Jessica -
I just checked my email today. Following the thread, it sounds like you're
doing everything you can, and are following a lot of good advice. Here's my
two cents.
My first thought was that the tank was too hot. I think I read that the cage
is in your animal room - is this room climate controlled separate from the
house (i.e., heated for the animals)? I think I also read that you have a heat
lamp on the cage? I think I would put the light on a timer, only coming on
from like midnight til 7-8 AM, at least through the rest of the summer. If DC
is anything like Cleveland, it is extemely hot and miserable, and if the
ambient room temps is that high, you really don't need an additional hotspot.
I propose a timer because here, the nights are still a bit chilly. If the room
is climate controlled, I wouldn't use a light at all (in the summer, at least),
especially on a male (a producing female, I'd definitely try to work an
additional hot spot in somehow).
If you do disinfect with ammonia, contact time is extremely important to be
effective in the treatment of crypto. I don't recall what it is, but you want
to make sure you allow adequate contact time. I think I remember something
about complete drying also being important.
You also want to keep in mind the order of feeding/care. You don't want to
spread anything further along, and you also want to rule out anyone else having
anything. While crypto can be dormant for along time, and may just now showing
its ugly face (assuming it is crypto), you want to rule out that it wasn't
spread to this animal through common husbandry maintenance. For example, I
found that I would get into a routine and always work the animals in the same
order. You want to be cognizant of the animals you typically work before and
after this one in trying to find "patient zero". This paragraph holds true for
mites, too.
I knew a guy who actually washed his hands between every cage. I never took it
to that extreme, except between wc and cb cages (cb always first).
Also, I would probably stop using "cage carpet". It is a real pain to
disinfect. I'd go with either newspaper or paper towel. Not nearly as
aesthetically pleasing, but a heck of a lot more sanitary.
If it turns out to be nothing, consider it a "wake-up call". If it is
something, I hope it all works out for the best, but you still want to nip it
early to prevent an epidemic (of whatever it might be).
Good luck,
Joe
Joe
"of these things that walk upon the earth you shall not touch
...the gecko" Leviticus 11:30
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