Cryptosporidiosis

How one person treated a snake with Cryptosporidiosis

“He (the veterinarian) did some research on the Internet about colostrum and continued to feel positive about the potential benefits.”

Slackith is an albino corn snake, white with reddish-orange diamonds and large red eyes like rubies, who was born March 6, 2010. We bought him, along with Slither, a gentle ball python, in September 2010. Slackith is a very funny, intense sort of snake. He likes to stare at his friend and owner, Zaz, from about 20 feet across the room when Zaz is eating a meal. When Zaz is reading on the sofa, Slackith’s head emerges from his hut in order to stare at Zaz. Sometimes he’ll go up his climbing log or hide behind a plant and surreptiously turn his head around to stare at Zaz. He doesn’t stare at the rest of us: only Zaz. He also stares – sometimes for 20 or 30 minutes – at the Valentine Zaz taped to his terrarium wall.

So Slackith seemed to be a happy snake, although his poop was different from Slither’s: Slackith pooped several times a week in tiny amounts here and there, rather than in larger amounts less frequently. In October 2011 it suddenly occurred to me that the mid-body swelling that Slackith was developing may not simply be from his lunch: there may a problem. We looked in the book, Good Snakekeeping, by Phil Purser, and noticed a picture of a corn snake with mid-body swelling. The book explained that the snake had what was called “the dreaded” Cryptosporidiosis. “Crypto,” as it is known for short, is a protozoan. Reptiles are sickened fatally by Cryptosporidiosis serpentis, and mammals, including humans, are sickened by Cryptosporidiosis parvum. No known cures are available for “crypto” serpentis, and all the books we have warn the reader to euthanize their pet snake if they have crypto, not only because it is incurable and eventually apparently painful for the snake, but because it can rapidly spread to one’s other pet reptiles. Currently, there is no evidence that Cryptosporidiosis can harm human beings, but we take precautions anyway.

We took Slackith and a poop sample to the vet’s, Dr. Hornfeck of Sunnyside Veterinary Hospital, in October 2011, and a test did determine that his poop, unfortunately, did contain crypto. By this time, Slackith’s poop had become sort of like cottage cheese consistency and rather dark. This was also an indicator of crypto. Sometimes his food would even pass through him relatively or very undigested. Of interest, the vet also said that his poop never should have been the way it had been in the beginning either: little bits here and there several times a week.

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

Prior to the vet visit I had researched a little bit on the Internet and found some abstracts of research articles describing success in treating crypto by using hyperimmune bovine colostrum. These sites include:

http://www.mendeley.com/research/therapeutic-efficacy-hyperimmune-bovine-colostrum….

“Therapeutic efficacy of hyperimmune bovine colostrum treatment against clinical and subclinical Cryptosporidium serpentis infections in captive snakes.” by T. K. Graczyk, M.R. Cranfield, P. Helmer, R. Fayer, E.F. Bostwick
From Veterinary Parasitology (1998), Volume 74, Issue 2 -4, Pages 123-132
Pub Med 9561700
Available from www.ncbi.nim.nih.gov

The above-mentioned site describes how 12 captive snakes responded to hyperimmune bovine colostrum. Oocysts, if I remember correctly, are the eggs of the crypto. The following is the complete abstract:

ABSTRACT
“Therapy based on the protective passive immunity of Hyperimmune Bovine Colostrum (HBC) (raised against Cryptosporidium parvum in dairy cows immunized during gestation) was tested for heterologous efficacy in subclinical and clinical infections of 12 captive snakes with C. serpentis. Six gastric HBC treatments of 1% snake weight at 1-week intervals each, have histologically cleared C. serpentis in three subclinically infected snakes, and regressed gastric histopathological changes in one of these snakes. In all snakes, each subsequent HBC treatment significantly decreased the number of oocysts recovered in gastric lavague eluants (P < 0.03). The treatments induced oocyst-negative gastric eluants and stools in all snakes, and improved clinical signs of infection. Clinically infected snakes displayed severe histopathological changes in the gastric region; however, the numbers of developmental stages of C. serpentis were moderate. Considering the severity of pathology, much lower than expected pathogen numbers were observed, and it is believed that clinically infected snakes did not have enough time to repair tissue damage that had occurred over the years of the infection. As the HBC treatment was safe and highly efficacious, it is recommended to gastrically administer the HBC therapeutically to snakes that are clinically or subclinically infected with C. serpentis. Hyperimmune bovine colostrum can also be used in snake supportive therapy or prophylaxis.”

