Russians and snakes

[Neltharion]

At first, I found this Sharp-tailed Snake (Contia Tenuis) in the enclosure around the plants with the russians outside late tonight. I caught him to take a few pics before letting him go. When I looked again, I noticed that there were two more in there. We had a lot of rain this Spring, so the slug and snail numbers are higher than usual, which seems to be one of the favorite prey items of these snakes. I know they're pretty much harmless to each other. But then the thought had occurred to me, could these native snakes potentially introduce any parasites to the russians?

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

We have a similar snake here in The Republic, the Texas Lined Snake (Tropidoclonion lineatum texanum), which is olive brown, gray brown or dark brown with a yellow or cream colored stripe down the center of the back. The underside has a double row of crescent shaped markings down the belly. They have a small head and small eyes. It is a secretive snake.

Size
length 35cm

Environment
Grasslands, prairie. Found under rocks, logs, leaf litter.

Food
earthworms

Breeding
5-10 young are born in August or September. Newborn snakes are 7cm - 12 cm long.

Range
found in Texas, and parts of south and central United States

Notes
The Texas Lined Snake is harmless and passive. It often curls its tail into a tight coil when disturbed.

http://www.wildlifenorthamerica.com/Reptile/Texas-Lined-Snake/Tropidoclonion/lineatum-texanum.html

So far as I'm aware, they won't introduce any parasites to tortoises, so I doubt that the Sharp-tailed Snake (Contia Tenuis) will, either.

My former Iberian caught and ate at least one that I'm aware of, thus it's possible that one of your Russians might occasionally snack on one, as well...

 

[bikerchicspain]

Yes it could,
The snake could introduce internal parasites and external parasites like Ticks, lice etc.
Just check your torts and their poop more often for any sign of parasites.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Yes it could,
The snake could introduce internal parasites and external parasites like Ticks, lice etc.
Just check your torts and their poop more often for any sign of parasites.

Mightn't just being outside put our tortoises at the same risks, more or less?

 

[ascott]

I agree that out guys outside are going to be exposed to a variety of other critters (snakes, lizards, bird poo, etc) so I suppose yes they "could" introduce parasites...but I believe they would be just fine....remember that indoor enclosures can be a breeding ground for parasites ....so I would opt to think that outdoor critters crossing paths with our guys should be just fine... in my opinion

 

[Angi]

I wonder if the Russians could also pass on things the native snakes are not used to. In the lecture Doctor Boyer gave he metioned that Russians can carry herpes that do not affect them but can be passed to other reptiles. The pix he showed were awful.

 

[dmmj]

I wonder if the Russians could also pass on things the native snakes are not used to. In the lecture Doctor Boyer gave he metioned that Russians can carry herpes that do not affect them but can be passed to other reptiles. The pix he showed were awful.

I would imagine it would work both ways.

 

[Tom]

Yes there is a risk, but I think it is a small one. We could set our tortoises up in environmentally controlled, hermetically sealed containers to eliminate the risk of parasites entirely, but I don't think that would produce very good results.

I think this is a case of risk vs. benefit evaluation.

 

[bikerchicspain]

Any animal is at risk from parasites whether they venture outside or not, some parasites can be carried on your shoes, Ticks can wander in from outside, although unusual unless there is a host involved.

I would be inclined to worry more about rats or badgers!

I have several different animals and they are all at risk, probably higher than normal,because I work with vets and carry things on my clothes or shoes. Fowl excrement has been known to be a cause of ear abscess in torts. We can never protect our animals or ourselves 100%.

If we worried ourselves about it we would never venture out...