Mix Species?

[Sammy]

My neighbor who has 2 leopard tortoise around 5 years old, she brought a 2 years old star tortoise (after she saw mine). Then both her leopards got sick, seems like RI. And her star stopped eating, she took them to the vet and was told that mixing species can kill, due to pathogens transfer. They are all very sick

I have a Red foot & Star with RI (very slow recovery on medication). They have alway been housed separately, but once or twice I let them walk around side by side in the room. Now I suspect my Star got sick being too close to Red Foot! I feel so bad for being so careless. Do need to wash my hands before touching the other? I would be grateful for advice, thanks

 

[chairman]

This is a highly debatable subject. Your redfoot may have been harboring an illness and passed it along, or the star could have been harboring an illness and some new stressor (like a heat or humidity change) could have caused it to manifest. You'd have to run a wide range of tests, possibly including the genome sequencing of any diseases found, to determine where the diseases came from. Same applies to your neighbor.

Bottom line, keep the tortoises separate while the star is sick and then for an additional 3-6 months after it gets better, and if everyone is healthy after that... use your best judgement. I would not mix, but that is a personal opinion, one which I would hold even if it were scientifically proven that the chance of fatal disease transmission was 1/1,000,000. Others do mix for various reasons, I am just a risk averse person.

As for washing your hands, it is never a bad idea, but it has been pointed out by at least one poster here that most pet owners lack the resources/facilities necessary to completely prevent passing germs between animals.

 

[Laura]

I heard a story from a lady who had her torts in the same room.. different enclosure.. brought in a new one.. it was sick... but apparently something airborn transfered germs.. and it killled many of her animals....
Was it mixing of species? bad luck? something unrelated? unkn... but many died.

 

[Sammy]

I will put them in separate rooms and use an air purifier for the sick tort. Star been sick for almost 2 months now, have to do more and hope for her recovery. Mixing or not later on? I won't take the risk. Thanks for your replies.

Btw... All my neighbor's tortoise died