I could not find any Tortoise like those I have

[111tortoise]

My friend brought me six tortoises,
I looked at the full list of tortoises (including pictures of each Tortoise) and I could not find any Tortoise like those I have, I think that those tortoises are sub-species,
I'd be happy if you look at the following pictures, and then bring me the names of the following tortoises:

1:
size: 18.5 CM

Pictures:
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/9586/dscn2010e.jpg
http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/701/dscn2011z.jpg
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/7430/dscn2012g.jpg
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/2264/dscn2013a.jpg
http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/4792/dscn2014m.jpg
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/3151/dscn2015h.jpg

2:
size: 16.9

Pictures:
http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/8597/dscn2018x.jpg
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/9816/dscn2019vb.jpg
http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/1512/dscn2020wh.jpg
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/8683/dscn2023nr.jpg

3:
size: 14

Pictures:
http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/4352/dscn2026j.jpg
http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/4352/dscn2026j.jpg
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/6310/dscn2024s.jpg

4:
size:17.1

Pictures:
http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/2447/dscn2034w.jpg
http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/7659/dscn2036a.jpg

5:
size:16

http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/1085/dscn2033q.jpg
http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/8426/dscn2030e.jpg

6:
size:27.5

http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/8357/dscn2041g.jpg
http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/8008/dscn2039j.jpg
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/7820/dscn2038wo.jpg

They all males.

another question:
They all have: "Amblyomma tuberculatum",
Is it possible to do something against them?

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm sorry, I can't help with the identity of your tortoises, but perhaps with the ticks you can take the tweezers and pull them out? Just be sure to grasp the head of the tick also. I know that some people try to smother the ticks by putting vaseline on them, but I'm not sure that works.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Lots more information would help with the process than numerous out-of-focus images. Where did they get 'brought' from? With ticks that would tend to indicate recent wild caught, or at least recent brought inside from outside. Ticks don't just clamp on forever, they get the meal, and drop off, so the ticks tend to indicate recently caught. From where??

Will

 

[GBtortoises]

Lots more information would help with the process than numerous out-of-focus images. Where did they get 'brought' from? With ticks that would tend to indicate recent wild caught, or at least recent brought inside from outside. Ticks don't just clamp on forever, they get the meal, and drop off, so the ticks tend to indicate recently caught. From where??

Will

Ditto!

 

[prc93]

In my very unprofessional opinion, I think one or more may be Greeks. Numbers two and four have very similar colorations and markings to my Greek, who I've been told is a mid-range Ibera subspecies. Also, tortoise #1 has those characteristic spurs on the back thighs, which eliminates some other small species. Below is a picture of Apollo, to show coloration is similar to numbers two and four. Again, I'm not a professional, so of the more senior members are much better for species questions.

 

[111tortoise]

I'm sorry, I can't help with the identity of your tortoises, but perhaps with the ticks you can take the tweezers and pull them out? Just be sure to grasp the head of the tick also. I know that some people try to smother the ticks by putting vaseline on them, but I'm not sure that works.

Lots more information would help with the process than numerous out-of-focus images. Where did they get 'brought' from? With ticks that would tend to indicate recent wild caught, or at least recent brought inside from outside. Ticks don't just clamp on forever, they get the meal, and drop off, so the ticks tend to indicate recently caught. From where??

Will

In my very unprofessional opinion, I think one or more may be Greeks. Numbers two and four have very similar colorations and markings to my Greek, who I've been told is a mid-range Ibera subspecies. Also, tortoise #1 has those characteristic spurs on the back thighs, which eliminates some other small species. Below is a picture of Apollo, to show coloration is similar to numbers two and four. Again, I'm not a professional, so of the more senior members are much better for species questions.

impatch008 - Thank you! this information can benefit me.

Will - i have no information about where they came from,
What better:
wait until ticks finish the meal or Take them out with tweezers?

emysemys - same question: wait until ticks finish the meal or Take them out with tweezers?

Thank you! =)

 

[Yvonne G]

Well, when you try to remove the ticks, you always run the risk of having the head break off and stay imbedded in the tortoise. This may become infected.

 

[tortoise_man1]

you can drown the ticks by soaking your tortoises for a few minutes

 

[N2TORTS]

Ticks are usually found buried under the scales on legs, underneath and around tail area,or near the eyes, mouth and nostrils of herps .
Using tweezers …..Grab the tick by the mouthpart right where it is entering the skin.
Do not grab the tick by the body or head since it may break off and the mouthpart may remain lodged in the skin…..
Without jerking, pull firmly and steadily in an outward, extracting motion. Do not twist the tick while pulling….
After removing the tick, place it is a jar of alcohol to kill the tick. Flushing ticks down the sink or toilet does not kill them. NIETHER DOES TRYING TO DROWNED THEM! ( unless you want to soak your tort underwater for 24 hours or so) ……
After removing all the ticks, wash your hands thoroughly.
Avoid using your fingers to remove or dispose ticks to prevent contact with potentially harmful, disease-carrying ticks. Do not crush ticks with your fingers. The fluids may contain and transmit disease.
The two most common ticks in the US without getting technical can be called “Deer ticks”and “dog ticks”.
JD~

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Tick removal sooner than later is good. All JD said about not touching the tick I can agree with wholly. One more caution of the pull the tick idea is if you do crush it as you pull it out or you risk injecting the tortoise with whatever gets squished out through the mouth parts, and that is not good.

