I know post hibernation slump sounds dumb and I'm still sceptical about such a thing, but for the most part he was just dehydrated.
If Russians are notorious at hiding things, does that mean the ones that don't show symptoms can still be sick, and will it harm him in the long run? Is there anything that can help find these bugs whilst he's alive? I just want what's best for him, esspecially since I didn't know the WC dangers when I got him. I just want to make this clear that I don't intend on having Franklin live with any group or any other individual. I got him with that as a fact.
Its not that russians are the only ones. Its that since there are so many WC russians still coming in, that we see all sorts of things with them. They can be totally asymptomatic for many of these things and live for decades while shedding the disease organisms. Each species has their own "bugs" that they have evolved to deal with. The problem is that a tortoise from Central Africa might not have the evolutionary means to fight off a "bug" from a tortoise from Afghanistan, while the Afghanie tortoise is totally fine with it because they have evolved with it.
Its just a fact that I wish more people realized. If your tortoise is eating and fine, there is no need for worry. I just want people to be aware that our tortoises can be little disease carrying vessels, even when they seem fine, and common vet tests, like fecal exams, will not find some of these things.