# my tort pooped a worm?



## Jack Petterson (May 14, 2018)

hi everyone! i was doing my weekley soak for my hermanns oogway, and he pooped out this weird alive worm thing should i be worried? or take him to the vet?


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## Oogway the russian tort (May 14, 2018)

OOO hey looks like the name is popular well take him to the vet that is a parasite its not a big deal but can mess with his eating and sleeping habits if you start noticing your tortoise being less active and not eating go to the vet they are going to give you antibiotics. Then your gonna have to throw away the substrate your tort is in and use newspaper your tort is better. Good Luck hope your tort is safe


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## daniellenc (May 15, 2018)

Definitely vet for a deworming and no substrate until he has a clean fecal. If they’re passing worms their gutload is high and those worms are literally eating all his nutrients which is basically slow starvation.


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## Markw84 (May 15, 2018)

That is a roundworm. Go to the vet and get some Panacur for treatment. You do want to get rid of this parasite load.

You do not have to worry about substrate reinfection with roundworms as they have an indirect life cycle and a tortoise cannot reinfect himself. They are usually acquired from eating a small frog or lizard or pinkie, etc... some other animal that it has eaten that is the intermediate host. So watch where your tortoise may have access to any of these.


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## kellya31 (May 15, 2018)

Moving spagetti noodles!


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## madbad (May 15, 2018)

kellya31 said:


> Moving spagetti noodles!



...yum


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## ZEROPILOT (May 15, 2018)

Thank you @Markw84 
I believe my Redfoot have twice been infected by doing just that. Eating frogs and lizards.
And Panacur did indeed clear it up both times.


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## ZEROPILOT (May 15, 2018)

Oogway the russian tort said:


> OOO hey looks like the name is popular well take him to the vet that is a parasite its not a big deal but can mess with his eating and sleeping habits if you start noticing your tortoise being less active and not eating go to the vet they are going to give you antibiotics. Then your gonna have to throw away the substrate your tort is in and use newspaper your tort is better. Good Luck hope your tort is safe


Not antibiotics
An anti parasitic.


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## 2turtletom (May 15, 2018)

Very interesting. I have seen nematodes in tortoise feces, but nothing that looked quite like this. How long is that worm?


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## ZEROPILOT (May 16, 2018)

worms are not uncommon in tortoises.
Passing whole, live worms is not normal and would indicate a large load.


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## Jack Petterson (May 17, 2018)

ok i took oogway to the vet and they got a poop sample, he is eating fine and normally active and he is super active all the time so it’s good. cleaned and changed substrate after keeping him on newspaper for a few days. vet says it’s ok for him to be on substrate. will get a result in about a week i’ll keep y’all posted. thanks again for all the help!!


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## Jack Petterson (May 17, 2018)

2turtletom said:


> Very interesting. I have seen nematodes in tortoise feces, but nothing that looked quite like this. How long is that worm?


the worm was like an inch or so


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## JanelP (May 19, 2018)

Jack Petterson said:


> ok i took oogway to the vet and they got a poop sample, he is eating fine and normally active and he is super active all the time so it’s good. cleaned and changed substrate after keeping him on newspaper for a few days. vet says it’s ok for him to be on substrate. will get a result in about a week i’ll keep y’all posted. thanks again for all the help!!



results in a week???
that's an awful long time for a simple fecal.....
hope oogway is doing well. Remember to change the substrate frequently, and after they finally get you a wormer to get rid of the eggs they shed in their feces.


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## 2turtletom (May 20, 2018)

Jack Petterson said:


> the worm was like an inch or so


Very interesting- this doesn't appear to be a nematode; keep us updated on the results of the fecal.


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## Jack Petterson (May 30, 2018)

ok so the vet said that their symbiotic to my tort and that there not unhealthy and can help him somehow and they decided to just leave it? is that a bad thing?


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## daniellenc (May 30, 2018)

Jack Petterson said:


> ok so the vet said that their symbiotic to my tort and that there not unhealthy and can help him somehow and they decided to just leave it? is that a bad thing?


Say whaaaat? I have no clue but hopefully someone chimes in and explains.


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## Oogway the russian tort (May 30, 2018)

Your vet might mean symbiotic relationships. Parasitism, mutualism, and commensalism. Saying symbiotic is pretty vague but you vet might be talking about mutualism were neither gain nor lose anything. If I were you I would just play it safe and get rid of the worm since it won't harm ours tortoise if you do so.


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## 2turtletom (May 30, 2018)

Jack Petterson said:


> ok so the vet said that their symbiotic to my tort and that there not unhealthy and can help him somehow and they decided to just leave it? is that a bad thing?


Was the vet a good reptile vet? Did the vet report back to you what species this worm was? I'm wondering if the tide is turning in regards to worming tortoises among the reptile vet community, in general. Clearly, parasites live in tortoises naturally in the wild; it's often in captivity when imported specimens build up heavy loads of parasites because they are constantly being re-infested because they live in tight quarters in captivity....


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## JanelP (May 30, 2018)

Parasites in general are never considered a good thing. It will take some nutrients from your tortoise. I'd like to know at least what the fecal came back identified as


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## ascott (May 30, 2018)

Jack Petterson said:


> ok so the vet said that their symbiotic to my tort and that there not unhealthy and can help him somehow and they decided to just leave it? is that a bad thing?



Two of the redfoots poo'd out a live round worm each ....I increased soaking, increased food offerings and all good....yes, it sounds weird but if the load is not crazy then it is simply part of a torts life....now, if you have round worm balls and large load...I would offer worming...just my experience and opinion...remember, even WE HUMANS have a gut load of critters we would rather never see....


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## Jack Petterson (Jun 4, 2018)

she didn’t specify the name of the parasite but she did seem very experienced and was a reptile vet. i would go get a second opinion i just can’t afford it


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## Jack Petterson (Jun 4, 2018)

cost me 150$ for a check up and a fecal


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## Oogway the russian tort (Jun 4, 2018)

Jeez!!! Mine was $50 for check up and fecal. Plus the medicine was free since it was such a small dosage.


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## vladimir (Jun 4, 2018)

Jack Petterson said:


> cost me 150$ for a check up and a fecal


That's about what it cost when we took Vlad in for worms.


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## Jack Petterson (Jun 15, 2018)

oogway seems to not be as active as he used to be and is slowing down a lil should i bring him back in? idk how much i trust that women from the vets advise on not deworming


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## daniellenc (Jun 15, 2018)

Jack Petterson said:


> oogway seems to not be as active as he used to be and is slowing down a lil should i bring him back in? idk how much i trust that women from the vets advise on not deworming


Different vet maybe?


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