Herbal dewormers (other than pumpkin seeds)

[Wondering4toolong]

I have read the threads about using pumpkin seeds as herbal dewormers and I was curious about other known herbs and such being used to help naturally expel parasites. I have had a friend mention true European Oregano and I have seen other threads on garlic....

Do any of you regularly add herbs to your animals' food to help with the prevention of parasites... Are there certain herbs that are 100% UNSAFE to use... Do any of them aide in controlling protozoan infections as well?

I frequently deworm once outside season is over, but I hate the risk and side effects medication can cause...wanted to offer a more natural solution, one that doesn't kill the gut flora and keeps intestinal critters to a safe/natural level. I know a lot about herbal use in humans and dogs, but have more limited knowledge on their uses with torts, so I was looking to see if and what people are using!

 

[tortadise]

Black walnut extract is a wonderful parasite flusher. I put in the water and let them soak when they drink it up it clears them out no sideffects, and they seem to have more of a healthy appetite. Well I dont really know they always gorge themselves.

 

[Halcyon]

Where do you purchase black walnut extract?

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I cotton to the idea that internal gut parasites are held in check by good husbandry. If your tortoise is doing poorly, the parasites have a leg up at overwhelming the gut track. Worming and purging help to destroy the helping gut critters that tortoises need to help break down a tough diet that is hard to digest to begin with.
I had a cal king that was better than 22 when he passed and he was the only snake I'd feed wild food to. He never passed feces full of worms and was never obese. My 2¢.

 

[Wondering4toolong]

I cotton to the idea that internal gut parasites are held in check by good husbandry. If your tortoise is doing poorly, the parasites have a leg up at overwhelming the gut track. Worming and purging help to destroy the helping gut critters that tortoises need to help break down a tough diet that is hard to digest to begin with.
I had a cal king that was better than 22 when he passed and he was the only snake I'd feed wild food to. He never passed feces full of worms and was never obese. My 2¢.

Worms aren't as much as a concern for me as protozoa....I have 3 torti that have systems of steel, but another is always in a weaker state due to the 16 yrs of horrible care. (This particular animal came to me 6 mo. ago, and is going to take a few years to acclimate to proper husbandry, including living outside during warm weather)

Another reason (or actually 2) is due to my dogs liking tortoise poo and I have a neighborhood full of children who enjoy visiting with both the torti and my dogs...last thing I need is some child to get sick by accident!

My concern is mostly with my weaker torti, and natural ways of building this animal's system so that I won't have to worry about killing any good gut flora, which this animal has very little of to begin with I'm sure...(diet has become better, not nearly as picky...but we have a ways to go!)

 

[Jacqui]

Black walnut extract is a wonderful parasite flusher. I put in the water and let them soak when they drink it up it clears them out no sideffects, and they seem to have more of a healthy appetite. Well I dont really know they always gorge themselves.

Two questions... did you happen to do stool samples before and after? What did they have? What sorta amount of extract to how much water? Asking questions because this is a new method to me.

 

[Wondering4toolong]

Black walnut extract is a wonderful parasite flusher. I put in the water and let them soak when they drink it up it clears them out no sideffects, and they seem to have more of a healthy appetite. Well I dont really know they always gorge themselves.

Do you use it for all the sp. kept at the sanctuary? (I checked out the website...very cool...total torti paradise!)

 

[safari_lass1]

I just created a thread on Diatomaceous Earth. Many people use it for a natural pest control, but I use it as a parasite preventative on everything (mammals, birds and reptiles). It is completely natural and the parasites can not build a resistance towards it. We do fecals frequently and have never seen anything.

I give it to anything that has every been in a sale barn, mixed with other species or went to an outreach program where the public and transmit anything unhealthy.

Here is a link to learn more about it
http://www.earthworkshealth.com/How-Diatomaceous-Earth-Works.php

 

[tortadise]

On the black walnut I will look at the bottle. I will check around where you can get it from. Its a natural pathic remedy so probably vitamin stores or online. Or from my mom

 

[Wondering4toolong]

I just created a thread on Diatomaceous Earth. Many people use it for a natural pest control, but I use it as a parasite preventative on everything (mammals, birds and reptiles). It is completely natural and the parasites can not build a resistance towards it. We do fecals frequently and have never seen anything.

