Tortoise Medical Products

[frenchsuite]

Hello everyone! I am a new tortoise owner and recently got three tortoises (two Russians and one red foot), all from petsore. They currently live in three enclosures and seem to be happy and active most of the time. Based on the online medical info I ordered Panacur (Fenbendazole) animal de-wormer and Betadine Solution to de-worm and de-germ them. Do we need to do anything else besides the above two?

I am debating if I need to bring all three to a vet for a comprehensive check, as I want them to be super healthy and happy. Some told me I need to check with vet and some not. What's your opinion?

Thank you.

 

[Yvonne G]

I advise new tortoise keepers to allow a vet to teach you dosage and application the first time then, if needed, you can do subsequent administrations.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hello!
1. Don't use Betadine for anything else but one-time application around injuries or plastron fungus if your redfoot has really bad one.
2. De-worming tortoises makes sense only on positive fecal tests (can be done with just a fresh sample, without taking tortoise to the vet). Also, different kinds of parasites (protozoans, tape worms, round worms) require different medications and treatment schemes.

Do a vet check-up if you have found a good exotics vet who has experience with tortoises (not only with reptiles in general or aquatic turtles). Visiting a vet is always stressful for a tortoise so it should worth the troubles.

 

[frenchsuite]

Hello!
1. Don't use Betadine for anything else but one-time application around injuries or plastron fungus if your redfoot has really bad one.
2. De-worming tortoises makes sense only on positive fecal tests (can be done with just a fresh sample, without taking tortoise to the vet). Also, different kinds of parasites (protozoans, tape worms, round worms) require different medications and treatment schemes.

Do a vet check-up if you have found a good exotics vet who has experience with tortoises (not only with reptiles in general or aquatic turtles). Visiting a vet is always stressful for a tortoise so it should worth the troubles.

Thank you. I just checked the feces and did not find worms

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Thank you. I just checked the feces and did not find worms

Even if you DO see one or two. It isn't necessarily cause for alarm.
It's relatively common for a tortoise to be perfectly healthy with a few parasites