Tick?

[turtwigtortoise]

Hi guys. Noticed a little numb on my torts back leg today - I’m assuming tick by the looks of it but he is only a baby and hasn’t been outside so no idea where he may have come into contact with one - if it is a tick, how would I go about removing?

 

[Ink]

@Yvonne G hopefully she will know

 

[Yvonne G]

Doesn't really look like a tick. Might be something from the substrate. Try to GENTLY flick it off with a fingernail. If it's stuck tight, might be a tick. Using a tweezers with a wide blade grasp the bump as close to the skin as possible and pull it out. You want to get the tick's head out still attached to his body. Use a slight twisting motion. If it is a tick be sure to kill it.

 

[turtwigtortoise]

Doesn't really look like a tick. Might be something from the substrate. Try to GENTLY flick it off with a fingernail. If it's stuck tight, might be a tick. Using a tweezers with a wide blade grasp the bump as close to the skin as possible and pull it out. You want to get the tick's head out still attached to his body. Use a slight twisting motion. If it is a tick be sure to kill it.

It was stuck tight - we did as advised and removed it successfully from his leg. Turns out it was infact his microchip.

Bit worried now that this may cause infection. This is really embarrassing but of course I was just worried about the issues caused long term if it were a tick.

I’m assuming it may have been a sloppy job on the vets part if it was growing out of his leg? Any advice at all?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hm-m. . . interesting. Never heard of this before and now it's the second one in two days!

Try to flush the area with Betadine to kill any germs then blot it dry and dab on some antibiotic ointment, like Neosporin. It should heal fine.

The other one was thought to be a bone poking out and was in the neck area.

 

[turtwigtortoise]

Hm-m. . . interesting. Never heard of this before and now it's the second one in two days!

Try to flush the area with Betadine to kill any germs then blot it dry and dab on some antibiotic ointment, like Neosporin. It should heal fine.

The other one was thought to be a bone poking out and was in the neck area.

I remember reading that thread myself! Completely passed my mind or I’d have considered it beforehand.

I have kept the chip in a box. Would this affect the laws surrounding his chipping? I have his papers still of course, and don’t intend on selling him at any point so I’m assuming it should be okay as long as I keep his chip and papers at hand?

 

[TeamZissou]

Good lord. I can't believe there's another one of these! I wouldn't be surprised if this starts happening more.

I don't know anything about UK laws, but it seems extremely irresponsible and almost cruel to require tiny hatchlings to be chipped. Personally I would not have the chip put back in until the tortoise is 4+ inches long and a few years old.

 

[turtwigtortoise]

Good lord. I can't believe there's another one of these! I wouldn't be surprised if this starts happening more.

I don't know anything about UK laws, but it seems extremely irresponsible and almost cruel to require tiny hatchlings to be chipped. Personally I would not have the chip put back in until the tortoise is 4+ inches long and a few years old.

To my knowledge, I believe I only need to have the chip replaced for commercial purposes - to just keep hold of him myself he wouldn’t need it replaced at all.

Thanks for your advice though, I won’t be having it replaced until he is older.

 

[Warren]

I have read both stories of these tortoises losing there ID chips, I have seen the pictures. Correct me if I'm wrong from what I read, that the chip should be inserted in the front end just above his front leg not the back end or is that just for injections? At that size, I'm sure that was uncomfortable fot the tortoises.

 

[zolasmum]

Hello - I am in the UK too, and I don't think there is any obligation to have tortoises microchipped here - the only reasons to get it done again would be if you were worried about him getting lost or stolen - and I somehow don't think you are likely to allow either of those things to happen !
He looks a lovely little chap (or chappess)
Angie

 

[turtwigtortoise]

Hello - I am in the UK too, and I don't think there is any obligation to have tortoises microchipped here - the only reasons to get it done again would be if you were worried about him getting lost or stolen - and I somehow don't think you are likely to allow either of those things to happen !
He looks a lovely little chap (or chappess)
Angie

Hi Angie! He/she is such a lovely little tortoise, such a personality! Which is why I was so worried I’d done something wrong by removing the chip.

