help me to worm my new Russian?

Hutsie B

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How do you worm a tortoise that won't eat the wormer on food. My new Russian went to the vet and was wormed for pinworms with 3 doses sent home to be given every 10 days. Do you gently pry open their mouth with like a wooden popcycle stick and put the medicine on the tongue? Any advice would be helpful. He is due in 3 days. thanks.
 

Markw84

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Is your tortoise eating Mazuri pellets? Most really learn to love them. That is the easiest way to get them to take oral medication. Put some in a moistened pellet of Mazuri. The normally will gobble that down eagerly if they are used to eating Mazuri.
 

Hutsie B

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Is your tortoise eating Mazuri pellets? Most really learn to love them. That is the easiest way to get them to take oral medication. Put some in a moistened pellet of Mazuri. The normally will gobble that down eagerly if they are used to eating Mazuri.
so far he won't eat the soaked pellets. but that is a good idea. I will try them again tomorrow to get him to eat them. thank you.
 

Ink

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This is what I did..I cleaned up all of the leftover food in the morning. Instead of feeding my tortoise right away, I waited about 1 hour, cut a slice of cucumber in quarters. I then pat dried the one quarter of cucumber ( his favorite ) and put the deworming medicine on top of the piece of cucumber. He ate all of it with the medicine on it, and then fed him as normal. He is now pinworm free.
 

Hutsie B

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This is what I did..I cleaned up all of the leftover food in the morning. Instead of feeding my tortoise right away, I waited about 1 hour, cut a slice of cucumber in quarters. I then pat dried the one quarter of cucumber ( his favorite ) and put the deworming medicine on top of the piece of cucumber. He ate all of it with the medicine on it, and then fed him as normal. He is now pinworm free.
That is a great idea. I will try both. I have cucumber, he seems to like yellow squash. He also likes spring mix, won't eat dandelion leaves yet. I will see if he will eat the cucumber alone tomorrow. thanks you guys.
 

Ink

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Or try the yellow squash either one should work
 

Hutsie B

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I tried just feeding him yellow squash and mazuri soaked and he did not eat either. He is a tricky one. I am getting a new cucumber today to try cucumber tomorrow. I will keep trying.
 

Maggie3fan

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A number of years ago I took a rescued turtle to the Exotic Vet. She decided he had worms, so she took a small dab of Panacur and placed it in his cloaca. Twice and worms are gone. Now I am more experienced and realize that most chelonia carry a worm load. Anyway, up the cloaca is easy hth
 

Hutsie B

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wow, yes, that would be a lot easier than trying to pry his jaw open. thanks for that
 

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