Efficacy of Herbal Ectoparasiticides in Captive Rat Snakes (ptyas Mucosus) Reared in India

The efficacy of herbal extracts from the plants Vitex negundo and Acorus calamus against tick infestation in rat snakes (Ptyas mucosus) maintained under captivity was studied and compared to that of Ivermectin. A total of 6 rat snakes affected with heavy tick infestation were taken for the study. Investigation of ectoparasites in snakes under captivity showed abundance of Aponomma sp. ticks. The anti-parasitic treatments were conducted with ivermectin at the dose rate of 200 μg/kg body weight, applied subcutaneously (n=2) and with herbal preparation from Vitex negundo (n=2) and Acorus calamus (n=2) at the dose of 0.05% aqueous solution applied on the body. Number of ticks was counted on day 0, day 3, day 5 and day 7, respectively for comparison of drug efficacy in a 10×5 cm area in four quadrants of the snake body (the fore quarter, the right and left abdomen and the tail part). It was concluded that in tick-infested rat snakes, herbal preparations from Vitex negundo (56.7%) and Acorus calamus (68.3%) showed no side effects but their efficacy did not reach that of Ivermectin (94.5%).