An alternate plan, is to place the tortoises in a low air flow enclosure with a small piece of Vapoma (no pest strip) Bar. This was once done with regularity in zoos, by vets, and major breeders, etc. and has become less welcome as the toxins "may" influence the health of the tortoise. Part of the fallout in favor of this is people would leave bits of the bar in the animals' substrate open, not even inside a cleaned margarine tub or something like that. There are cautions on the box of the type available now in Home Depots and other similar stores.

I have used these bars as a screening process for substrate, some people use them in there homes, etc.

If you go this route, I'd use a small rubbermaid tub/sweater box with the lid ajar, and put about an inch of the bar in a margarine tub (with a few small holes so the vapor can get to the airspace the tortoise is in) in the rubbermaid tub, and in about a day or two the ticks will drop off, and most die. Then place all the ticks (dead or alive) in the margarine tub, in a plastic bag, and they will die, then toss the whole margarine tub still in the plastic bag out with your trash. Wear some of those inexpensive throw away rubber gloves that painters get at a Home Depot. Double glove if you like. Take this route as an alternative to handling the tick, if you don't want to do either, have a Vet do it.

Sooner is better than later.

Thanks to CowboyKen for reminding about the Vapoma Bars as an effective insecticide.

Will

 

[111tortoise]

you can drown the ticks by soaking your tortoises for a few minutes

I put the tortoise in the tub for two hours, only one tick did not survive.
Do I need to use other material instead of using water?

Ticks are usually found buried under the scales on legs, underneath and around tail area,or near the eyes, mouth and nostrils of herps .
Using tweezers …..Grab the tick by the mouthpart right where it is entering the skin.
Do not grab the tick by the body or head since it may break off and the mouthpart may remain lodged in the skin…..
Without jerking, pull firmly and steadily in an outward, extracting motion. Do not twist the tick while pulling….
After removing the tick, place it is a jar of alcohol to kill the tick. Flushing ticks down the sink or toilet does not kill them. NIETHER DOES TRYING TO DROWNED THEM! ( unless you want to soak your tort underwater for 24 hours or so) ……
After removing all the ticks, wash your hands thoroughly.
Avoid using your fingers to remove or dispose ticks to prevent contact with potentially harmful, disease-carrying ticks. Do not crush ticks with your fingers. The fluids may contain and transmit disease.
The two most common ticks in the US without getting technical can be called “Deer ticks”and “dog ticks”.
JD~

After that I tried to make the tick to suffocate, I tried your method - it worked pretty well,
I took out 253 ticks by using this method.
But there are still 3 ticks that are in sensitive places,
I could not pull them - the tortoise would not let me get to them.
And 10 ticks are not drawn out completely(mouthpart remain lodged in the skin) ,I have no idea what to do with the 10 mouthparts that remained in they skin and the 3 ticks.

Tick removal sooner than later is good. All JD said about not touching the tick I can agree with wholly. One more caution of the pull the tick idea is if you do crush it as you pull it out or you risk injecting the tortoise with whatever gets squished out through the mouth parts, and that is not good.

An alternate plan, is to place the tortoises in a low air flow enclosure with a small piece of Vapoma (no pest strip) Bar. This was once done with regularity in zoos, by vets, and major breeders, etc. and has become less welcome as the toxins "may" influence the health of the tortoise. Part of the fallout in favor of this is people would leave bits of the bar in the animals' substrate open, not even inside a cleaned margarine tub or something like that. There are cautions on the box of the type available now in Home Depots and other similar stores.

I have used these bars as a screening process for substrate, some people use them in there homes, etc.

If you go this route, I'd use a small rubbermaid tub/sweater box with the lid ajar, and put about an inch of the bar in a margarine tub (with a few small holes so the vapor can get to the airspace the tortoise is in) in the rubbermaid tub, and in about a day or two the ticks will drop off, and most die. Then place all the ticks (dead or alive) in the margarine tub, in a plastic bag, and they will die, then toss the whole margarine tub still in the plastic bag out with your trash. Wear some of those inexpensive throw away rubber gloves that painters get at a Home Depot. Double glove if you like. Take this route as an alternative to handling the tick, if you don't want to do either, have a Vet do it.

Sooner is better than later.

Thanks to CowboyKen for reminding about the Vapoma Bars as an effective insecticide.

Will

I do not really understand you (my English is not at a high level).
I tried to understand the method, correct me if I'm wrong:
Put margarine in Piela (1 inch) and then put the tortoise there for a day or two until all the ticks are out?

Thanks everyone!.

 

[Tortus]

Since we're talking about ticks, does anyone know if tortoises can get lyme disease? We have tons of deer ticks around here and my dog has had it. As well as a few humans I know.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Sorry for the confusion with my writing.

Get a 'No pest strip'. It is a plastic bar with chemicals in it that kills insects.

http://www.gatzies.com/p-50723-hot-...ap=TRV727420&gclid=CJKZw-DF1LYCFQ-CQgodP0sAyA

Put a small piece of the bar inside a small plastic container. Use a one inch (2.5 cm) length of no pest strip. Make small holes in the small plastic container

(a margarine tub is a small plastic container - margarine has nothing to do with ticks)

Put the tortoise and the small plastic container into a larger container.

The small piece of the no pest strip should never touch the tortoise or your own hands.

Will

---

Since we're talking about ticks, does anyone know if tortoises can get lyme disease? We have tons of deer ticks around here and my dog has had it. As well as a few humans I know.

Lizards are know reservoirs for Lyme. Maybe some chelonians are, I don't know but search "Lyme disease intermediaries" or "Lyme disease host organisms". Components of lizard immune systems have been looked at for vacine molecules for people and pets. Maybe chelonians have some of the same properties too.

Will