The site also refers to some related research on HBC with snakes, geckos, and mice.

At another website, http://www.anapsid.org/cryptosporidium.html, which is entitled “Melissa Kaplan’s Herp Care Collection, (last updated December 18, 2025), there is a compilation of abstracts about Cryptosporidium. One of these abstracts is entitled “Successful hyperimmune bovine colostrum treatment of Savanna monitors (Varanus exanthematicus) infected with Cryptosporidium sp.” by Graczyk TK, Cranfield MR, Bostwick EF.J. Parasitol 2000 Jun; 86(3): 631-2 (three of the same researchers as in the other abstract). The abstract includes these sentences: “The first 3 of 7 gastric HBC treatments at 1-wk interval each decreased the numbers of oocysts in the fecal and gastric samples to undetectable levels. Neither feces nor lavages of the HBC-treated lizards contained Cryptosporidium sp. oocysts after the HBC therapy, whereas such samples of a single control lizard remained positive for oocysts….The HBC therapy was efficacious in V. exanthematicus and is recommended for lizards with gastric cryptosporidiosis.”

I mentioned these articles and their websites to the vet, who has owned many snakes in the past, some of whom have died from crypto, and he was definitely in favor of trying it. He said if it were his snake, he would try it. He did some research on the Internet himself about colostrum and continued to feel positive about the potential benefits. Hyperimmune colostrum seems to be unavailable anymore, but your company, Synertek Colostrum, was kindly able to ship to me a container of 4 fl. oz. of (non-hyperimmune) bovine colostrum, in liquid form.

When the colostrum arrived, we took Slackith back to the vet who used a highly flexible rubber-like stomach tube to administer 2 cubic centimeters of the colostrum to Slackith. We returned to the vet weekly for more colostrum for Slackith, and after a few weeks my son, Zaz, was allowed to watch the vet’s assistant administer the colostrum so that Zaz might be able to do this himself. In fact, the vet encouraged us to try this ourselves in order to save on vet bills, and he gave us the tube and syringe to keep. For a few weeks, Zaz watched and assisted the vet’s assistant administer the colostrum, and then for a few more weeks, Zaz himself administered the colostrum at the vet’s while the assistant coached and assisted him. Eventually, Zaz could do this at home while I assisted. (The vet wouldn’t advise us, he said, to do this sort of thing on our own with a dog or cat because of the location of their epiglottis farther down the throat.)

BOVINE COLOSTRUM (not hyperimmune)

Zaz learned many things about the proper administration of the colostrum:

1. We learned to take the colostrum out of the refrigerator and place 2 cc in the syringe for about 30 minutes prior to administering the colostrum. This would prevent the colostrum from being too cold for Slackith. Actually, as the vet instructed, I place a little bit more than 2 cc in the syringe because some of it does not come out of the tube into Slackith but stays inside the tube. I keep the colostrum bottle clean and do not touch it with hands that might have any crypto or other germs on them.

2. The vet showed Zaz to watch out for the epiglottis, which is at the very front of the mouth under the tongue. The tube should simply go over the tongue and down the throat.

3. The vet told us to apply some vegetable oil to one half of the tube before placing it down Slackith. (We don’t put the oil on the other half because it does not go inside Slackith, and then it would be extra slippery for Zaz to hold the tube at that point.)

4. The vet’s assistant trained Zaz how to put the tube down Slackith so that only about half of the tube (about 8 inches) is inside Slackith. (Slackith is almost 36 inches.) In this way, it is inserted enough, but not too far.

