Quarantine

[gummybearpoop]

When getting a new animal, how long does everyone keep same-species seperate before putting them together? Do you get fecal exams done as well?

Usually I keep them seperate for a few months, but I usually don't get fecal exams done. Someone suggested that I do so before putting animals together, which seems like a good idea.

~Norman

 

[Jacqui]

Here I go with another it depends answer. For me, I try for a year of quarantine, especially with something like my Hingebacks. If I know where it is coming from that can shorten the time period.

For instance last year I was given a male Russian by somebody I know. I know her husbandry practices are much like my own and knew she had this guy in isolation already for at least a year. So he was kept apart for only a couple of months (almost 6 months). Enough time for me to personally get to know his little quirks and personality.

When I got those last Stars from you, I knew where you had gotten them and that they came from the same place I had gotten the rest of mine only months before. I felt safe in putting them in with mine.

On the other hand, I purchased a male Erosa whom I have been wanting for a couple of years for my group. He was a long term captive, but in a place where I am not going to be sure of how much quarantine he had gotten. He will sit out a year, before meeting my lonely ladies.

I know I am excessive on my quarantine period, but I just won't risk the critters I already have. It increases the work load and the space usage, but to me it's worth it. Gives them time to settle and relax and me the time to learn about them as individuals before placing them in groups.

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm one of those "...do as I say, not as I do..." people. If I have enough quarantine pens for each rescue that comes in, they each get their own pen. If I don't, then I will combine a rescue or two. What I get most of are male desert tortoises and since they fight, I have quite a few quarantine pens. When I get box turtles in, they all go into the same pen. Its a small pen and I'm able to watch each of them to be sure they're eating, etc. I don't think rescued box turtles bring any disease into the pen with them (fingers crossed). All water turtles go either into the male tub or the female tub...no quarantine.

Now, if I were to add a new Asian mountain tortoise to the group, I would quarantine for at least 6 months, with stool samples from the new and the old tortoises during that time.

I have added new leopards to my group with no quarantine. But I took a big chance. You never know when a new tortoise is carrying a disease. And herpes or micoplasma are two really bad ones.

Yvonne

 

[dmmj]

If I know the husbandry of the person I get the turtle or tortoise from then I don't quaratine but since I take in a lot of rescues (I am a unofficial rescue) I usually quaratine I have 2 pens set up for quaratines and a water quaratine also myself.