Got a sickee....

[ZEROPILOT]

I'm not really very happy with the two vets I have for exotics. They are probably reading the same posts for advice. They can however write a prescription. What generics do you use and from where? I'm dabbling in tort care on my own in between the yearly visits. I've got a super high power microscope and I've been trying to make sure that the parasites do not return. I also use some D/A two times a month in their food as I've already stated. I didn't realize that any tort was immune to the Mazuri flavor. I can only help with what I know and that is Redfoot care. I guess it's special.

 

[John Ramos]

I'm not really very happy with the two vets I have for exotics. They are probably reading the same posts for advice. They can however write a prescription. What generics do you use and from where? I'm dabbling in tort care on my own in between the yearly visits. I've got a super high power microscope and I've been trying to make sure that the parasites do not return. I also use some D/A two times a month in their food as I've already stated. I didn't realize that any tort was immune to the Mazuri flavor. I can only help with what I know and that is Redfoot care. I guess it's special.

Hmmm, interesting, what power are you using to see the parasites? I might have missed something, D/A? I can send you the info if you can send me a private message, I don't want to splatter it all over here. He seems like a very straight up guy, answered my email very quickly, told me what I needed to do and he's sending it out and pay him later. As for the Mazuri, I so much about it, I thought it was gift to critters. Mine just maybe eat some (very little), sort of make a mess and that's the end of it. They love Romaine, it's nice to hear them crunching away. Another thing is they don't seem to like the cuttlebone much, one of them just pecks at it once in awhile. I'm going to break down and sprinkle a little calcium on the lettuce and see what happens. Yes, I know not to use much or very often.

--John

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't think you see the parasites, but rather the parasite's eggs. And I think Zero meant to say D.E. (diatomaceous earth - food grade)

 

[John Ramos]

I don't think you see the parasites, but rather the parasite's eggs. And I think Zero meant to say D.E. (diatomaceous earth - food grade)

Thanks for clarification. I've used 100's of lbs of that in the past. Good for cleaning them out? I might try that first, it's inert. How much do you use? A sprinkle?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Sorry. I'm off and on this post. Yes. My torts all recently got checked out and now I do a semi regular poo check for eggs or anything that looks unusual and compare it to pictures off the web. It's amazing all the info out there. Yes. Diatomacious earth in food grade. Someone here turned me on to it and my vet claims it has no harmful effects and that it is used by people...for human use and for many other animals, both internally and externally to rid of pests with an exoskeleton. Fleas, ants, segmented worms, etc. You get the idea...Get your situation under control first and use some D/A every now and again, just a bit as a preventative. Maybe as much as 2%. This is only my opinion. I'm sure that there are some here that may disagree. I suggest you do as I have done and look through the web. There are only stories of how beneficial this stuff is and not a single thread of it ever harming any animal. I caution you in advance, some of the D/A posts about it being used in humans are very graphic. There are photos of huge worms that have been passed by some people who claim that this stuff "cured" them. This may be the future of national health care?

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Romaine doesn't have much nutrition in it. Do you soak the Mazuri in hot water for a few seconds first?

 

[John Ramos]

Romaine doesn't have much nutrition in it. Do you soak the Mazuri in hot water for a few seconds first?

Yup, I do soak it. I just think it may take some time for them to get accustomed to it. I've also tried I've also tried the Zoomed Grassland Tortoise Food and the Rep-Cal Fortified Daily Diet. I have a little bit of success with each of them but most of the time the torts just make a mess of it and I can't tell if they ate it or not. They're not real tidy eaters....

 

[John Ramos]

Sorry. I'm off and on this post. Yes. My torts all recently got checked out and now I do a semi regular poo check for eggs or anything that looks unusual and compare it to pictures off the web. It's amazing all the info out there. Yes. Diatomaceous earth in food grade. Someone here turned me on to it and my vet claims it has no harmful effects and that it is used by people...for human use and for many other animals, both internally and externally to rid of pests with an exoskeleton. Fleas, ants, segmented worms, etc. You get the idea...Get your situation under control first and use some D/A every now and again, just a bit as a preventative. Maybe as much as 2%. This is only my opinion. I'm sure that there are some here that may disagree. I suggest you do as I have done and look through the web. There are only stories of how beneficial this stuff is and not a single thread of it ever harming any animal. I caution you in advance, some of the D/A posts about it being used in humans are very graphic. There are photos of huge worms that have been passed by some people who claim that this stuff "cured" them. This may be the future of national health care?

One last thing on the DE, do you just sprinkle it on, sort of a salt shaker sort of thing? I've got some coming, I remember when I had 100's of lbs of that stuff. Used it for packing filter pumps.Zillions of little dead exoskeletons in a bag.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I've had poor luck with anything sprinkled on. My tortoises clearly don't like sprinkles. I mix it into the mush made from Mazuri and chopped greens and flowers with some water. Again, the delivery method isn't important. Just get it in there. What works for you be something I have never done. Make sure that you get the DE for FOOD USE. (Food grade.) Not aquarium filter DE or insecticide laced DE. Although it's possible that the DE that we used to use for aquarium filters was indeed pure. Maybe it was. The pure, food grade will clearly state it on the bag.

 

[John Ramos]

I've had poor luck with anything sprinkled on. My tortoises clearly don't like sprinkles. I mix it into the mush made from Mazuri and chopped greens and flowers with some water. Again, the delivery method isn't important. Just get it in there. What works for you be something I have never done. Make sure that you get the DE for FOOD USE. (Food grade.) Not aquarium filter DE or insecticide laced DE. Although it's possible that the DE that we used to use for aquarium filters was indeed pure. Maybe it was. The pure, food grade will clearly state it on the bag.

Yeah, it's food grade. How much do you want to get in them? How often?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Like I said, I don't measure. I figure it's about 2%. Mine do not have parasites. For me this is for prevention. I give it to all my torts about twice...maybe three times a month. Apparently it's safe enough for every day and in very large quantities. I was just reading about its use in a bird breeding site and they use it in the food everyday. Even the helpful member who passed this along to me didn't specify how much and how often, but I believe that it's pretty harmless unless you are a bug.

 

[John Ramos]

Like I said, I don't measure. I figure it's about 2%. Mine do not have parasites. For me this is for prevention. I give it to all my torts about twice...maybe three times a month. Apparently it's safe enough for every day and in very large quantities. I was just reading about its use in a bird breeding site and they use it in the food everyday. Even the helpful member who passed this along to me didn't specify how much and how often, but I believe that it's pretty harmless unless you are a bug.

Ok, thanks, got it.

--John

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Please update us after you've used it a couple of times. It apparently kills the critters rather quickly.

 

[John Ramos]

Please update us after you've used it a couple of times. It apparently kills the critters rather quickly.

Sure, no problem!