This is from another post on another site... BWSmith is a respected member of the reptile community, and he found this nice little prize... this info is NOT mine, but definately something to consider!!!!!!!


"Just a nice reminder why proper precautions should always be taken with working with reptiles. THey can harbor some pretty interesting parasites.





I found this in the cage of my male WC Mehelya capensis capensis (Cape File Snake). Admittedly, I did not recognise it and had to send out photos for ID. This is a Pentastomid, also called a Tongue Worm (because of its shape) or Lung Worm (since it lives in the lungs of the host). This particular one was about an inch long. Here is the fun part, it is zoonic (can transmit to humans). The snake caughs up and passes thousands of microscopic eggs in the water bowl and substrate. If you happen to tough the substrate, then have a snack later or wipe your mouth, you can ingest the eggs. Within hours they hatch and burrow through your intestines and migrate throughout your body organs forming cysts.

Of course, I didn't recognize it at first and it looked like a tube of worms, so I punctured it with a razor. The pressure inside the organism expelled the insides.




Did I mention that they can live in your body for up to 2 years?


Sweet dreams "