Hitchamite
New Member
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2014
- Messages
- 2
I've just done a Google search on the severity of stings on tortoises and your forum seemed the most logical place to post. Contrary to some previous replies you've had, stings can prove a very serious risk! On at least one occasion for the last three years one or other of my three spur thighed tortoises has exhibited symptoms of having been stung (primarily, extreme swelling around the neck - often biased to one side - and also affecting the front legs). On each occasion I've taken the victim straight to the vet and they've improved slowly over the next day or so. With no physical evidence an absolute diagnosis was impossible, but the two most likely causes were a sting or ingesting toxic material. Since all three are exercised within a large, manicured enclosure the latter was not likely.
I've always noticed wasps hanging around the tortoises' food - and consequently stopped feeding fruit when the wasps reached the 'veggie' stage in early July - but they still seem to hang around the greens, presumably after the moisture? This year we seem to be particularly affected by the smaller 'continental' variety.
Today matters took a much more serious turn. I placed all three in their pen for the afternoon (they're kept indoors overnight) all were fine - raring to go in fact, as it was already over 80 degrees. Tonight I returned - just 6 hours later - to discover my biggest/oldest female dead as dead can be. I don't want to be too graphic, but she was completely bloated with her limbs, tongue and eyes protruding, the latter almost looking as though pressure had caused some sort of haemorrhage. I can't believe that she succumbed as quickly as she obviously did.
I'll be setting wasp traps around the pen to take out as many as I can, but I'm not quite sure what one can do to further reduce the risk? Perhaps I was just unlucky and the old girl was particularly vulnerable? Sadly, I'll never know. What a sad and unnecessary loss of such a fine old specimen.
I've always noticed wasps hanging around the tortoises' food - and consequently stopped feeding fruit when the wasps reached the 'veggie' stage in early July - but they still seem to hang around the greens, presumably after the moisture? This year we seem to be particularly affected by the smaller 'continental' variety.
Today matters took a much more serious turn. I placed all three in their pen for the afternoon (they're kept indoors overnight) all were fine - raring to go in fact, as it was already over 80 degrees. Tonight I returned - just 6 hours later - to discover my biggest/oldest female dead as dead can be. I don't want to be too graphic, but she was completely bloated with her limbs, tongue and eyes protruding, the latter almost looking as though pressure had caused some sort of haemorrhage. I can't believe that she succumbed as quickly as she obviously did.
I'll be setting wasp traps around the pen to take out as many as I can, but I'm not quite sure what one can do to further reduce the risk? Perhaps I was just unlucky and the old girl was particularly vulnerable? Sadly, I'll never know. What a sad and unnecessary loss of such a fine old specimen.