This page is about PARASITES.
Here, we will introduce some parasites we have to pay attention especially when we keep tortoises.
We can find out some counter-plan or precautionary measures to parasites, if we know their life cycles. To that point of view, we can deal with parasites easier than with bacterium or virus.　

The most important precautionary measures to parasites is cutting off their life cycle. It's mean that we cut the root of infection.
First of all, let's consider the parasites with direct life cycle.
The parasites lay eggs inside the body of the host. And the eggs are excreted with feces.
But in case of tortoises, most of the parasite's ova are not infectious, immediately after they are excreted . It needs 6 to 24 hours to be infectious.
Then the only thing we have to do is cleaning up the feces immideately. It's better as first as we do so.
Next, the case of parasites with indirect life cycle.
The best way is as same as the case of parasites with direct life cycle. And secondly we can avoid the re-infection, by keeping away our tortoises from the intermediate hosts.
It's a rare case for tortoises in captivity, to eat other animals or insects. Because essentially they are herbivorous animals. And most of the parasites have a host specificity. They have a host specificity of course to the intermediate host. So parasites with indirect life cycle, can not access to their definitive host without the existence of the required intermediate host.
Considering this, if a tortoise is infected with some parasites with indirect life cycle, it will not be a serious probram. Because they can not reinfect to other tortoises, except the case the required intermediate host is living with the tortoises in captivity.
But you have to be careful when you get a new tortoise. Especially when the tortoise is imported from another country.
You had better think that almost all tortoies which are just imported are infected with some parasites.
And once you treat them, it will not be a serious trouble later.