Using outdoor enclosure after worms?

[Turquoise]

hi all, with summer here, I'm wondering if it's safe to use the same outdoor enclosure as I did last year for my Russian. Turquoise had worms last fall, and when speaking to the vet, she said that it could be due to a lot of factors. I let turq roam around our yard for about an hour every 2 days or so, but I did build him an enclosure last year for outside. The vet said he could have picked them up just from roaming around our yard, but it also could've been from his outdoor enclosure (my understanding). He has not been in his outdoor enclosure since last fall, do you guys think it would be ok for him to use it this year after the winter and spring? It'd allow him a lot more outdoor time so I thank everyone in advance for their advice! Thank you!

 

[TriciaStringer]

Do dogs or cats defecate in the area?

 

[Turquoise]

In the yard itself, we have one puppy but I don't think she has yet pooped in the yard. Otherwise, the enclosure is far away from where she would be "doing her business", but we also squirrels and birds that may defecate in the area.

 

[TriciaStringer]

How long have you had him?

 

[daniellenc]

You should be fine. Worms need a live host. No host=no worms. This doesn’t mean he can’t get worms again from animal feces deposited but all outdoor animals carry some paracidic load.

 

[ascott]

hi all, with summer here, I'm wondering if it's safe to use the same outdoor enclosure as I did last year for my Russian. Turquoise had worms last fall, and when speaking to the vet, she said that it could be due to a lot of factors. I let turq roam around our yard for about an hour every 2 days or so, but I did build him an enclosure last year for outside. The vet said he could have picked them up just from roaming around our yard, but it also could've been from his outdoor enclosure (my understanding). He has not been in his outdoor enclosure since last fall, do you guys think it would be ok for him to use it this year after the winter and spring? It'd allow him a lot more outdoor time so I thank everyone in advance for their advice! Thank you!

It is part of life for the tortoise....other living things are going to pass there...poo there, drink water from the torts water dish (lizards, snakes, birds..etc) as they would if the tort were in the wild...heck, that tort would be eating some pretty gross things in the wild by choice....there is no way you are going to keep a sterile environment and you would not want to do that anyway...and besides, even us humans can pick up parasites from a variety of places...even walking bear footed through out yards subjects us to a variety of parasites.....balance is key....