Chapter 5 of 9 · Russian Tortoise Care Guide
Health, Quarantine and Hygiene
Disclaimer: I'm not a veterinarian and I don't hold a degree in animal science or animal care. This guide is compiled from the published sources listed in every chapter. For a sick animal, a reptile vet is the authority.
The short version
- Quarantine every new tortoise for 60–90 days, and take it to a reptile vet with a fecal sample [8].
- Most Russians sold in the US are wild-caught [6] and often carry parasites [8].
- Runny nose, soft shell, swollen eyes, straining and not eating are the big warning signs.
- Ivermectin is toxic to tortoises. Only use dewormers a vet prescribes [11].
- Wash your hands with soap and water after every contact; reptiles can carry Salmonella [13][29].
Quarantine
Most Russians in the US pet trade are wild-caught adults from Central Asia [6], shipped crated in bulk. Many carry parasites, and shipping stress can turn them into disease [8]. Quarantine every new tortoise, from any source, for at least 60–90 days. That length is standard keeper and vet practice; the cited sources do not give a set number of days. Use a simple tub with paper or plain coir substrate, keep it away from all other reptiles, and care for it last each day.
During quarantine:
- Book a reptile vet exam in the first two weeks, with a fresh fecal test (a float plus a direct smear for flagellates). Repeat the fecal before the tortoise leaves quarantine [8].
- Soak daily for the first two weeks to rehydrate.
- Weigh weekly on a gram scale and write it down.
- Watch for nose bubbles, swollen eyes, mouth held open, refusal to eat and diarrhea.
- Deworm only on a vet's direction. Ivermectin is toxic to tortoises and turtles and must never be used. Vets commonly use fenbendazole for worms (nematodes) and metronidazole for some single-celled parasites such as Entamoeba [11].
Common illnesses
| Problem | Signs | Usual cause | See a vet when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metabolic bone disease | Soft or rubbery shell (especially the belly), shell too small for the body, weak legs, fractures, overgrown beak | No or weak UVB, low calcium in the diet, or poor calcium absorption [9] | As soon as you see it. The vet may x-ray and prescribe liquid calcium. Fix lighting and diet; severe deformity can be permanent, and untreated MBD is fatal [9] |
| Pyramiding | Raised, cone-shaped scutes | Linked to dry rearing during growth, though the full cause is not proven [4] | Not an emergency. Existing pyramids will not flatten, but new growth can come in smooth once conditions improve [4]. Raise humidity, add a humid hide, soak more often |
| Respiratory infection ("runny nose syndrome") | Clear or bubbly nasal discharge, crusts, whistling, open-mouth breathing, lethargy | Often Mycoplasma, also Chlamydophila or herpesvirus; flares after stress such as capture, shipping, a move, poor housing or hibernation [2][9][12] | If discharge lasts more than a few days. Antibiotics control it but do not clear it. Mycoplasma carriers stay infected for life and can flare again under stress, so never mix them with clean animals [12] |
| Herpesvirus (TeHV1, TeHV3) | Plaques in the mouth, swollen eyes, discharge; TeHV3 can cause sudden death | TeHV1 is very common and many tortoises carry it, usually with mild disease; TeHV3 is severe [2] | Right away. Isolate strictly; a known positive should never share a collection |
| Shell rot | Pits, soft or flaking patches, bad smell, discharge under a scute | Wet, dirty substrate or injury | Promptly, for cleaning and treatment. Dry out the enclosure |
| Bladder stones | Straining, loss of appetite, chalky or gritty urates, weak back legs, prolapse | Long-term dehydration or a high-oxalate diet [9]; many vets also blame high-protein diets. Fairly common in this species [2] | Promptly, for an x-ray. Small stones may pass with soaking; large ones need surgery [9] |
| Parasites | Weight loss, diarrhea, worms in droppings, or nothing visible | Pinworms (the most common worms), other worms, Hexamita (gut and kidney), Entamoeba, coccidia, Cryptosporidium [2][11] | For a fecal test at intake and yearly. Treat only as the vet directs; no ivermectin [11] |
| Egg binding | Female restless, digging and straining, then listless and off food | No suitable nest site, cold, low calcium, bladder stones | As soon as she strains or turns listless. Give every female a deep, 8 in (20 cm) damp dig box each spring |
| Eye problems | Eyes swollen shut, discharge | Eye or respiratory infection [2], irritating substrate, and less often vitamin A deficiency | When swelling or discharge lasts more than a day or two |
| Prolapse | Pink tissue hanging from the tail | Straining from stones, mating injury [9] | The same day. Keep the tissue clean and moist with a little water-based lubricant on the way, and do not push it back in yourself |
Call a reptile vet now if
- Nasal discharge or bubbles last more than two or three days.
- Your tortoise has not eaten for 7 days while warm and lit, or for 7 days after hibernation.
- You see any soft spot on the shell, any shell crack, or any prolapse.
- It strains to pass urates or stool, or does not urinate after regular soaks.
- It has swollen eyes, holds its mouth open, wheezes, or lies limp with its legs out.
- It loses more than 10% of its body weight.
Find a reptile vet before you need one. The Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians has a find-a-vet directory at arav.org. An annual checkup with a fecal test is a good habit.
Salmonella and hygiene
Many reptiles carry Salmonella bacteria and shed them in their droppings from time to time, even when they look perfectly healthy [13]. Simple habits keep your family safe:
- Wash your hands with soap and water after touching your tortoise, its enclosure or anything in it, including its food and water [29].
- Never kiss your tortoise or let it walk on kitchen counters.
- Do not clean its dishes or soak it in the kitchen sink.
- Supervise children and make sure they wash their hands too.
The CDC says children under 5 should not touch reptiles, and reptiles are not recommended for homes with children under 5, adults 65 and older, or people with weakened immune systems [29].