Found worms in my tortoise's water and habitat. Are they harmful?

Ideally, you should submit a stool sample to your veterinarian to diagnose and identify the worm in question. It may be something normally found in the environment or it could be an intestinal parasite. If it is a parasite, your veterinarian can dispense an appropriate dewormer to treat Toru.

It is difficult to see the worm in detail. It could be a parasite or it could be a worm found in the environment. To determine which, submit a sample of Hanfi's droppings to your veterinarian. A fecal exam can be done to diagnose intestinal parasites. If necessary, your vet can dispense an appropriate dewormer for treatment.

It is difficult to determine what they may be based on the images. You can submit a stool sample to your veterinarian. Monitor for lethargy, decreased appetite or loose droppings. These are symptoms that should be addressed by your veterinarian.

Hello, & thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Yes, you should tell your friend about the worms. Intestinal parasites are quite common & over time can cause some serious problems for your tortoise, as well as your friend's. It is important to check a fresh stool sample, at least twice a year, & deworm your pets with an appropriate medication. This should be a part of the routine care that should be given to all tortoises. As for the children, hopefully they know to wash their hands after handling any animals, as all parasites & most other infectious diseases are transmitted through the fecal oral route. Hope this helps. Take care.

Depending on the parasite, your turtle may be fine...or may still be infected but not have any adult parasites. Certain parasites require an intermediate host to complete the lifecycle. Ideally, you should submit a stool sample to your veterinarian to definitively diagnose or rule out infection. if your turtle is positive for parasites, a dewormer can be administered. You may need to repeat it in several weeks.

Unfortunately, I can not really see anything in the picture. But, based on your description of a long white wormy like creature, it could very well be a tape worm. I know you are squeamish with gross stuff, but bringing in a fecal sample for analysis to your veterinarian will help diagnose this problem. A dewormer, either oral or injectable, can usually resolve these issues before they get out of hand. Depending on the type of tapeworm, some of these are transmissible to people but is generally uncommon. Just be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling your bird or any of its droppings.

Thanks for reaching out about Peanut. Intestinal parasites (including worms) are fairly common in aquatic turtles. The best thing to do would be to present him and some feces, to a veterinarian for examination and to run a fecal examination. Identification of the parasite will suggest a treatment plan. Some of the worms seen in the aquaria are not pathogenic and live/breed on detritus in the water, but is suggestive of non-ideal water quality. Good luck.