5. Zaz watched to learn the proper speed at which to insert and remove the tube, and the proper speed to press the syringe.

6. We learned how to work together in holding Slackith. Learning to hold him properly was the hardest part because his head would tend to pull back from the tube when Zaz was trying to insert the tube. The staff at the vet’s gave us some helpful advice and this is what has worked: Let Slackith wrap his body and tail around my right arm. Then he feels secure. My right hand holds his body gently but firmly about three or four inches from his head. Then Zaz holds Slackith’s head with his left hand, with his fingers carefully placed on each side of his jaw. I – and this really helped - would then place my left hand just behind Zaz’s, to help keep Slackith’s head from jerking or slipping back. Of course, we are careful not to squeeze him or press against his eyes or throat. Zaz then gently but firmly pushes the end of the tube against Slackith’s mouth.

Once Zaz was informally trained at the vet’s to administer the medicine, he became quite comfortable and confident doing this at home. To further calm our nerves, Slackith says to us (well, one of us says the words for him), “Just like Joe. Joe’s my friend. He has helped me a lot with this medicine.” Joe is the vet’s assistant and Slackith seemed to get along just fine with him. These words of Slackith’s help me to think of Slackith as happy during this process so that I don’t lose my confidence and nerve thinking I am horrible for putting a tube down his body. Slackith then opens his mouth, and Zaz gently but firmly and – not too quickly or slowly – inserts the tube, gently presses down on the syringe while holding the syringe higher than Slackith, and then, making sure the colostrum has drained down into Slackith, removes the tube.

7. Once Zaz has removed the tube, I hold Slackith alone and put my right hand on his mid-body swelling. Healing hands and thoughts can certainly improve and maintain one’s health, and, while I am not aware of any scientific research on the effects of “mental magic” on reptiles, I send Slackith lots of love, as does Zaz, and use positive imaging in my mind and picture Slackith’s own immune system as well as the colostrum defeating the protozoa inside him. I also visualize his swelled mid-section healing. Oddly enough, Slackith seems to be aware of what is going on because he holds very still, even though I am not holding him firmly at this point. When I am done, he tends to realize that, too, and starts moving around again, even before I have moved my hands. After about five minutes of this “mental magic,” or visualization, Zaz places Slackith back in his terrarium.

8. I soak the stomach tube in 7% H2O2 (in paper towels on a paper plate) for 20 minutes. I am very careful to keep the tube clean and to wear disposable gloves when holding it. We store it in a plastic storage bag. (See below for precautions about 7%.)

