# Tick control



## NurseJ (Mar 27, 2019)

Hi. Does anyone have thoughts/suggestions on how to keep ticks from getting on a tortoise? I’m a new tortoise owner and I’m m worried about him being in the grass this summer.... everything else read says remove the ticks but is there a tortoise safe way to repel ticks? I’m not entirely sure if any tick would get on a tortoise?


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## Tom (Mar 27, 2019)

Tortoises in this country don't get ticks. I'm not saying its impossible, but in almost 4 decades of keeping a variety of chelonians, working in the pet trade, and dealing with exotic animals for a living, I've never seen it happen. I've seen wild caught imports come in with them, but I've never seen a tortoise pick them up in this country. Wild tortoises might have them, of that I am not sure, but you don't have any wild tortoise species in PA, so your tortoise should be safe.

Also, ticks are very host specific. Dog ticks will not infect a reptile, for example.


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## NurseJ (Mar 27, 2019)

Thank you so much. I wasn’t sure if the ticks that got on dogs and humans would get on a tortoise. That’s relieving since my tort is still small and although i can protect it from large predators i was worried about the ticks. Thanks again!


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## Baoh (Mar 27, 2019)

NurseJ said:


> Hi. Does anyone have thoughts/suggestions on how to keep ticks from getting on a tortoise? I’m a new tortoise owner and I’m m worried about him being in the grass this summer.... everything else read says remove the ticks but is there a tortoise safe way to repel ticks? I’m not entirely sure if any tick would get on a tortoise?



I use permethrin (RID spray). A veterinary acquaintance of mine uses fipronil (Frontline spray). Typically, a quick spray in the four "pockets" of the legs is adequate for application. One can also spray more globally as well, but I cannot make that a recommendation since there is going to be somebody somewhere that takes it too far somehow. Some people do various drying steps, rinsing steps, or various sequences of all sorts of steps. I do not. I spray them, it dries, and I am done with the process. I observe zero adverse reaction on any visible scale (this could be a reptile pun, but it is not intentionally so) to applications as I have performed them, so I am satisfied with performance as a routine practice with my animals. The life stages of treated animals ranged from sub-yearling juveniles up to massive adults and many of each, so that provides me with some bearing. The cool thing is that these applications as I perform them last for a pretty long time. Months, actually. Whether there is sustained action by the primary drug or there is some kind of prolonged life of a metabolite that prevents reinfestation is unknown to me, but I am appreciative of this effect.

Both of these options have been formally studied to an extent and then there is a ton of informal empirical observation from application results by people who have cared to learn by doing. Our preferences are simply that - opinions we lean on based on our results after determining which substance best suited our estimates of risk versus reward. 

There are ticks in the US that will feed on tortoises. What types live in your area may or may not, but the ones here that will feed on our tortoises will feed on a wide variety of animals including various reptiles beyond tortoises and various mammals. I also do not know if the chiggers that can infest box turtles could pose an issue for tortoises, but quite possibly. Also, while I cannot recall personally observing an instance of a tick being attached to a box turtle, there are reports of it occurring in some places and it is used a part of a health assessment for at least one box turtle tracking project I have come across in the past.

Some tortoises have poor reactions to tick bites. I have seen reaction/illness occur in numerous Astrochelys, Centrochelys, Stigmochelys, some kinds of Geochelone (with varied individual susceptibility), and some kinds of Testudo. This can be absent or below an observable threshold and it can range to severe with development of lethargy and respiratory issues (plus site reactions). Sometimes the animals get a generalized "congestion" (for lack of a better word) to them from tick bites. I have never seen a direct death, but I have seen it severe enough that I could believe it capable of progressing to fatality without supportive care in smaller animals. Whether this is due to a toxic effect, the transmission of a pathogen via the tick as a vector, or both is unknown to me in these cases and would require extensive work. I have not observed reaction/illness in Chelonoidis, Aldabrachelys, Manouria, Gopherus, and Indotestudo, but the expanse of the world's reality is not limited to my own observations, so I would urge anyone to exercise some caution with these genera anyway in case I simply have not accumulated enough data. I have treated all of these aforementioned genera effectively and I think my acquaintance has effectively treated at least three (if not more) of the genera mentioned. I have not yet been able to observe (firsthand) tick bite events involving Malacochersus, Chersina, Pyxis, Psammobates, Homopus, and Kinixys here in the US, but I have for all of the others. 

