies (family Sarcophagidae). The diagnostic feature is that the blunt back end has a pocket-like structure that can be closed up to protect the breathing pores inside it from taking in fluids. They are less likely to be blow flies, which lack the pocket but have similar biology.
Flesh flies generally do not affect live animals (a condition called myiasis), but are very quick to infest dead animals, especially smaller ones like rodents and lizards. The females often deposit live maggots rather than eggs, so infestation get a very quick start. The maggots don't bore into flesh, so they almost certainly entered through the mouth of your ball python. This in turn implies that if it was alive, it was not well enough to spit them out. The size of the maggots in the picture suggests that they were mature, i.e. about 4-7 days old. If the cage was heated, you are looking at the shorter time frame. Flesh flies are globally ubiquitous, and one might well have entered your house, for instance. The problem is unlikely to recur, so massive attempts at sanitation are not vital (but they are catharctic).
The fly in the latest photo is a female fleshfly, but the 900 or so species all look rather similar. Only about a dozen specis are likely to be relevant. Since the antennae are blackish, we can rule out Sarcophaga ruficornis, but try Googling 'Sarcophaga argyrostoma' or 'Sarcophaga africa' for more detail. If you have doubt about my opinion, google my username
Hello,
The 'parasites' seem to be the maggots of flesh flies (family Sarcophagidae). The diagnostic feature is that the blunt back end has a pocket-like structure that can be closed up to protect the breathing pores inside it from taking in fluids. They are less likely to be blow flies, which lack the pocket but have similar biology.
Flesh flies generally do not affect live animals (a condition called myiasis), but are very quick to infest dead animals, especially smaller ones like rodents and lizards. The females often deposit live maggots rather than eggs, so infestation get a very quick start. The maggots don't bore into flesh, so they almost certainly entered through the mouth of your ball python. This in turn implies that if it was alive, it was not well enough to spit them out. The size of the maggots in the picture suggests that they were mature, i.e. about 4-7 days old. If the cage was heated, you are looking at the shorter time frame. Flesh flies are globally ubiquitous, and one might well have entered your house, for instance. The problem is unlikely to recur, so massive attempts at sanitation are not vital (but they are catharctic).
The fly in the latest photo is a female fleshfly, but the 900 or so species all look rather similar. Only about a dozen specis are likely to be relevant. Since the antennae are blackish, we can rule out Sarcophaga ruficornis, but try Googling 'Sarcophaga argyrostoma' or 'Sarcophaga africa' for more detail. If you have doubt about my opinion, google my username
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