PROTECT OTHER REPTILES
We have also taken other steps to prevent the spread of the crypto to our other snake, the ball python.
9. A few sources, including our vet, have indicated that ball pythons, in their experience, appear to be less vulnerable to crypto than corn snakes. This is reassuring.
10. The two snakes are not cared for by the same owner. Zaz takes care of Slackith, while Zaz’s brother takes care of his snake, Slither. We have never allowed the snakes to touch each other, and we are very careful not to touch one snake’s terrarium or equipment or other belongings and then touch the other snake or his terrarium or belongings. To be extra cautious, each snake owner places his own individual sandwich bag over the bathroom sink (used only for snakes), so that there is no cross contamination from touching the faucet. In fact, Zaz has generally always worn disposable gloves and even special button-down “snake shirts” when he holds his snake, even before the crypto diagnosis, because his skins tends to become cracked in dry weather and he was being cautious in order to prevent becoming infected with any salmonella that snakes often contain within their digestive systems.
CLEANING
It is also important to clean Slackith’s terrarium in a way that can kill the crypto. After all, in the experiments, I would assume that the snakes were kept in very clean conditions and that part of what helped them to rid themselves of crypto was regular and thorough cleaning of their terrariums. All the books mention how resistant crypto is to ordinary cleaners, including chlorhexadene. So:
11. Since the diagnosis of crypto, we have increased the frequency and quality of cleaning of Slackith’s terrarium. Instead of cleaning it simply once a week with chlorhexadine, we began cleaning it every two weeks, then, when we still didn’t see any improvement, every week, with 7% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). My parents were able to buy this for us from a Culligan water treatment plant. Many articles on the Internet indicated that 7% H2O2 is the best thing for cleaning crypto because it works much better than chlorhexadene or bleach on killing the protozoa, and it is less dangerous than bleach or ammonia compounds for the snake. It is not guaranteed to kill the crypto, but does work to some degree. The 7% comes in a very large four-gallon container, for under $30, and my parents, wearing goggles and gloves, pour it into four smaller gallon containers to make it manageable. Even in the use of the 7%, we have been very careful because it can irritate the eyes and respiratory system, and, after reading articles on the Internet and also talking to an employee at the Department of Health as well as a chemist, I decided to do these things:
a. When using the 7%, I wear an extra shirt over my clothing, thick gloves intended for use with chemicals, and safety goggles. It is important that the 7% not splash on the skin. Also, try to avoid breathing it.
b. Each week, I’d use up one of the gallon containers in the clean-up process. I’d put some in a bucket on the front porch and soak, in turns, all of the equipment, including the water dish, from Slackith’s terrarium for 20 minutes. Then I’d rinse each piece in another bucket of water.
c. I then open a few windows in the house and remove both snakes from the room for about half an hour while I pour some 7% directly into the cleaned terrarium so that the entire floor of the terrarium is covered by, roughly less than ½ inch of 7%. I tend to hold my breath while leaning directly over the terrarium and working with the 7%. I let this sit for 20 minutes and I clean off the insides and outsides of the terrarium using paper towels. After 20 minutes, I bail out the 7% using paper towels, then dry it, then rinse it briefly, and then dry it again.
12. Whenever cleaning with the 7%, I also heat treat his wooden equipment (coconut huts, climbing log, another little log) for one hour at 300 degrees F. Then, Zaz waits for the equipment to cool before he replaces them into the terrarium. This is according to the recommendations in Phil Purser’s book, Good Snakekeeping.
13. Before returning Slackith to his newly-cleaned terrarium, Zaz wipes him off with wet paper towels.

RESULTS!
From early November until mid-February we did not notice any differences, although Slackith’s poop was sometimes more solid, either because of the colostrum’s effect on killing the protozoa, or because the colostrum changed the consistency of the poop, or for both reasons. In mid-February, Slackith started behaving differently. I am not sure if he didn’t start behaving differently earlier because the colostrum’s effects hadn’t kicked in yet to noticeable levels, or if is because we began to start cleaning the terrarium and equipment with 7% more frequently – once a week instead of once every two weeks, or whether the “mental magic” helped (which I didn’t start doing as purposefully in the early months of treatment).
So, in February, we weren’t expecting a behavior change (because we had thought his behavior was normal anyway), but we got one! Slackith has become a much more vigorous snake!
1. He MOVES around SO MUCH MORE than before! Sometimes he is non-stop motion for hours – continually exploring his terrarium and enjoying the equipment. He climbs the walls of his terrarium. He goes up to the roof like he used to when he was very little. When Zaz holds him, Slackith has always enjoyed moving and winding about constantly in Zaz’s arms, but now he is even more vigorous about it! I think of him as the “Bionic Snake” because it seems that he’s been rebuilt to move faster, stronger, better than before.
2. He is not hiding away nearly so much anymore, expect during his shed week, and even then, not as much as before.
3. Moreover, the colostrum and 7% cleaning seem to have affected EITHER HIS VISION OR HIS BRAIN OR ENERGY LEVEL OR SOME COMBINATION OF THESE because he moves his head much more to follow us. He used to often stare at Zaz for long periods but in a stiff sort of way. Now, when you approach his terrarium, he moves his head to look at you; he bends it at the neck now. It’s as if he is seeing better, or his neck is moving better, or he has more energy.
Zaz notices that there is a much greater level of MENTAL INTERACTION between them. For example, when Zaz approaches Slackith’s terrarium to greet him, Slackith now immediately looks at him and often now he will slither up the climbing log and look at him again through the roof to chat. Sometimes he even nuzzles one corner of the roof where a tie-down secures the roof. Then he nuzzles the other corner of the roof where the other tie-down is located, thus signaling to Zaz to remove the lid (which Zaz promptly does!). Slackith never exhibited this greeting behavior prior to his February recovery. In fact, Slackith now will climb up the log, his “greeting tree,” to greet me or even my visiting mother when we approach his terrarium. Again, prior to his February recovery, Slackith never did this. In looking over your brochure recently, it struck me that it mentions the idea that one of the elements of colostrum – a “growth factor” - may improve mental acuity when it crosses the “blood-brain barrier.” Slackith’s behavior perhaps is indicative of this benefit. We never ever imagined these changes could possibly happen to Slackith – we only knew his mid-body swelling and poop consistency were abnormal.
4. Slackith’s POOP IS FIRMER, less soupy, not like cottage cheese, and not as dark. It seems much more normal – like our other snake’s poop. Also, he poops in larger amounts less frequently (about twice a week).
5. Slackith’s MID-BODY SWELLING HAS DECREASED. There is still swelling there, especially, for some reason, in the days prior to being fed. However, it is definitely smaller, and he easily can fit through holes and crevices in his equipment that he used to struggle through before.
6. We had a 2nd fecal test in late April. However, the lab results indicated that crypto still exists. Unfortunately, the lab does not explain how much crypto exists in its test, although perhaps knowing this quantity in one poop sample would not necessarily be a good indicator of the overall level of crypto anyway since the oocysts might be shed more or less at different times. I did try to find out more specically, and apparently the lab technician who did this 2nd test felt that the results were more like a 1+ rather than a 2+. I am assuming that 1+ means there are fewer signs of crypto than a 2+. Whether and how the crypto can ever be completely eradicated, I do not know, but it is clear to us that the colostrum and 7% cleaning did have an amazing effect on Slackith and have helped him enormously. The treatment at least seems to reduce the effects or amounts of the crypto to a degree that is great enough to make a noticeable improvement in Slackith’s health.

