# Can feeder insect carry adult pinworms?



## reptolad (Feb 18, 2011)

I've been wondering this as if they don't then I'm thinking of maybe leaving the insects for a couple of weeks until any pinworm eggs die before feeding them to my rankin dragon.


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## JRB 89 (Aug 5, 2013)

An interesting question, might depend on the size of the feeder insect.


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## jarich (Mar 23, 2012)

What are commonly referred to as pinworms are nematodes, and are pretty host specific. There are two families of parasitic nematodes, those that infect invertebrates and those that infect vertebrates. So generally the ones that infect insects do not infect reptiles. Its sort of like people getting worried about wood mites infecting their reptiles, not happening. 

There was a nonsense rumour going around (youll still probably hear it even today) that crickets carry pinworm and so and so's reptile died/stopped eating/got sick from crickets so now they dont use them. Im guessing it has something to do with increasing roach sales  Your reptile has a much larger chance of getting pinworms from you than it does from crickets. Feed away.


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