Tick treatment

[helicoptersulcata]

I'm worried ticks may get on my sulcata, LuLu, if I let him out in the yard. We have sagebrush ticks and deer ticks up where I live (Montana), what are the likelihood they'll get on him? I'm also moving to Florida soon, what kind of ticks are there and will they bother my baby? Is there a flea and tick treatment I can put on LuLu like I would a dog or cat?

 

[RandyTortoise]

I'm worried ticks may get on my sulcata, LuLu, if I let him out in the yard. We have sagebrush ticks and deer ticks up where I live (Montana), what are the likelihood they'll get on him? I'm also moving to Florida soon, what kind of ticks are there and will they bother my baby? Is there a flea and tick treatment I can put on LuLu like I would a dog or cat?

Good question. I would check with a specialized reptile vet. They are super hard to find and so I would look for one anywhere in the USA and set up a phone consult to ask.

 

[DoubleD1996!]

I'm worried ticks may get on my sulcata, LuLu, if I let him out in the yard. We have sagebrush ticks and deer ticks up where I live (Montana), what are the likelihood they'll get on him? I'm also moving to Florida soon, what kind of ticks are there and will they bother my baby? Is there a flea and tick treatment I can put on LuLu like I would a dog or cat?

Diatomaceous earth should help.

 

[RandyTortoise]

Diatomaceous earth should help.

What do you mean? Rub it on the tortoise or put it in a pen sprinkled with that stuff?

 

[DoubleD1996!]

What do you mean? Rub it on the tortoise or put it in a pen sprinkled with that stuff?

Put it in the enclosure. It's safe and keeps ticks, and ants away.

 

[RandyTortoise]

Put it in the enclosure. It's safe and keeps ticks, and ants away.

Good idea

 

[Tom]

I'm worried ticks may get on my sulcata, LuLu, if I let him out in the yard. We have sagebrush ticks and deer ticks up where I live (Montana), what are the likelihood they'll get on him? I'm also moving to Florida soon, what kind of ticks are there and will they bother my baby? Is there a flea and tick treatment I can put on LuLu like I would a dog or cat?

There are no tortoise ticks anywhere in the entire United States... except for Florida...

Seriously. It's just not an issue anywhere else. Those other ticks are very host specific and they aren't going to bother any reptile, and especially not a tortoise. But in some parts of FL, there are reptile ticks that will get on a tortoise.

The most effective method for getting rid of them is to turn a flock of African Guinea fowl loose on your property. There will be no ticks in the space of a few hours. They love to eat them and actively hunt for them all day.

Best to talk to a FL tortoise keeper with experience dealing with them. @Dustin lives in FL and might be able to offer some guidance.

 

[Dustin]

In the south east there is a species of tick that is specific to gopher tortoises. They will also get on non native tortoises kept outdoors. Luckily I don’t seem to have them in my area but there are several Florida YouTubers that seem to be constantly pulling them off of their tortoises. I don’t think they cause much of a problem but could be a disease vector if there are wild tortoises in the area.

 

[helicoptersulcata]

In the south east there is a species of tick that is specific to gopher tortoises. They will also get on non native tortoises kept outdoors. Luckily I don’t seem to have them in my area but there are several Florida YouTubers that seem to be constantly pulling them off of their tortoises. I don’t think they cause much of a problem but could be a disease vector if there are wild tortoises in the area.

Im in Jacksonville, in the suburbs. Do I have to worry about them being in the yard grass?