To the best of my knowledge I believe Hermann’s fall under the Annexe A category in the UK? which basically means that they need a CITES certificate for commercial purposes (they can’t legally be sold without one) and in order to get this certificate they need a microchip number, I got my little tort from a breeder and because there was a transaction involved this made it commercial which is why he needed to be chipped. I don’t need one to keep him here with me now though, so luckily won’t have to put him through the stress again! Atleast not until he is big enough for an outside enclosure ?

 

[turtwigtortoise]

I have read both stories of these tortoises losing there ID chips, I have seen the pictures. Correct me if I'm wrong from what I read, that the chip should be inserted in the front end just above his front leg not the back end or is that just for injections? At that size, I'm sure that was uncomfortable fot the tortoises.

Im not entirely sure of the usual location for the microchip as I’m not the one who had him chipped initially. I did receive him from a highly reputable breeder though, so if a mistake was made I can’t imagine it was at all intentional.

Rest assured though, I’ll definitely be waiting until he is a little bigger before having it replaced - if at all! ?

 

[zolasmum]

We got our Hermann's tortoise 19 years ago, and were given a CITES certificate, but no mention of microchipping then - it was suggested to us at one time, but we were also told it could cause an abcess, and we didn't want to risk anything. There has never been any circumstance in which it would have been a good idea - we don't give him a chance to wander off !! Like yours, he has a great personality, and gives us so much entertainment - we would never part with him.
Angie

 

[turtwigtortoise]

We got our Hermann's tortoise 19 years ago, and were given a CITES certificate, but no mention of microchipping then - it was suggested to us at one time, but we were also told it could cause an abcess, and we didn't want to risk anything. There has never been any circumstance in which it would have been a good idea - we don't give him a chance to wander off !! Like yours, he has a great personality, and gives us so much entertainment - we would never part with him.
Angie

Well that makes me feel alot better! I will definitely only consider chipping if absolutely necessary!

Lovely to hear you’ve been with your little guy for so long! I’m excited to spend many years with ours??

 

[LyndaAnna]

I was advised that if I wanted my Hermann microchipped, then I should wait until he's at least 100 mm, however, the new DEFRA (UK) laws state that if your tortoise is to be sold or displayed then it should be done before these activities go ahead. So 60 mm it seems is acceptable. If you're keeping as a pet though, it's not necessary.

'Microchipping is an excellent way of identifying tortoises. All live Annexe A tortoises need to be microchipped to be able to be registered for a CITES specimen specific certificate which allows them to be sold. Any such tortoise over 6cm (plastron length) must be chipped to be legally sold OR DISPLAYED. ALWAYS CONSULT THE DEFRA WEBSITE (BELOW) FOR UPDATES ON THIS.

The species currently under CITES appendix A are (but check with DEFRA yourself, this may go out of date):

Galapagos giant tortoise Geochelone nigra or Geochelone elephantopus
Radiated tortoise Geochelone radiata
Angonoka Geochelone yniphora
Bolson tortoise Gopherus flavomarginatus
Berger's cape tortoise Homopus bergeri
Pancake tortoise Malacochersus tornieri
Geometric tortoise Psammobates geometricus
Madagascar flat-shelled tortoise Pyxis planicauda
Madagascar spider tortoise Pyxis arachnoides
Spur-thighed tortoise Testudo graeca
Hermann's tortoise Testudo hermanni
Egyptian tortoise Testudo kleinmanni
Marginated tortoise Testudo marginata
Negev tortoise Testudo wernei

You do not need CITES paperwork to possess one of these but if you pass it to a sanctuary/zoo which is open to the public they will not be able to display it or put in perhaps with others on display unless you obtain this paperwork.

They can be microchipped very small

This tiny tortoise is being microchipped with an 8mm chip, thousands have been done perfectly safely.
Yes it looks horrific but the bit of skin it goes through and the tissue the chip ends up in is the same size whatever the tortoise, its a 14G needle making a tiny 1.6mm hole, (the double bevel of a trovan needle cuts through the skin like a scalpel rather than piercing then stretching the skin and causing pain).
The hole is best closed with a drop of superglue, reptiles heal so slowly the chip can fall out!'