I figured your animal could potentially benefit from an accurate and somewhat thorough response, so consider this when deciding on what you will do.


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## NurseJ (Mar 28, 2019)

Baoh said:


> I use permethrin (RID spray). A veterinary acquaintance of mine uses fipronil (Frontline spray). Typically, a quick spray in the four "pockets" of the legs is adequate for application. One can also spray more globally as well, but I cannot make that a recommendation since there is going to be somebody somewhere that takes it too far somehow. Some people do various drying steps, rinsing steps, or various sequences of all sorts of steps. I do not. I spray them, it dries, and I am done with the process. I observe zero adverse reaction on any visible scale (this could be a reptile pun, but it is not intentionally so) to applications as I have performed them, so I am satisfied with performance as a routine practice with my animals. The life stages of treated animals ranged from sub-yearling juveniles up to massive adults and many of each, so that provides me with some bearing. The cool thing is that these applications as I perform them last for a pretty long time. Months, actually. Whether there is sustained action by the primary drug or there is some kind of prolonged life of a metabolite that prevents reinfestation is unknown to me, but I am appreciative of this effect.
> 
> Both of these options have been formally studied to an extent and then there is a ton of informal empirical observation from application results by people who have cared to learn by doing. Our preferences are simply that - opinions we lean on based on our results after determining which substance best suited our estimates of risk versus reward.
> 
> ...


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## NurseJ (Mar 28, 2019)

Thank you for your post it was very informative. I wish ticks and chiggers weren’t such a problem here. I worry that even if they wouldn’t attach to the tortoise that they will be my problem if i handle him after being outdoors. I just like to try to get as much information as i can and make the best decision possible before a problem arises. Thanks again for your post i appreciate it!


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## Turi Tortoise Lady (Jan 31, 2020)

Baoh said:


> I use permethrin (RID spray). A veterinary acquaintance of mine uses fipronil (Frontline spray). Typically, a quick spray in the four "pockets" of the legs is adequate for application. One can also spray more globally as well, but I cannot make that a recommendation since there is going to be somebody somewhere that takes it too far somehow. Some people do various drying steps, rinsing steps, or various sequences of all sorts of steps. I do not. I spray them, it dries, and I am done with the process. I observe zero adverse reaction on any visible scale (this could be a reptile pun, but it is not intentionally so) to applications as I have performed them, so I am satisfied with performance as a routine practice with my animals. The life stages of treated animals ranged from sub-yearling juveniles up to massive adults and many of each, so that provides me with some bearing. The cool thing is that these applications as I perform them last for a pretty long time. Months, actually. Whether there is sustained action by the primary drug or there is some kind of prolonged life of a metabolite that prevents reinfestation is unknown to me, but I am appreciative of this effect.
> 
> Both of these options have been formally studied to an extent and then there is a ton of informal empirical observation from application results by people who have cared to learn by doing. Our preferences are simply that - opinions we lean on based on our results after determining which substance best suited our estimates of risk versus reward.
> 
> ...


Hello, I'm a new tortoise owner of a tiny leopard tortoise - we are in Highland Kenya so climate somewhat similar to the UK - at times. I am happy I have his environment right, but as he's lucky enough to spend lots of time outside he is getting ticks. He arrived with a good number and I cleared them by smothering them with petroleum jelly (not his favourite operation) but after time outside in the grass they are back. I would like to frontline him but he only weighs 110 grams! Is he big enough? I have read your post which says frontline ok for hatchlings but as an anxous new tortoise parent I would like to be sure. Thanks.


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