Well last Saturday in a pet shop I saw a tortoise I never expected to see in a pet shop in N. Ireland a Chaco ! So of course I brought it home with me. It has not been cared for properly for a long time and is very underweight. I have been bathing it twice a day and am waiting for reptiboost. It's very lethargic will only eat a nibble of butternut squash and that's it. It did pass urine today which was clear thank goodness. I has been advised by a well known keeper of these to consider getting a feeding tube put in and to treat with Flagyl. I am just wondering what the risks could be with this procedure and is flagyl a course of treatment like Panacur. I do hope it makes it as it deserves better than what it had.

hi as far as i can remember Flagyl is used to treat protozoa in recently imported wild caught tortoises whereas panacur is used as a general wormer for the treatment of nematodes.if the well known keeper you refer to is the one i know then i would go with his advice on the rehabilitation of this tortoise.i havent heard of any adverse effects with using a feeding tube in the treatment of very poorly tortoises.if you dont want to name the chaco keeper feel free to pm me and i will happily comfirm my confidence in them if we are talking about the same person.

Hi,

Flagyl is an antibiotic (well, certainly at least in the human world) - one of which I'm highly allergic too so not sure what it's used for in torts??

Excuse my stupidity but what is a Chaco I don't think I've heard of that breed before??? Any pics?

it looks like this little shelled one has found a good caring home - keep us updated of his/her progress

Not a tortoise commonly kept here in the UK Dawn. Related to the red and yellow foot tortoises. Belongs to the larger speices family sulcata and galapagos family. But is the smallest of its family.

Thanks Terry and Sandy, I am sure you know it's Danny who has advised me and he keeps this species. They are not kept here much that's why I was very surprised to see it. Apparently it came from a zoo in Holland that was closing down. I am very worried about it it's so inactive and looks so thin. Now it's finding a vet who can do it, we are not blessed with as many good tort vets here as you are in England. I don't want to lose him just as I wouldn't want to lose any tortoise. I will try later and post a pic of it. Thank you.

Flagyl is used to treat protozoa and works very well, if this tort is not looking too good then a top tip from a specialist vet in the USA is Normasol-R Sub-Que fluid, it picks up these tropical species very quickly.

Thank you for that Sue any advice is welcome I wonder can it be got here ?

Here is a picture of Pepper it took a while to get it as he mainly sits with his eyes closed

hi i felt sure it was Danny you meant and i am pleasd it was.if i was in your situation i would follow Danny's instructions to the letter.he has a great interest in these tortoises and has had experience rehabilitating them.

It does look like the poor thing has had a rough time. As he/she is quite lumpy, so the diet/husbandry must not have been that good. At least now he/she stands a good chance of getting a better life:0)