Friday night I went to a the SDTTS meeting. Thomas Boyer DVM lectured on disease in tortoises and answered questions about care.
I found it interesting and would like to share some of the things he said that suprised me. I will add update as a remember stuff.
The first thing I found fasinating was that torts empty there bladders when they soak and then reabsorb water through their bladder, so it is like reverse peeing. Maybe this is why the baby food soaks help. He talked about herpies and showed picture of torts that had contacted the virus. He said Russians can be carriers with no signs and then infect other breeds. He talked about other diseases, but it was too much info for me to absorb in such a short time. In his oppinion captive torts do best on an 80% Muzuri diet. This shocked me. He also said Mazuri was the best brand tort food he had found.
This may sound stupid to some, but to me it was interesting that torts only have one hole to pee, poop. lay eggs etc...
He said NO reptile should be on sand. It causes too many problems.
He thinks torts should be hibernated to give their bodies a break, but should be soaked every couple weeks dried of and then put back. Not sure if I said that the way he did.
I will post more as I remember interesting things he said
I found it interesting and would like to share some of the things he said that suprised me. I will add update as a remember stuff.
The first thing I found fasinating was that torts empty there bladders when they soak and then reabsorb water through their bladder, so it is like reverse peeing. Maybe this is why the baby food soaks help. He talked about herpies and showed picture of torts that had contacted the virus. He said Russians can be carriers with no signs and then infect other breeds. He talked about other diseases, but it was too much info for me to absorb in such a short time. In his oppinion captive torts do best on an 80% Muzuri diet. This shocked me. He also said Mazuri was the best brand tort food he had found.
This may sound stupid to some, but to me it was interesting that torts only have one hole to pee, poop. lay eggs etc...
He said NO reptile should be on sand. It causes too many problems.
He thinks torts should be hibernated to give their bodies a break, but should be soaked every couple weeks dried of and then put back. Not sure if I said that the way he did.
I will post more as I remember interesting things he said