TORTOISES ¶sites
Our garden tortoises are exposed to higher worm burdens than their wild counterparts.
Our gardens have many more slugs & snails that transmit these parasites who thrive in damp grass.
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Recommended WEC testing frequency: 2 times per year
Highest risk period: before hibernation
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Tortoise WEC: £8.50
for up to 5 named samples
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ASCARIDS
aka the Large Roundworm Nematodes:
Angusticaecum
SYMPTOMS
Large, thick white worms, up to 10cm long
Diarrhoea
Lethargy
Slow growth rate
Can migrate through other organs
Death through bowel rupture in extreme burdens
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pinworms
aka Oxyurids:
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SYMPTOMS
Small thread-like worms
Unknown -
these guys live in the large bowel feeding on poo
They may even be helpful by preventing constipation
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Can survive hibernation by going into stasis alongside their host
flagellates
Trichomonads
Hexamita
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SYMPTOMS
Microscopic Bugs
Heavy burdens in causes:
Anorexia
Reduced gut motility
Diarrhoea
Poor growth rate
Hexamita causes renal failure if it migrates up from the cloaca to the kidneys, with slimy urine
cryptospoidium
aka Crypto
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SYMPTOMS
microscopic parasite
Diarrhoea (often pasty)
Blood & mucus in faeces
Can be fatal
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Worming Treatment Options
controltips
Good parasite control is about more than regularly using a wormer
You can reduce risk & use of anthelminthic drugs:
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Avoid overcrowding
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Avoid using damp areas of the garden
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Feed on a tile or slate
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Keep grass short to increase sunlight on the earth
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Rotational graze if possible
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Ensure new tortoises have a clear faeces check
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Bath regularly & poo-pick the enclosure
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Maintain a high fibre diet - plenty of weeds rather than bagged salads
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