I hope you don't mind me answering the last two questions here...

A urine sample can be obtained by handling the tortoise gently tap the forelimbs so it feels threatened not frightened. Walk around with it a while (be sure to have a container, have the vent pointed away from you and watch for the direction of the tail). Also hold it under warm running water. Use a little common sense here(I had to put that in there for past post experience) don't drown the animal.

Suggest to the vet this is what you would like done. Some vets might not treat an animal without diagnostics but most vets will. Explain (this applies to the above post also) that not all protozoa can be detected using fecals or urine analysis as a means because they are not always shedding evidence and the protozoa can still be present. This is especiall true with Entameoba and (I believe) Hexamita.

This is why I believe it is important to blanket treat new acquisitions especially if they are even suspected of being WC or Farmed.

That sounds incredibly stressful for the tortoise

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what sounds stressful? how would u advise to worm them

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my leopard tort called lucky aged 4 yrs old hatched jan 04




my leopard tort thomas aged 4 hatched jan 2004.

I assume you're talking about getting the sample... It is stressful which is why the animal uninates. The point is not to stress the animal more than necessary.

Giving the animal medications is stressful... overly stressful? It depends on the experience of the administrator.

Dieing due to disease... definately stressful. Actually it's definetely overstressful... to the point of death.

In every decision you have to weigh the cost over the benefit.

It might sound stressful and may even be to some extent, but its a sure way of getting a urine sample or just treat without a diagnoses is another option , but in all fareness its better to know what you are traeting rather than just treat suspectedly.

In the long run it will be far more stressful for the animal if it isn't treated and needs further medical treatment in the future because we didn't want it stressed to get a clean pure urine sample.



D

no sorry was onabout putting a tube down and worming her hanks

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my leopard tort called lucky aged 4 yrs old hatched jan 04




my leopard tort thomas aged 4 hatched jan 2004.

That is definately the least stressful... to place it in a bare container and wait.

I do fecals but if I don't see anything and the animal is not 'acting right' I go the blanket method. I've had the greatest success rate doing this rather than spending thousands of dollars and the vet finally says... lets try your idea. Many vets go to the blanked idea right from the start based on experience. I used diagnostics because I had the money and I wanted to test some of the theories thrown around the net.

can we please get back to my question as i am worried,
will it hurt my tort if they put a tube down her throat, wont she retract in to her shell. so it will be hard for her to do it thanks

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my leopard tort called lucky aged 4 yrs old hatched jan 04




my leopard tort thomas aged 4 hatched jan 2004.

It's not going to be the most enjoyable experience. you have to realise the tortoise won't understand why they're doing it. And may get a little stressed, but it's the lesser of two evils.

worming to get rid of a parasite burden is necessary. (have u had a faecal test done first, sorry not read whole thread or is it just precautionary?)

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just to be safe as was told by wizzzamum it looks like a WC leopard. if it is WC is it still gunna be friendly etc

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my leopard tort called lucky aged 4 yrs old hatched jan 04




my leopard tort thomas aged 4 hatched jan 2004.