Paralysis

[Fordisland]

I have a 4 captive red foots about 8-9 inches contract paralysis for perhaps eating something in my yard, or a virus. Two of them died. One of the tortoises thta died couldn't move into the shade and hence died from overheating. The symptoms are neurological as their heads seem to twist and sway, their gate is abnormally slow and walk as if they are drunk. Eating becomes a problem as the infected tortoise cannot seem to grasp it's food and misses the target. For the other two that survived, I quickly placed them in a pan of water and tried to hydrate them. Hand feeding them seemed to work as the appetite was still strong. I handfed them hibiscus flowers and then removed the tortoises from the yard and placed them in a very large garden compound with lots of shrubbery, palms, and open shaded areas. A water container was provided and they were checked on daily basis to ensure survivability. I continued to hand feed them for several days. Around the 3rd or 4th day, the tortoises returned to normalcy and capable of eating and drinking on their own. This paralysis has happen to other young tortoises before. As I mentioned at the start there must be something in the yard that they have eaten or a virus to get this condition. I do not spray my yard. The only thing I have that they seem to nibble on their own, besides the grass, is Stephanotis flowers that fall of the bracs. Other than this I have noticed toadstools in the yard. Of interest is that I have very large adult Redfoots also roaming the yard and these have never been affected. Any idea what causes this paralysis and has anyone else come across this condition? I am stumped!

 

[Yvonne G]

It does sound like some sort of poisoning, but I don't know what's in your yard.

 

[Fordisland]

It does sound like some sort of poisoning, but I don't know what's in your yard.

That is absolutely why I am stumped. And you are correct that it sounds like poisoning. My yard is clear of any pesticides as I don't spray or treat the yard. I have mixed grass and weeds growing in the lawn. I have chainlinked fence and CMU walls that border my property. I feed my tortoises hibiscus flowers and leaves, water lettuce, some fruit like bananas, papayas, star fruit. Mostly they forage and browse throughout the yard. I have been raising turtles for about 20 years, so I'm not a novice. This has also occured to a young adult Eastern Box Turtle, but the boxie resides in a completely different compound separate from the redfoots. About the same timeframe that the redfoots showed their symptoms; a month apart.

 

[RosieRedfoot]

Could it be some fungi that the smaller ones are finding and maybe the larger tortoises have enough mass to dilute out the effects? Can you send one of the bodies in for toxicology? Or have blood samples done on the affected yet surviving one(s)?

Just trying to throw some ideas out there.

 

[Baoh]

Are the adults WC or CB?

 

[jjsull33]

Could it be the bugs they are eating? like maybe the worms are coming from a neighbor's yard who does use pesticides, and the dosage is not enough to harm your adults, but small torts are still at risk?

 

[Yvonne G]

"They" say that the spray they use in airplanes for mosquito control is not harmful to animals, but I need to ask...has the mosquito abatement district been doing fly overs in your neighborhood?

 

[wellington]

I thought toad stools were poisonous?
Whatever it is, I sure hope you either figure it out or it doesn't happen again. So sorry for you and your torts. Must be awful seeing them like that.

 

[Fordisland]

Definitely captive bred

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I suspected fungi, but then my boxie had the samw symptoms and boxies are capable of ingesting without ant effects.

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Perhaps slugs from neighbors' yards but seen the tortoises eat slugs in the past

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No vector spraying in our community.

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[ascott]

Are you in an area that other wild torts or reptiles can go from one enclosure to the other? Do you have a large mosquito problem in your particular area? Also, trying to think of something that would be a common denominator....you know.

 

[Fordisland]

Are you in an area that other wild torts or reptiles can go from one enclosure to the other? Do you have a large mosquito problem in your particular area? Also, trying to think of something that would be a common denominator....you know.

You may have something. The only wild reptiles that we have are anoles and geckos. Other wildlife are birds, frogs, toads, rats, stray cats, a mongoose. The red foots are not intermingled with other species. They have the full run of the backyard. I have yellows, but are in another separate and enclosed section. We do have mosquitoes. However, zoonotic diseases may even be spread by birds as birds are closely related to reptiles. Not sure if this is the case.

But toads may be the key. They come out at night and they do like water. Perhaps they are bathing in the water containers and exuding their glandular poisons in the water. Then the tortoise comes along during daylight hours and indulge themselves with an intake of the same water. The larger tortoises have a larger body mass and may not impact them physically, but the younger ones are vulnerable to the poison and its effects. Hence, the neurological symptoms. I may have to do more vigorous water changes and sterilize the containers more often.

This is great feedback and we may have hit it on the nail! I live in a rather rural area and Bufo toads are prevalent