# Turtoise and herbicide



## danduc (May 12, 2013)

Hello,

Something terrible happen tonight to our red-foot tortoise. We usually never feed grass or anything that grows outside to our tortoise. Unfortunately, she ate some dandelion today that were treated to WeedBgone last night. She is showing some kind of health related sign tonight. She looks like trying to trow-up but she doesn't. She is drinking quite a bite. I'm trying to find the toxicity of 2,4D (active ingredient of weedbgon) without success except to say that the label says it is toxic to fish and invertebrate.

Did any of you had any experience with this?

She is sleeping now but I'm sure she has quite a stomach ach. I hope she passes the night.

Dan


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## mattgrizzlybear (May 12, 2013)

Take her to a vet and/or ask the vet about the weed b gone. She may know exactly what to do. Listen to the others and what they say. this may be serious.


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## danduc (May 12, 2013)

I will call tomorrow morning. She looks ok now and breathing normally but you never knows. It rained very much during the night and hopefully the product washed away somewhat. I have read on another forum that the use of Activated Charcoal could be used but then is the charcoal toxic to tortoise? Thanks


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## lvstorts (May 13, 2013)

I've dealt with stings but not chemicals. This may help while u are trying to get to the vet. Soak her every 2 hours. She needs to expel the toxin so it may help. Do it in the middle of night also!


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## wellington (May 13, 2013)

I would call a vet NOW and see if there is something that you could do. We just not too long ago had a member whose tortoise ate fertilizer or weed killer and the tortoise was dead that night or the next morning. I don't think this is something you should wait on.


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## danduc (May 13, 2013)

wellington said:


> I would call a vet NOW and see if there is something that you could do. We just not too long ago had a member whose tortoise ate fertilizer or weed killer and the tortoise was dead that night or the next morning. I don't think this is something you should wait on.



Thank you all for your help with this. She is doing fine ;-). I've checked on her for a couple of hours last night and she fell asleep as usual. She does not appear to suffer any ill effect about her ingestion of dandelion that were sprayed with WeedBgon (12% 2,4D). Did some reading about it last night and it seems that 2,4D, while toxic to fish, invertebrate and plant is eliminated in the urine rapidly and does not accumulate in the body. However, testing were done with rats, dogs, etc. not reptile. I'm sure it is not good to anyone health but I think I just learned my lesson and everybody else at home.

All I could find about antidote was some writing on the French equivalent of tortoiseforum. They suggest Activated Charcoal diluted in drinking water. But so far we fed her her favorite tonight - raspberry ;-)

Thanks

dan


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## Tom (May 13, 2013)

It might help someone if we understood why a tortoise owner would put toxic weed killers on good tortoise food, and how your tortoise got access to it.


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## LolaMyLove (May 13, 2013)

Mistakes happen, my husband decided Sat. to spray weed killer on all of the dandelions that I had growing on the side yard. He wasn't thinking. Good thing my RT can't get to them but now he wont have any dandelions to eat for a long time.


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## danduc (May 13, 2013)

Tom said:


> It might help someone if we understood why a tortoise owner would put toxic weed killers on good tortoise food, and how your tortoise got access to it.



My own fault. I have this old bottle of the stuff that I use locally on the crabgrass, etc. It is not available in my area but I had it for years. Anyhow, everybody in the house is warned when I use it (turtle enclosure outside is off limit to any fertilizer, etc). However, I forgot to tell and someone went and picked-up leaves in an area that was sprayed. I'm the one feeling bad. The tortoise is kept inside most on the time but goes outside in her enclosure when we're home. I've had her since 1976 (not a misprint)


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## ascott (May 13, 2013)

A redfoot that you have had entirely since 1976!! Fantastic, may I please see a pic of your beauty?


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## Tom (May 13, 2013)

Ouch. That's rough. This is why I prefer that no weed killers are used on my property at all. Thank you for sharing this with the group. I hope someone can learn form your mistake and prevent this from happening to their own tortoise.


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## thatrebecca (May 13, 2013)

Well if you've had your tort since 1976 you're doing something right!

This thread made me want to ask about a product we use in our yard -- Sluggo. Its an organic product to keep snails and slugs from eating our flowers. Supposedly it's pet safe. We don't use it for plants that go to the torts, but still, eventually they'll be able to roam in areas where we do use it. Anyone know if it's OK for torts?


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## danduc (May 14, 2013)

ascott said:


> A redfoot that you have had entirely since 1976!! Fantastic, may I please see a pic of your beauty?



Look on this tread: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-65952.html

She laid eggs for the second time only last February. Picture of me and my brother back in 76.

Dan


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## Yvonne G (May 14, 2013)

Lvstorts in post #4 gave you excellent advice. Soak, soak, soak!!! The more you soak the tortoise the quicker you help it to get rid of the toxins.


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