Herpes question

Jay Bagley

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I have been reading some of the post recently about tortoises contracting herpes. I never knew they could even get that till now. I was just wondering the way they get it, is it only through tortoise to tortoise contact. I had a read they can also get it if we handle another tortoise that has it and then handle a healthy one. Is there any other way they can contract it? Other than when he was a baby with his brothers and sisters, he has had no contact with other tortoises and probably never will. Is it something that they can just develop? Or pick up from the environment?
 

Bee62

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It is not a desease that healthy tortoises can develop. They must have contact to herpes positive tortoises or things that had been used with herpes positive tortoises ( food dishes, tubes ) or they have to get in contact with an environment where herpes positive tortoises had been living.
Herpes is a sickness caused by a virus. It is possible that tortoises show no signs of sickness but carry the herpes virus in their body.
Herpes positive tortoises excrete the herpes virus with saliva, poop, sperm and noose secretion.
In the environment the virus can overlive for months. It depends on temps and UVB. High temps, dryness and a highly rate of UVB rays destroy the virus. Lower temps, less UVB rays and high humidity let the virus overlive for months.
People who are getting in touch with a herpes positive tortoise can carry the virus on their hands or shoes too.
There is no vaccination against tortoise herpes.
 

Jay Bagley

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It is not a desease that healthy tortoises can develop. They must have contact to herpes positive tortoises or things that had been used with herpes positive tortoises ( food dishes, tubes ) or they have to get in contact with an environment where herpes positive tortoises had been living.
Herpes is a sickness caused by a virus. It is possible that tortoises show no signs of sickness but carry the herpes virus in their body.
Herpes positive tortoises excrete the herpes virus with saliva, poop, sperm and noose secretion.
In the environment the virus can overlive for months. It depends on temps and UVB. High temps, dryness and a highly rate of UVB rays destroy the virus. Lower temps, less UVB rays and high humidity let the virus overlive for months.
People who are getting in touch with a herpes positive tortoise can carry the virus on their hands or shoes too.
There is no vaccination against tortoise herpes.
Thanks bee, my tortoise isn't showing any symptoms or anything. I just kind of curious how it worked. thank you for taking the time to explain it
 

Bee62

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Thanks bee, my tortoise isn't showing any symptoms or anything. I just kind of curious how it worked. thank you for taking the time to explain it
Do you think your tortoise is herpes positive ??? I hope your baby isn`t !
It was my pleasure explaining.
 

Jay Bagley

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Do you think your tortoise is herpes positive ??? I hope your baby isn`t !
It was my pleasure explaining.
No not at all, I just seen some of the other post where some others tortoises were. I never knew tortoises could even get it, and since I'm kind of a hypochondriac when it comes to my tortoise I just wanted to get some more information on it.
 

Bee62

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No not at all, I just seen some of the other post where some others tortoises were. I never knew tortoises could even get it, and since I'm kind of a hypochondriac when it comes to my tortoise I just wanted to get some more information on it.
The best way to keep your tortoise safe is to wash and desinfect your hands and shoes when you have visited someone else with tortoises.
And when you want get another tortoise, only a year ( ! ) of quarantine and three negative herpes tests with the new tortoise can make you sure that the new one don`t carry the desease.
 

Jay Bagley

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The best way to keep your tortoise safe is to wash and desinfect your hands and shoes when you have visited someone else with tortoises.
And when you want get another tortoise, only a year ( ! ) of quarantine and three negative herpes tests with the new tortoise can make you sure that the new one don`t carry the desease.
Thankyou, that gave me alot to go on. My tortoise doesn't have any contact with other tortoises right now. So I should be good. Been trying to educate myself on all the different things they can catch.. along with the do's and don'ts. Definitely a lot more than just a bowl of food and a bowl of water. No one else that I know owns a tortoise, so it's great everything you can learn on here.. thanks again for the info, I'm always leery I'm going to ask a super stupid question.
 

Bee62

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Thankyou, that gave me alot to go on. My tortoise doesn't have any contact with other tortoises right now. So I should be good. Been trying to educate myself on all the different things they can catch.. along with the do's and don'ts. Definitely a lot more than just a bowl of food and a bowl of water. No one else that I know owns a tortoise, so it's great everything you can learn on here.. thanks again for the info, I'm always leery I'm going to ask a super stupid question.
Super stupid questions do not exist ! Only super stupid answers ( sometimes ). So we say in Germany.:D
I hope not my ( answers ) !:)
LOL !:D
 

Jay Bagley

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Super stupid questions do not exist ! Only super stupid answers ( sometimes ). So we say in Germany.:D
I hope not my ( answers ) !:)
LOL !:D
You always give good answers. You always find a way when somebody is doing something they shouldn't with their tortoise to tell them what they're doing wrong, you do it very constructively, and in the way where the other person won't take offense and learn from what you are saying.
 

Bee62

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You always give good answers. You always find a way when somebody is doing something they shouldn't with their tortoise to tell them what they're doing wrong, you do it very constructively, and in the way where the other person won't take offense and learn from what you are saying.
Oh, wow ! That is a big huge praise ! Thank you very much ! I really appreciate it.
It is my pleasure to give advices, but I am still learning from other people here. It is a giving and taking thing and I like it.:)
 

Jay Bagley

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Oh, wow ! That is a big huge praise ! Thank you very much ! I really appreciate it.
It is my pleasure to give advices, but I am still learning from other people here. It is a giving and taking thing and I like it.:)
Me too!! I fear I am so full of questions, mildly hyperactive, and everything I do in life I try to attack with a sense of humor I may scare some of the other posters off from responding to me LOL.
 

Bee62

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Me too!! I fear I am so full of questions, mildly hyperactive, and everything I do in life I try to attack with a sense of humor I may scare some of the other posters off from responding to me LOL.
You don`t scare me away. Humor is difficult to express in written words, but I think: we can do ! LOL.
 
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