Pin worms

[JHoward]

I had the vet clinic I work for do a fecal on my little Tommy. It turns out he has pin worms. I got him to eat some fresh pumpkin and then I mixed it with his Mazuri as well. My question is how much pumpkin do they have to eat to flush out the worms?

 

[Yvonne G]

We need a Snopes for tortoises. This is a myth, or urban legend. Eating pumpkin, canned or otherwise, will have absolutely no effect on getting rid of parasites in tortoises.

If you want to use a natural de-wormer, then you need to grind up the pumpkin seeds and sprinkle the resultant powder over the food. Even this doesn't work as well as the de-wormer you buy specifically for the purpose.

 

[Tom]

Even this doesn't work as well as the de-wormer you buy specifically for the purpose.

... if at all.

 

[deadheadvet]

Don't worry about the pinworms. They are not harmful to the tortoise. They likely are a commensal organism and may aide in digestion. They are so common that deworming may cause harm than good. Almost all of my tortoises have Oxyurids and I ignore them.

 

[JHoward]

OK. Thanks. They worried me saying, of course, that we can get them too.

 

[Cathyjo]

We need a Snopes for tortoises. This is a myth, or urban legend. Eating pumpkin, canned or otherwise, will have absolutely no effect on getting rid of parasites in tortoises.

If you want to use a natural de-wormer, then you need to grind up the pumpkin seeds and sprinkle the resultant powder over the food. Even this doesn't work as well as the de-wormer you buy specifically for the purpose.

Yvonne I have question for you: I found out that Poopy my 7yr old Sulcata has pin worms and Vetthinks that might be why he is not pooping or eating. He said he has a paste that will get rid of them after giving it to him 2 times2 weeks apart. He is not eating and so if he won’t eat it can it be given through his cloaca? Some one suggested that his vet did that and it worked.

 

[Cathyjo]

If anyone has had success with getting rid of pin worms please advise.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Almost all vets do a knee jerk reaction when they see Pinworms. Especially vets not used to treating tortoises.
If there are whole, live worms in the poop. And it's such an infestation that the tortoise is actually ill, the vet may prescribe something like Panacur in a dosage suitable for the size of the tortoise.
However, as already stated, treating just because worms are present is not usually required.
Worms in tortoises are not unusual. And the treatment is a poison.