Is this that dreaded, vile yellow bump issue?

Krista S

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This is truly heartbreaking. I’m so sorry for what you’re going through with your precious little tortoise and the fear of not knowing if your snakes are also infected. I will pray for the best outcome, and for your little guy who will be going to sleep for eternity tonight. I know this can’t be easy, but I believe you’re making the right decision for your tortoise, and for your snakes. Sending hugs and healing to you and your family.
 

ReiGuy

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This is truly heartbreaking. I’m so sorry for what you’re going through with your precious little tortoise and the fear of not knowing if your snakes are also infected. I will pray for the best outcome, and for your little guy who will be going to sleep for eternity tonight. I know this can’t be easy, but I believe you’re making the right decision for your tortoise, and for your snakes. Sending hugs and healing to you and your family.
Thank you so much <3 this means the world to me right now.
 

mastershake

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you are making the right choice very sadly for whats best for your existing animals. i know how tough that is but i would bet money on the fact this is austwickia remember i have seen dozens in hand and test numerous and can send like 100's of pictures all the same bumps. sadly there is not any proactive tests for this and even once they have it its VERY difficult to test for thats why not all labs will do it. again im around if you need anything.
 

mastershake

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another thing i have to note... there is thought this can be possibly passed from parent to egg through fecal matter when she is laying. and if he has an adult from him if its a female that could be a very big issue if that adult tests positive. the adults can have a much better chance of keeping this at bay due to the immune system being better but adults can and still do catch and die from this just depends on each subject. if i had anything to do with any animals from him personally they would not be part of in any way at all with the others IF they were kept they should be isolated, this might just be my opinion though. also both myself and tom have told them what this is and how highly contagious (i know at least i did ill guess tom did as well)
 

ReiGuy

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another thing i have to note... there is thought this can be possibly passed from parent to egg through fecal matter when she is laying. and if he has an adult from him if its a female that could be a very big issue if that adult tests positive. the adults can have a much better chance of keeping this at bay due to the immune system being better but adults can and still do catch and die from this just depends on each subject. if i had anything to do with any animals from him personally they would not be part of in any way at all with the others IF they were kept they should be isolated, this might just be my opinion though. also both myself and tom have told them what this is and how highly contagious (i know at least i did ill guess tom did as well)
another thing i have to note... there is thought this can be possibly passed from parent to egg through fecal matter when she is laying. and if he has an adult from him if its a female that could be a very big issue if that adult tests positive. the adults can have a much better chance of keeping this at bay due to the immune system being better but adults can and still do catch and die from this just depends on each subject. if i had anything to do with any animals from him personally they would not be part of in any way at all with the others IF they were kept they should be isolated, this might just be my opinion though. also both myself and tom have told them what this is and how highly contagious (i know at least i did ill guess tom did as well)

Thank you for all the reassurance and just everything in general. You are an awesome person and I am so grateful for all your help. She is in a better place now and I hope she is resting in peace.

What type of timeline would you personally go by before you think the snakes are out of the woods? I'm thinking 6 months- year with no bumps but want to urge on the side of caution. Because my tort that was born in July didn't show any bumps till just a couple days ago.

Oh my that is terrible. He didn't disclose if male or female unfortunately. But I'm with you, why risk anything? With lives at stake, i do not leave things to chance.

And I have a saying, you may lead the camel to the watering hole but you cannot make it fill its hump....
 

mastershake

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6-8 months you should be safe. i recc keeping each one isolated until then and not handling together or one after the other etc. get yourself ammonia based hand soap (generally dish soap look on the back to see if it says do not mix with bleach) this way you know you are correctly washing hands etc scrub for 30+ seconds. also use ammonia to disinfect bleach is not very effective with this.
 

ReiGuy

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6-8 months you should be safe. i recc keeping each one isolated until then and not handling together or one after the other etc. get yourself ammonia based hand soap (generally dish soap look on the back to see if it says do not mix with bleach) this way you know you are correctly washing hands etc scrub for 30+ seconds. also use ammonia to disinfect bleach is not very effective with this.
Thank you! This is so helpful. We've got this Ajax ultra and I've included some pics. Not sure if you can zoom in but it shows ingredients such as ammonium lauryl sulfate, ammonium laureth sulfate, ammonium c12-15 alkyl sulfate.

If this is the good stuff, I'll continue using. And I always wash my hands with this after tort care, so hopeful that helps my odds. I have a different soap I use prior to snake handling and maintenance but now I will switch to ammonia based soap at all times 24/7.
 

