Balantidium

[Hanako]

Does anyone have experience with Balantidium? It is supposed to be a benign protozoa which lives normally as a part of the gut flora and fauna.

My two years old seems to have some problem with growing/putting on weight. She has been on always growing much slower than the others but now she has been the same weight for a few months (about 4 months), whereas all my other tortoises of the same age are growing pretty well. They are now nearly twice the size of her.

I had a worm check done and the results is clear for worms, but she has small
numbers of Balantidium. Apparently in these amounts they are thought to be normal. It is only when they get t much higher levels they would recommend that I use some Flagyl to reduce the numbers.

I don't know for sure if her growing problems are connected to Balantidium but the tortoise does not present sick; she appears to be happy and content but doesn't eat much. (but still eats at least little bit). No discharge from nose and nothing visibly wrong with her. So the Balantidium is the only thing that I know might be possibly the reason...

[EJ]

Growing problems are usually associated with protozoa loads... many different types.

Originally Posted by Hanako

Does anyone have experience with Balantidium? It is supposed to be a benign protozoa which lives normally as a part of the gut flora and fauna.

My two years old seems to have some problem with growing/putting on weight. She has been on always growing much slower than the others but now she has been the same weight for a few months (about 4 months), whereas all my other tortoises of the same age are growing pretty well. They are now nearly twice the size of her.

I had a worm check done and the results is clear for worms, but she has small
numbers of Balantidium. Apparently in these amounts they are thought to be normal. It is only when they get t much higher levels they would recommend that I use some Flagyl to reduce the numbers.

I don't know for sure if her growing problems are connected to Balantidium but the tortoise does not present sick; she appears to be happy and content but doesn't eat much. (but still eats at least little bit). No discharge from nose and nothing visibly wrong with her. So the Balantidium is the only thing that I know might be possibly the reason...

[Hanako]

So what would you suggest, EJ? Antibiotics? Or would dewormer work? How does one kill protozoa?

[EJ]

The most popular drug to get rid of protozoa is metronidozole... Flagyl.

Originally Posted by Hanako

So what would you suggest, EJ? Antibiotics? Or would dewormer work? How does one kill protozoa?

[Hanako]

Is there any other way at all how to get rid of protozoa, or are the antibiotics (Flagyl) the only way? I don't mean to be against antibiotics, but if there is any other way, it would prefer to try it. (After another of my girls had antibiotics, it messed up with her gut environment and she kept having diarrhea for about a month afterwards, and I kept feeding her poops of other tortoises as per advice from people here....it wasn't very pretty! We managed to overcome it eventually, but if there was another way...

[EJ]

I've never heard of such a thing except from one organization which I highly question.

I've used flagyl and baytril together extensively as a kind of shotgun method and have never run into the problem you mention.

I guess I'm just lucky.

There are other antiprotozoals but I believe Flagyl is the safest.

Originally Posted by Hanako

Is there any other way at all how to get rid of protozoa, or are the antibiotics (Flagyl) the only way? I don't mean to be against antibiotics, but if there is any other way, it would prefer to try it. (After another of my girls had antibiotics, it messed up with her gut environment and she kept having diarrhea for about a month afterwards, and I kept feeding her poops of other tortoises as per advice from people here....it wasn't very pretty! We managed to overcome it eventually, but if there was another way...