Doing Fecal Floats at Home

[casportpony]

@kskingbee, how many floats have you done?

 

[KsKingBee]

@kskingbee, how many floats have you done?

About 150. It is time to order another box of slides and cover slips.

Another thing that has come to my recognition is that the type and condition of fecal samples makes more of a difference than I was lead to believe. In some cases I have tried to use whatever poo I could find and those results had to be re-run to be totally accurate. The best samples to work with comes from a nice fresh steaming pile to get the best readings.

 

[casportpony]

Quote: Funny you should mention that, because just today I read same thing!

 

[casportpony]

Quote: http://www.ozarkwild.org/ffloat.php

 

[KsKingBee]

Funny you should mention that, because just today I read same thing!

When I have a really sick bird and I need a float to know what to do I will try any sample I can get. I have also tried to use the droppings in shipping containers that, although moist but difficult to separate from the litter, can be less than desirable and give skewed results.

Cecal stools are the best for sure, I never question the results from them like I will from any other dropping.

 

[KsKingBee]

http://www.ozarkwild.org/ffloat.php

Although this probably works well for them, I much prefer the use of a centrifuge so as not to have so much foreign material to look around. A clean slide with just the eggs and cocci with minimal debris is much easier and faster.

 

[casportpony]

 
http://www.ozarkwild.org/ffloat.php

Although this probably works well for them, I much prefer the use of a centrifuge so as not to have so much foreign material to look around.  A clean slide with just the eggs and cocci with minimal debris is much easier and faster.  

And with a cetrifuge is more accurate maybe? I only posted the link because it had the word "steamy" in it, which I thought was funny.

 

[KsKingBee]

And with a cetrifuge is more accurate maybe? I only posted the link because it had the word "steamy" in it, which I thought was funny.

Well I am not laughing.

If you read the post they said that it was hard to count the cocci that was hiding behind the debris. That is debris that a centrifuge should sink to the bottom of the tube and only the eggs and cocci would be on the slide with a minimal amount of fecal material.

 

[Leihamarie]

I know this is a semi-old thread now, but I'm joining the "DIY Fecal" crowd and am really happy to have read all of this. I just ordered this scope https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SGCEZCS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and a centrifuge and the supplies. Now I need to learn how to actually prepare and read the fecals, lol!

 

[KsKingBee]

I know this is a semi-old thread now, but I'm joining the "DIY Fecal" crowd and am really happy to have read all of this. I just ordered this scope https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SGCEZCS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and a centrifuge and the supplies. Now I need to learn how to actually prepare and read the fecals, lol!

Good for you! If your future plans include going to the UPA convention Sep 7-9 I am going to be giving a fecal workshop on that Saturday morning. This is a 'hands-on' workshop and you are encouraged to bring your equipment and you will be taught how to prepare the specimen slides and how to read the results.