I give it to anything that has every been in a sale barn, mixed with other species or went to an outreach program where the public and transmit anything unhealthy.

Here is a link to learn more about it
http://www.earthworkshealth.com/How-Diatomaceous-Earth-Works.php

Fantastic thank you!

---

On the black walnut I will look at the bottle. I will check around where you can get it from. Its a natural pathic remedy so probably vitamin stores or online. Or from my mom

I think I have seen it in the holistic store I go to...I'll have to check it out!

 

[Wondering4toolong]

I just created a thread on Diatomaceous Earth. Many people use it for a natural pest control, but I use it as a parasite preventative on everything (mammals, birds and reptiles). It is completely natural and the parasites can not build a resistance towards it. We do fecals frequently and have never seen anything.

I give it to anything that has every been in a sale barn, mixed with other species or went to an outreach program where the public and transmit anything unhealthy.

Here is a link to learn more about it
http://www.earthworkshealth.com/How-Diatomaceous-Earth-Works.php

Fantastic thank you!

---

On the black walnut I will look at the bottle. I will check around where you can get it from. Its a natural pathic remedy so probably vitamin stores or online. Or from my mom

I think I have seen it in the holistic store I go to...I'll have to check it out!

---

Next question for both of you is how much and how often?

 

[sibi]

Glad to hear that some have alternative remedies for parasites and worms because I hate having to spend a great deal of money on vet visits and meds. I'd certainly pass this infor on to others in the future. But, first, I will test it out on my torts to see if it really work; so, the info asked about the amounts to liquid is still important to know. Please provide that for us. Thanks.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Black walnut extract is a wonderful parasite flusher. I put in the water and let them soak when they drink it up it clears them out no sideffects, and they seem to have more of a healthy appetite. Well I dont really know they always gorge themselves.

do you use this when you get in a WC specimen? or when you get confirmed fecals of an issue? regular maintenance?

 

[tortadise]

Alrighty then. I have used this as a maintenance orineted aid. I did notice it to work. The bottle says 5 drops per cup of water so I put the torts each in its own little soaking dish and put like 10-15 drops and some drank some didnt. But it did in crease the appetite, and gave some good defication differences the following day. I only have done this routine a few times. Its really good for boosting the gut flora and ridding of toxic bacterial fungus, and microbes. Im not too certain if it will rid of worms like, flat, round, hook, or tape. But it defintitely works well. I even take it and I can notice a difference when it works. its a natural iodine based extract from walnut tincture plants. Its like 6-14 bucks at holistic markets or online.

 

[Jacqui]

I even take it and I can notice a difference when it works.

Good to know, we don't have to worry much about Kelly having worms.

 

[tortadise]

I even take it and I can notice a difference when it works.

Good to know, we don't have to worry much about Kelly having worms.

yep. no a worms for mea.

 

[Wondering4toolong]

Alrighty then. I have used this as a maintenance orineted aid. I did notice it to work. The bottle says 5 drops per cup of water so I put the torts each in its own little soaking dish and put like 10-15 drops and some drank some didnt. But it did in crease the appetite, and gave some good defication differences the following day. I only have done this routine a few times. Its really good for boosting the gut flora and ridding of toxic bacterial fungus, and microbes. Im not too certain if it will rid of worms like, flat, round, hook, or tape. But it defintitely works well. I even take it and I can notice a difference when it works. its a natural iodine based extract from walnut tincture plants. Its like 6-14 bucks at holistic markets or online.

TY for the advice, I will try it! My newest RF needs a boost in gut flora, been supplementing with probios but they are slow to work, wanted a natural cleanse to build a good base! Speedy had a rough start (16 yrs of inadequate care and who knows what before that) but is improving greatly in the months she has been with me...poor lumpy RF, at least she'll have it good for all the years she has to come!