# Fecal float how to video



## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Chameleon Forums

Don't know if anyone has seen this, but in preparation for my receipt of some wild caught Uluguru Pygmy chameleons (WC) I wanted to be able to do my own fecal floats. 

At the lab I work at we have a great scope that magnifies to 1000x with oil immersion and has a flat screen monitor display that let's you capture images with a USB. That's the only reason Im even interested in trying myself.

Fecalizer? No thanks. We have vortexers that will mix that solution better than any fecalizer, and I'll just do it in a 15ml falcon tube. 

A fecal float solution is just a salt solution with a specific gravity of 1.25. No problem. Magnesium sulfate soln, or sodium nitrate soln will get the job done.
Basically the idea is that the solution has a higher specific gravity than the eggs and parasites (1.1) but lower than fecal debris (1.3) 
This way, the eggs and worms float, and the .....well you know...sinks. 
I can provide fecal float pics via USB to my vet, and get the prescribed medications if necessary. 
I've never had the need to do fecals myself for frogs, but I'll probably do a sample from each tank as well.

Since I can capture images off my scope, I'll be posting some images when I'm done! 
You know you're a hard core frogger when high res images of frog poop will get people checking out your thread. 
Next step... Getting the right primers ordered to run my own PCR tests for chytrid


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

http://www.rioreptiles.com/tutorials/parasites/ParasiteIdentification.pdf

Just one of many many free online identification guides online to help with my ID
I will have my fecal pics double checked by my vet, but the basics of worm identification at egg stage seem pretty straight forward. For nastier customers like giardia and other tiny protozoans, I have a microbio educational background for a reason  
I'm not going to try to isolate, culture and ID any Bacillus or other bacteria, but I did whe taking microbio in school, and actually found some pretty nasty endospore forming species


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

It wants me to log into the Cham forums to see it. You got it on YouTube?


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