FUTURE PLANS
We are very, very happy for Slackith, and, while we do not know what the future holds, we are very happy that the colostrum has enabled Slackith to experience a full quality life! Zaz is pleased his snake knows what a healthy life feels like and can experience the wonderful feeling of being vigorous and alert. We have since tapered off on the 7% cleaning. My intention was to keep up the weekly cleanings for about 2 months, which we did, and then taper off to a cleaning once every 2, then 3, then 4 weeks. The reason for the tapering is that the 7% cleaning process – including all the clean-up and everything - took about 3 hours, and, while we are very willing to dedicate a lot of time and energy to this cleaning process for a few months, we cannot afford timewise to continue to clean each week, especially since we are not even sure if it is necessary or not. However, we have kept up the colostrum weekly dosages and expect to do so for several months at least, or, if it seems best, for his lifetime.
We will continue to observe Slackith, and if his behavior takes a downturn, we may make some compromises, such as cleaning with 7% perhaps some or all of his equipment and water bowl every 1 or 2 weeks, but not the entire terrarium, or cleaning out the aspen mulch more often, but without using the 7% all the time. The decisions we have made with regard to the colostrum and the cleaning have all been largely educated guesswork based upon reading all sorts of different and sometimes conflicting information, plus intuition. We are never exactly sure if what we are doing is the most effective way to eradicate the crypto, and we are never sure if we are overdoing our cleaning and precautions or underdoing it. The hardest part was worrying that the crypto might spread to the other snake and that going against all the books’ warnings to euthanize the snake might endanger our other snake. However, we are doing everything possible to prevent anything that has touched Slackith’s area from touching Slither’s area, and vice versa.
That is Slackith’s story so far, and I hope it can be helpful to you at Synertek Colostrum and also to other reptile owners. My understanding is that the bovine colostrum has been especially helpful in snakes, perhaps more than some other reptiles. Thank you again so much for the bovine colostrum, and I wish you and your company much success in helping others.

Sincerely,
Kristin Y. Christman,
Zaz and Slackith