Chiming in......

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Posted by Annie Lancaster-TortoiseAid on August 06, 2001 at 01:00:38:

In Reply to: CDT Question -Can Annie Lancaster chime in on this please? posted by Toby on August 05, 2001 at 20:29:55:

: I was hoping that Annie Lancaster might be able to answer this one?

Hi there, I'll certainly try.

My apologies for not answering mail, etc. we have had 2 volunteers here all the way from NY state helping to build the new sanctuary etc. so I am VERY short on computer time at the present. (But photos coming soon of the sanctuary property will knock yer socks off!) :-)

Yes, CDT's are extremely sensitive to foreign pathogens, even more so than other species. What is healthy and normal bacteria, etc. for one species might well prove fatal to a CDT. The outbreak of Mycoplasma agassizii in the Mojave Desert in the 1980's is probably one of the best examples of this. Up to 80% of wild populations exposed to this in the wild... died. :-( We still have numerous aniamls coming in which carry this disease, and although they can be treated with antibiotics to help them survive this (complications from secondary bacterial infections are often the cause of death for these animals) they will always be carriers.

Part of what makes them so susceptible to organisms, etc. in which they are not accustomed to is they are first and foremost EXTREMELY sensitive to their immediate geographic surroundings. Two different populations of DT's living in different parts of the desert function differently. Plants, soil types, humidity, annual rainfall, elevation, average temperature, UV index, etc. are all things which a DT is sensitive to, and each separate population of DT's has evolved to co-exist beautifully within its own micro-climate. If you were to translocate one population of tortoises to an area in which another area inhabits...chances are that many of the translocated animals would become ill, because of the changes in the above mentioned environmental factors.

Never, ever should CDT's be mixed with any other species. But this is not only true of DT's, all tortoise and turtle species which do not inhabit the same environments in the wild should be kept separately.

In addition, anyone keeping multiple species of chelonia should be washing their hands inbetween handling *each* different species, or inbetween any species of animal not housed together. (Not just tortoises!)

Example: Box turtles (Terrapene) of separate subspecies co-exist..that is their home ranges overlap in the wild, and both can be found living in the same locales. It would be far less risky (although not necessarily intelligent) to keep some species of Terrapene together, but mixing something like Gopherus (DT's) with other species is a disaster waiting to happen.

I hope this helps...and I've added a link for you which will give you some goood advice on keeping your animals safe from cross-contamination.

Annie Lancaster
Director TortoiseAid

I have two old male CDTs as well as 2 Russians, a Greek, and 2 Sulcata hatchlings. They are not currently housed in the same pen. I had heard someone tell me once that for some reason, CDTs are strangely sensitive to other species. In fact I've heard some testimony that they have died as a result of being housed with other species of Torts. Any comments or questions? Are there some species of Torts that can be housed together and others that should be strictly avoided? Why or why not?

: Thanks...

Keeping Captive Tortoises and Turtles Healthy

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Thanks Annie! - - NP Toby 08/06/01 (0)

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: : I was hoping that Annie Lancaster might be able to answer this one? : Hi there, I'll certainly try. : My apologies for not answering mail, etc. we have had 2 volunteers here all the way from NY state helping to build the new sanctuary etc. so I am VERY short on computer time at the present. (But photos coming soon of the sanctuary property will knock yer socks off!) :-) : Yes, CDT's are extremely sensitive to foreign pathogens, even more so than other species. What is healthy and normal bacteria, etc. for one species might well prove fatal to a CDT. The outbreak of Mycoplasma agassizii in the Mojave Desert in the 1980's is probably one of the best examples of this. Up to 80% of wild populations exposed to this in the wild... died. :-( We still have numerous aniamls coming in which carry this disease, and although they can be treated with antibiotics to help them survive this (complications from secondary bacterial infections are often the cause of death for these animals) they will always be carriers. : Part of what makes them so susceptible to organisms, etc. in which they are not accustomed to is they are first and foremost EXTREMELY sensitive to their immediate geographic surroundings. Two different populations of DT's living in different parts of the desert function differently. Plants, soil types, humidity, annual rainfall, elevation, average temperature, UV index, etc. are all things which a DT is sensitive to, and each separate population of DT's has evolved to co-exist beautifully within its own micro-climate. If you were to translocate one population of tortoises to an area in which another area inhabits...chances are that many of the translocated animals would become ill, because of the changes in the above mentioned environmental factors. : Never, ever should CDT's be mixed with any other species. But this is not only true of DT's, all tortoise and turtle species which do not inhabit the same environments in the wild should be kept separately. : In addition, anyone keeping multiple species of chelonia should be washing their hands inbetween handling *each* different species, or inbetween any species of animal not housed together. (Not just tortoises!) : Example: Box turtles (Terrapene) of separate subspecies co-exist..that is their home ranges overlap in the wild, and both can be found living in the same locales. It would be far less risky (although not necessarily intelligent) to keep some species of Terrapene together, but mixing something like Gopherus (DT's) with other species is a disaster waiting to happen. : I hope this helps...and I've added a link for you which will give you some goood advice on keeping your animals safe from cross-contamination. : Annie Lancaster : Director TortoiseAid : I have two old male CDTs as well as 2 Russians, a Greek, and 2 Sulcata hatchlings. They are not currently housed in the same pen. I had heard someone tell me once that for some reason, CDTs are strangely sensitive to other species. In fact I've heard some testimony that they have died as a result of being housed with other species of Torts. Any comments or questions? Are there some species of Torts that can be housed together and others that should be strictly avoided? Why or why not? : : Thanks...

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