Pinworms, pinworms, pinworms.

KCCO

New Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2015
Messages
6
I'm on month three of owning my first tortoise (Russian). Took him to the vet at the end of January and they said he has pinworms and gave him his first worming. They want to charge me $100 per visit which I think is outrageous when I can deworm myself. My tort is getting more restless and he isn't eating much. What are everyone's thoughts on deworming at home using panacur (2.5%) and do you have any recommendations or advice? I'm starting to get worried with his lack of appetite (he maybe eats one leaf of kale, about the size of your palm, a day) and he seems to be generally unhappy.

Just and FYI I'm soaking every other day for 10 minutes and keeping his newspaper very clean, he is housed in a 30 gallon tub with a UVB light kept on 24/7 and a heat lamp left on for 12 hours during the day. I mostly feed him kale because he turns his nose at anything else, he always has fresh water and a kettle bone.

Husbandry suggestions are also welcome because I know that bad habitats cause more stress and thus more worms. An outdoor enclosure is not an option until summer (I wish I lived in Florida). :)
 
Last edited by a moderator:

tortadise

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
9,560
Location (City and/or State)
Tropical South Texas
Ok here's te deal with pinworms. They're always going to be represented in a fecal sample and within the gut of a tortoise. Don't freak out I if fecal is positive for them. You can rid them or leave them alone. If test result comes back normal or less than normal of larvae or adults your just fine. Lots of times treating for worms as such can more detrimental than you think.
 

KCCO

New Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2015
Messages
6
They said it was a lot when they did the fecal check. He's also had a noticeable lose of appetite and there's no way the amount of food he's eating is normal. I understand they have a lot in the wild but with the stress he is under Im afraid the levels have gone up and could do some damage. I'm hoping to get them under control and get him happy and healthy and comfortable in his new home.
 

mini_max

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2014
Messages
386
Location (City and/or State)
Alberta, Canada
Re: the husbandry, do you mean uvb on 12 hrs a day and heat 24/7? Im thinking you just wrote it backwards of what you meant. Also, why the newspaper?
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
I didn't realize that a certain level of pin worms were " normal".
Since a vet scare and large bill, I've been self medicating with some D\E .and checking with a very high powered stereo microscope.
I can now confirm that my levels are ZERO.
I only see a vet if my animals are truly sick.

image_58.png
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Lack of appetite may be due to husbandry issues.

What sort of UV light are you using? Coil type cfl? Those can burn their eyes and definitely make them lose their appetite.
What are your four temperatures? Warm side, cool side, basking area, and overnight low?
Are you using a red bulb?
30 gallons is way too small. They need a much larger area than that and the stress of confinement to tiny quarters can definitely hamper the immune system and the appetite.
They need it dark at night. Set all lights on a timer. Lights 24/7 can really mess them up. The sun needs to set.


I would hold off on further worming until the other issues are sorted.


Please read these:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
 

ayS

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2010
Messages
101
Location (City and/or State)
San Diego, CA
I didn't realize that a certain level of pin worms were " normal".
Since a vet scare and large bill, I've been self medicating with some D\E .and checking with a very high powered stereo microscope.
I can now confirm that my levels are ZERO.
I only see a vet if my animals are truly sick.
Not to shake up old threads! But what type of microscope is that you have? I want one!
 

Foursteels

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2015
Messages
238
Location (City and/or State)
South Florida
I didn't realize that a certain level of pin worms were " normal".
Since a vet scare and large bill, I've been self medicating with some D\E .and checking with a very high powered stereo microscope.
I can now confirm that my levels are ZERO.
I only see a vet if my animals are truly sick.

What is D/E? Is it diatomaceous earth?
 

New Posts

Top