DE as a cure or preventative for parasites in torts

[ZEROPILOT]

I have a light weight and seldom eating RF. I've read up on the matter and see that I may just have a picky eater, however, this being a new tortoise without a known history, she could also have parasites. I have a supply of food grade diatomacious earth. I know that even humans use it on themselves for parasites. My thinking is that it wouldn't hurt to use a small amount in some wetted Muzuri since it's all my new tort will even nibble on. The questions are: Who has tried this in the past and dosage amounts/intervals. It's possible that this will not work anyway because so far, she has been able to detect traces of other things (foods) in her mazuri and she walks away from it. Thanks for your expertise.

 

[tortadise]

The thing to do with any possible quandaries is to test and retest first. Administering any medication can and will be stressful on the animal. Especially if it's a young one. Fecal examinations usually cost from 20-40 bucks at any vet. A rather cheap way to screen a possibility of Protozoa. Should get a fecal before treating something that could possibly not be present. Tortoises also have bacteria in there gut to aid with digestion, and immunidificiencies against parasites. Ridding of them by worming can cause issues, especially if they don't need to be wormed.

A few questions about this tortoise. How new is it(when did it hatch, and when did you obtain it)? Is it kept with other specimens? What is the enclosure setup, temperatures etc... It is being kept in?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

She's outdoors in a quarantined area. Temps around 90 and at least 90% humidity with a shady doghouse. The tort is about 6". It has not been introduced to my other two RF yet.

 

[tortdad]

Take a stool sample to your vet. Mine charged $25


0.0.1 Redfoot (Spike)
0.0.1 Cherryhead Redfoot (Bruce Wayne)
1.0 Sulcata (Hal Jordan)

 

[wellington]

Although the suggest vet/fecal test pricing is cheap, if your area vets are anything like the ones in my area, they won't do a fecal examine unless they see the tortoise first. That is $95.00 to walk in he door. The fecal test will be a cost added to the $95.00. I would call your vet to get the full cost first.
I also know,that some do worm their torts twice a year without fecals and some do use the D.E. To do it. I'm sorry, I just don't remember who. Good luck.

 

[wellington]

Also, have you tried pumpkin? It's a natural dewormer. Takes the whole pumpkin, seeds, stringing guts, the meat and outside, grind with food processor or blender and feed

 

[Yvonne G]

In my opinion, the actual pumpkin has no anthelmintic properties. You find those in the SEEDS, not in the whole pumpkin. You have to grind up the seeds in order to use it as a de-wormer. here's a study on the subject:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22684690

And here's another little comment on it:

History
The seeds of several species of pumpkin have been used in traditional medicine for centuries. Traditionally, the seeds of the Cucurbita species are ingested as a tea or after grinding. They have been used to immobilize and aid in the expulsion of intestinal worms and parasites. In some cultures, small amounts of the seeds are eaten on a daily basis as a prophylactic against worm infections. The seeds also have been used in the treatment of prostate disorders. Pumpkin flowers are sometimes added to tacos or soup as a source of protein

And here's an abstract on what plants can be used as natural de-wormers. Note it is the SEED of the pumpkin, not the whole pumpkin:

http://web.iitd.ac.in/~chariarv/AbstractGopinath.pdf

 

[wellington]

But why waist the rest of it, give the tort a treat at the same time hes getting medicine
Yes, I should have stressed its the seeds more then the rest. I'm still trying to get that in my head. When I first joined the forum, I was told the whole pumpkin had to be fed

 

[ZEROPILOT]

The thing is that she also wont eat treats. Today she ate a thumb sized chunk of wet Mazuri total in two sittings. At least she isn't going to starve to death. And yes, my exotic pet vet always wants to see the animal and it's always $300 as a base price. Fine if I NEED him. I'm just not convinced that it is required yet.

 

[wellington]

I see she is a new tortoise, how new? She may need more time to get adjusted to her new home. It seems the older ones take more time then hatchlings, to a little older. If she is still new, like a couple weeks new, you should give her more settling in time.
If she is not that new, month or more that you have had her, then maybe try some of the really good treats if you haven't yet, like fruits, strawberry, banana, melon or hard boiled egg. When you find the one she really like, then take that, turn it into a juice and spritz the other foods with it. When you get her eating good, decrease the fruit juice and then give her the pumpkin seeds as described above. (The juice is not store bought, only fresh fruit smashed up or blended)

 

[Yvonne G]

And double check the temperature all over inside the habitat. If they're not warm enough they won't eat.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I was also going to suggest checking your temps.
Now...here's my experience...Mazuri has molasses in it to hold it together. Some torts after discovering Mazuri won't eat anything else. It's sweet. Also your tort is in a new situation, how long have you had her? Has she had time to settle in? If yes, then she can only eat what YOU feed her. Stop offering Mazuri and everyday, if she's healthy, offer the good greens weeds n stuff. Everyday, take out all the old food and offer fresh. But not Mazuri. When she gets hungry enough, she'll eat what is offered. But don't do that if you think she's sick.
I have a Hermanni that took me 8 days of offering correct food and no Mazuri to get her to eat right. But I have had her for 6 or 7 years. Now I can offer 2 or 3 pieces of Mazuri with her other food once in a while and she's not locked on to it anymore.
If your tortoise's insides aren't 80 degrees or over she can't digest her food, so she won't eat. Make sure your husbandry is correct, and she's been with you long enough she's comfortable with you maybe you should think about some tough love...but I stress not if you think she could be sick.
My exotics Vet charges $42 for a tort fecal...she's seen Bob.
Don't Redfoots eat protein too? I forget...

 

[ZEROPILOT]

She has only been with me since Sunday evening. It's Wednesday now. Any touch or even reaching near her and she pulls very tightly into her shell and peeks out after several minutes. Temps have been well into the eighties. She's outside in a quarantined habitat with a shady box. Humidity has been 90%ish. I've been looking for poo and still haven't found any. It's a big pen. She drinks and eats.( only Mazuri) She is light weight with little to no pyramiding. Bright eyes and very active. The mazuri that she does eat is only about 40% mazuri because I've mixed in other brands of hay based pelleted foods that the others don't care for just to get rid of it. The other brands are not sweet. Maybe that's why the others didn't care for it. So what she HAS been eating is far lesser in protein. All three of my red foots eat this "mix" as about 20-30% of their diet, like I said, until it's gone. Then only 100% Mazuri with calcium and vitamin dust.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

A few things have happened: For two days I sprinkled some DE into the only thing my new female would even nibble on, Mazuri, wetted. Yesterday I left work early to drive to the town of Davie and bring her to an exotic pet vet. He drew blood and took stool for testing. I gave him about $275. I got home and placed her in her enclosure. There is a hibiscus plant in there and again I pulled off a few leaves. This time she nudged it with her nose. I picked up the leaves and tore them into tiny pieces and placed them back in front of her...And she friggin ate it! An hour later the vet calls to say that she is fine and is just dehydrated. Thanks for everyones help. She will be fine and this weekend I plan on letting her see her boyfriend. My tip to everyone, don't panic with a fussy eater. It's just the advice I was given and ignored.