Re: parasites in tortoises

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Posted by EJ on June 12, 2001 at 23:36:13:

In Reply to: Re: parasites in tortoises posted by Sharon E. Chancellor on June 12, 2001 at 20:49:49:

Sharon,
I don't think cleaning off eggs is a good suggestion. I believe that the slimy coating that dries on the egg actually serves a function. I believe I've actually screw up the hatching of eggs by doing this so I don't clean them any more.
Ed

: : I'm aware that wild caught tortoises usually come chocked full of intestinal parasites. Is it safe to assume that captive borns are parasite free? Can they get them from grazing in a backyard? I have a Hermanns that nibbles on all sorts of things whenever I let her graze outside her pen. Today she was eating dirt & gnawing on a piece of churt & this got me to wondering about parasites.

: Hi David
: Since it is very very difficult(if not impossible) to rid WC tortoises of parasites, and since eggs and excrement both come out of the cloaca, it is very possible to have parasite eggs and cysts hang out on the outer surface of the tortoise egg. When a hatchling emerges, there very well could be surface contamination of the hatchling and then it could contaminate food offered to it, and or the little bugger could eat the egg shell and thus become infected. I wash the outer surface of the tortoise eggs before placing them in the incubator, but it is not a given that they remain parasite free.
: As far as picking up parasites from the yard. I think this depends on if the area they're grazing in has been used by other tortoises before it that have parasites, or if you have tracked parasites from other infected areas of your yard by walking in and out of pens wearing the same pair of shoes.

: Hope this helps!
: --Sharon

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Re: parasites in tortoises Sharon E. Chancellor 06/13/01 (1)
- Re: parasites in tortoises EJ 06/13/01 (0)

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: Sharon, : I don't think cleaning off eggs is a good suggestion. I believe that the slimy coating that dries on the egg actually serves a function. I believe I've actually screw up the hatching of eggs by doing this so I don't clean them any more. : Ed : : : I'm aware that wild caught tortoises usually come chocked full of intestinal parasites. Is it safe to assume that captive borns are parasite free? Can they get them from grazing in a backyard? I have a Hermanns that nibbles on all sorts of things whenever I let her graze outside her pen. Today she was eating dirt & gnawing on a piece of churt & this got me to wondering about parasites. : : Hi David : : Since it is very very difficult(if not impossible) to rid WC tortoises of parasites, and since eggs and excrement both come out of the cloaca, it is very possible to have parasite eggs and cysts hang out on the outer surface of the tortoise egg. When a hatchling emerges, there very well could be surface contamination of the hatchling and then it could contaminate food offered to it, and or the little bugger could eat the egg shell and thus become infected. I wash the outer surface of the tortoise eggs before placing them in the incubator, but it is not a given that they remain parasite free. : : As far as picking up parasites from the yard. I think this depends on if the area they're grazing in has been used by other tortoises before it that have parasites, or if you have tracked parasites from other infected areas of your yard by walking in and out of pens wearing the same pair of shoes. : : Hope this helps! : : --Sharon

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