I think my tort has Fly strike!

[tabithasosa]

I’ve noticed my tortoise having these weird brown absecessss on its neck and legs, I’m worried it can be Myiasis, aka fly strike. It’s on both sides of his legs. I’m worried but I don’t want to have him to take him into the vet if I don’t need to. Has anyone ever experienced this before and knows what fly strike looks like? I’ve just been googling dark brown spots on tortoises and fly strike came up as a possible answer. There’s no flies or maggots in his poop or around the area, I’ve just noticed these skin lesions and we do have a lot of flies in our yard.

 

[Yvonne G]

@mastershake : What do you think? Austwickia?

 

[Tom]

There are many horse properties near me. All the horses, and my donkey too, must wear fly masks for about half of every year. Dogs that live outside have to be treated with fly repellent too. My point is that we have biting flies here and they can be a real problem if precautions aren't taken. In more than two decades of having tortoises living outside here, fly strike has never once been a problem. All of my adults live outside right now and there is no issue.

I don't know what it is, but fly strike seems unlikely.

 

[tabithasosa]

There are many horse properties near me. All the horses, and my donkey too, must wear fly masks for about half of every year. Dogs that live outside have to be treated with fly repellent too. My point is that we have biting flies here and they can be a real problem if precautions aren't taken. In more than two decades of having tortoises living outside here, fly strike has never once been a problem. All of my adults live outside right now and there is no issue.

I don't know what it is, but fly strike seems unlikely.

Okay that eases my mind a little! Thank you.

 

[mastershake]

@mastershake : What do you think? Austwickia?

that doesnt look like it imo.

 

[mastershake]

i wonder if thats some sort of bite or possibly a tick or larvae under the skin. are the spots hard? or do they feel soft?

 

[JMM]

Fly strike involves presence of fly eggs or larvae within a wound site.
Take your tort in to a trusted vet--best way to figure this out is to obtain samples of the lesion for microscopic examination.