(Hypothetical) Preventative Treatment for WC Russian

JaneMorgendorffer

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Alrighty, I've done all the research I possibly can on the care and keeping of Russian tortoises (and ended up on this site quite a few times, and it's been helpful every time!), with plans to get one in the near future, however I cannot keep one right now due to pet restrictions in my current residence. Unfortunately, it's not 100% guaranteed that this will change, so I'll just have to wait until I'm sure I can provide a stable environment in a place that actually allows pets.

I was positive I wanted a CB baby because they haven't seen all the stress and parasite exposure and possible abuse that a captured adult from a pet store would have. But after reading about how intelligent these little guys seem to be (at least in comparison to what I previously thought) I felt sorry for the pet store ones I see on my window shopping excursions down the reptile aisle at Petsmart, and decided to "save" one of them, knowing I'll most likely end up with a 10-20 yr old parasite-ridden stressed animal, in hopes of giving it a better life than it might otherwise have.

That said, (and let me again say that I have not actually gotten a tortoise or any of the supplies yet) I was wondering what sort of preventative care I could give to the tortoise in the even that I brought one home, in terms of parasites and mites and such. It would be kept in an indoor enclosure, if that helps.
Is there any sort of oral medication I could purchase that would keep the parasites at bay or provide some sort of preventative measure? I read some about Panacur, but I'm not going to just drug the animal without there being a serious problem, or without the advice of a pro. Iodine is supposed to be good for mites and such, so what are your opinions on giving a warm bath in a (very) diluted iodine-water solution and a gentle scrub with a cheap toothbrush?

To recap: Would it be best just to leave the little guy alone or would something like this actually provide some long-term benefits?
Thanks in advance for the help and advice!
 

wellington

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Hello and Welcome:). If or when you get the pet store Russian, take a stool sample to a vet and have him checked for worms and other parasites. If needed treat the worms/parasites. Then, just enjoy your new shelled friend. If you want to give kinda a preventative, feed him pumpkin once in a while. Take all parts even seeds of the pumpkin and blend it up and feed. It's said to help with deworming. The petstore Russians seem to be very healthy from what I have seen, once they get good hydration, diet and husbandry.
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Jane. Welcome to the Forum!
 

Redstrike

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Hi Jane,
The best preventative for most problems is good husbandry. Like Barb said, a fecal will be the only way to definitively find and treat any pathogens & parasites.

I'll add by "saving" a pet store russian, you're simply consuming their product and fostering their market for purchasing more wild caught animals. I would adivse you to purchase a captive bred animal from one of the many awesome breeders on here. GBTortoises and Tom may have hatchlings in the future. I'd check in with them, you can send personal messages here on the forum and this would be a good way to get in touch with both of those fine gentlemen.

There are many other excellent russian breeders on the forum that I've left out, but I don't keep russians so it's hard for me to keep tabs on who is breeding them. Poke around and you'll find others.
 

JaneMorgendorffer

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Thanks for all the friendliness everybody!
So far the general consensus seems to be a fecal, and I did some research on that and so if/when the time comes, I'll certainly go through with that.
As for the concern about supporting a cruel pet trade practice by "saving" a tortoise that Redstrike brought up, I understand how that is a problem, however I feel reluctant to turn an animal away. I try to raise awareness when I talk to people who are looking into buying an animal from anywhere but a qualified breeder, in hopes to somehow bring about change through public awareness, however that's not likely to change much. I feel like the benefits of sending a social message through the boycott of a single animal are far outweighed by the happiness I can provide to that animal if I take them in. But it's still a toughie.
I'll certainly keep the option of seeking out a breeder here (what a cool thing!) in mind, though.
Unfortunately, a just recently received news that the place I am relocating to does not allow reptiles, period, (what kind of a rule is that?) and was heartbroken, however I'm hoping for a miracle. Maybe I'll try and pass it off as a goldfish...
"Ma'am, that 'fish' has legs."
"Um, he's just special."
 

deadheadvet

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Wild caught Russian tortoises are notorious for carrying Adenovirus and Herpes Virus. I would NEVER bring a wild caught old world tortoise into my collection EVER! These are the reasons to always buy captive bred animals from a reputable breeder. Do your due diligence and find the right breeder and skip Pet Smart and all the aggravation that goes with it. There are multitudes of threads on this subject of unhappy purchases made.
 

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