Recent Tortoise Deaths

[klorentz]

As some may remember my Russian tortoises passed away not to long ago . A golden Greek we purchased in February passed about a month and a half later . Now it gets worse . My Homes Hingeback Zeus passed away about 2 weeks ago . He was with us three years . All these torts looked healthy and gave no sign of sickness .


I was unable to have the bodies examined but consulted Annie Lancaster the Director of Tortoise Aid . We have come to the same conclusion that the Greek most likely was the carrier of a nasty virus . She said this is typical of wild caught mediteranian torts . So with all this said please for God's sake buy only captive bred torts . If you do however buy wc take them strait to your vet for a check up even if they look healthy . But in any case do not bring any new animals into your reptile room for at least 90 days .


Also right at this time I am decontaminateing all my tort cages and keeping an eye on my only tort left ( my sulcata Goliath ) . In the mean time while I am cleaning the tort cages if anyone has any cb torts for sale when I am ready for them let me know . I am devistated by all these losses and miss my other tortoises . :cry:



Kevin

[sircat]

sorry to hear...hopefully hearing the hard way will persuade more here to only buy cb or vet check and quarantine...not as familiar with torts though thought of getting a russian...are sulcattas those huge ones at zoos?

[geckogirl171]

I am very sorry for your loss. :( I hope that hearing your story may save other tort's lives. I hope everyone else stays healthy. Good luck.

[klorentz]

Thanks ,

Sulcata are the forth largest tort in the world . One big problem is not all pet stores and herp show vendors tell people this . Russians make great pets as do Greeks . It is hard to get cb in Russians but can be done and will cost triple the price of WC Russians .


Kevin

[CyCoMom]

I'm sorry for your losses, I know exactly what your going through. I too brought in a tortoise that was a carrier of something and it whiped out 9 out of 12 tortoise. Then I lost an adorable hatchling to simple hatchling failure so I am left with two tortoises. I had taken all my other tortoises to the vet and we tried and tried to bring them through however since they were all so young it just wasn't happening.

I have totally disinfected everything they touched and dug up their outdoor soil and turned it many times over so that our scortching sun will bake the crud out of it. I think I also will not put tortoises in that area for a while still.

Donna

[klorentz]

A good idea Donna .We can not be to careful these days with our animals . Its a sad thing to face when you love them so much . On a better note my box turtle egg is still good do we may have a baby boxie in about a month .


Kevin