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ReiGuy

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I feel terrible for you, all of your messages moved me. This is very serious. Did a TFO moderator give you any advice? Are you going to review them on TFO?
Thank you so much for reaching out. I agree that we have a major issue on our hands here. I understand this seller has been a member here for years and me a few months, however, I am very scared for future tort parents if this individual is permitted to continue selling and advertising here. It's just not right. All Tom and the other senior members hard work undermined by a person seeking profits. That shouldn't reside in this community in my humble opinion. This is to help people and that seller destroyed me today...

Also, I was advised by a very credible member this seller admitted to buying sulcata from other sellers and flipping them for profit.... meanwhile he told me he was a breeder. And from what I understand, he does indeed breed sulcata tortoises. But to what degree is he breeding and to what degree is he flipping? He is also spreading illness.

No moderators have PM'd me but I hope they will. I know there's nothing they can do now for my tort who's in tort heaven but maybe they can save future people from this heartache and financial loss.

Today I:
-Put my tortoise to rest, which cost 150 dollars
-Threw out a perfect closed chamber, arcadia lighting, 2 ches and cermaic fixtures, led lighting, thermostats, tons of thriving pothos, literally everything I purchased brand new a few months ago
- Said goodbye to my friend.

Again, I don't want anyone else dealing with this pain. And God forbid my snakes get it, there will be justice for my animals, as well as all the others and their owners who have suffered because of this person.

I will be doing a review, as well. And of course, will only include my experience, not what others have told me. So that it is fair and follows all rules.(but my experience alone is bad enough)

However, I encourage others who had a negative experience with this person to do a review. The more that speak up the better. Please just try to think of others who are excited for their new pet.... meanwhile buy from him... and bring a proverbial contagious time bomb into their home.
 

mastershake

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sadly this is not just this one person. they are def not helping the situation but we have well over 100 names on a list of seller and or resellers of these babies. the whole thing sucks and i am in NO way defending him at all here but he is only a small piece of all this thats the biggest issue we have. i also did make an admin aware of who it was in case you did not and they can do with that info as they choose.
 

ReiGuy

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sadly this is not just this one person. they are def not helping the situation but we have well over 100 names on a list of seller and or resellers of these babies. the whole thing sucks and i am in NO way defending him at all here but he is only a small piece of all this thats the biggest issue we have. i also did make an admin aware of who it was in case you did not and they can do with that info as they choose.
Are those others on here too? If so, are they selling tortoises here?
 

ReiGuy

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Are those others on here too? If so, are they selling tortoises here?
If they are, in my humble opinion should all be banned. Why? Because everyone knows. Can't shy away from these things.

If moderators know that infected sellers are selling here, I would hope they'd advise them to leave the site until they've improved their practices.
 

ReiGuy

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Also, I understand some people are good friends with these people. They've known them for years. They have relationships spanning decades. I do get that. I also understand at heart, these people are awesome people.

I have nothing personal against these people, I just happen to love animals a lot. I also beleive in the truth (it really does prevail all) And I do not tolerate what I beleive is poor practices. This isn't facebook, this is TFO, after all. Animals need to be treated with respect.
 

mastershake

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Are those others on here too? If so, are they selling tortoises here?
not that i know of some may be and i dont know. the bad part is this is now all over the country even cases overseas. this could be something that is now here to stay permanently. and if any were released out in the wild then this can affect all species even those that may be endangered.
 

ReiGuy

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not that i know of some may be and i dont know. the bad part is this is now all over the country even cases overseas. this could be something that is now here to stay permanently. and if any were released out in the wild then this can affect all species even those that may be endangered.

I will pray none were released in the wild. How tragic.
 

Melissacoop

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I think that it is very honorable of you to be discreet about not giving the name of the breeder. HOWEVER, if this breeder has known or even suspected for a short time and is continuing to sell these animals it is not fair for everyone not to know who it is so we do not recommend and/or buy any reptile from them. It has nothing to do with wanting to ruin them but everything to do with protecting future tort owners. This disease doesn't show up right away, as you have found out and is deadly!!. Maybe because I am a mother and a woman but I feel terrible for you and all these other new owners buying these babies and spending hundreds of dollars on all the equipment and enclosures to have him die a few months later.
I would honestly get him out of your house as soon as possible. It is so highly contagious. There is a guy in Florida that runs a Reptile Rescue. I see him on Facebook, Flint Flume. I'm not sure if he's a member here or not but he's done a lot of research on this disease and offers necropsies to people once their tort has passed. I'm sure you could call and talk to him. Seems like a nice guy.
I am very sorry about your baby. ?
 
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