Re: Mites on a desert tortoise...treatment?

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Posted by Terry on May 14, 2000 at 13:03:53:

In Reply to: Mites on a desert tortoise...treatment? posted by Peter on May 14, 2000 at 01:52:18:

: A friend has a two year old California desert tortoise that has "mites". I haven't actually seen it, but apparently, they had a snake in the house 6 months before (not in the same cage) and it had the same problem, and it wsas diagnosed as mites by a vet. Any suggestions for treatment?>>>

Remove all the substrate and thoroughly wash down and dry the encloure.
A bath with betadine can help but a more effective measure for infested enclosures and direct application to acutely infested turtles is trichlorofon spray, an agent intended as a cattle insecticide.
A 0.16% dilution has been used with good results and no apparent ill effects.

Above info from Highfields book:
Practical Encyclopedia of Keeping and Breeding Tortoises and Fresh water Turtles.

PLEASE note the suggested dilution of trichlorofon and if used don't apply it undiluted.

As for INVERMECTIN I'm with Kelly it's highly toxic and NOT recommended.

If it's a desert tort, time outside in the fresh air and sun wouldn't hurt either.
Terry.

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: : A friend has a two year old California desert tortoise that has "mites". I haven't actually seen it, but apparently, they had a snake in the house 6 months before (not in the same cage) and it had the same problem, and it wsas diagnosed as mites by a vet. Any suggestions for treatment?>>> : Remove all the substrate and thoroughly wash down and dry the encloure. : A bath with betadine can help but a more effective measure for infested enclosures and direct application to acutely infested turtles is trichlorofon spray, an agent intended as a cattle insecticide. : A 0.16% dilution has been used with good results and no apparent ill effects. : Above info from Highfields book: : Practical Encyclopedia of Keeping and Breeding Tortoises and Fresh water Turtles. : PLEASE note the suggested dilution of trichlorofon and if used don't apply it undiluted. : As for INVERMECTIN I'm with Kelly it's highly toxic and NOT recommended. : If it's a desert tort, time outside in the fresh air and sun wouldn't hurt either. : Terry.

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