Found worms in my pancake tortoises stool

[Washingtonpost77]

Hi. My pancake tortoises pooped in his enclosure and I found his poop moving. I put the poop closer to the light and found many tiny worms moving around. I just wanted to know if anyone else has experienced something similar and has any idea of how to get rid of the parasites. Thanks.

 

[Tom]

Its probably pin worms.

Save them and take them to your vet, so your vet can prescribe the correct med for the species of worm you've got. You will also need to tell the vet what your tortoise weighs.

 

[Washingtonpost77]

Are the parasites harmless and can the turtle survive with them?

 

[Tom]

By definition a parasite is harmful. Tortoises can live with some level of parasitism, but it in cases like yours where there is a tremendous over abundance of them, something needs to be done.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I agree with Tom.
A lot of tortoises have worms. Normally only the eggs are passed in the poop as part of the life cycle. You would never see a living worm.
With a very heavy load of them, they begin to get passed. This is a clear sign that a vet needs to step in.
The vet will give you both a type of medication that can be placed on food that will be effective for the specific type of worms and based on your tortoises weight. (As well as a dosing schedule.)

 

[Washingtonpost77]

I have that their are few home deworming products that you can buy to control the parasites. Two remedies that I found on the internet are using the medication pancur and pumpkin. I just wanted to know if anyone has sucess deworming using home remedies or is going to the vet the only cure.

I also wanted to know if only wild caught turtles have parasites or do they effect captive bred turtles as well. Thanks

 

[Tom]

Dude. You need to go to the vet. This is not a home remedy kind of situation.

Pinworm eggs are carried by the wind. Any tortoise can get them and so can you.

These may or may not be pinworms, and that is just one reason you need to take the worms to the vet. You need a positive ID on the worm species you are dealing with so that a qualified veterinarian can prescribe the proper medicine in the proper dose for your individual tortoise. Panacure must be dosed correctly and used correctly, and it doesn't kill all types of worms. Pumpkin is a folk remedy and it is not going to do much in a severe situation like yours.

Times a wastin'. Get your tortoise and a sample of those worms to your vet ASAP.