A little joke? Herpes outbreak I witnessed in a very long term (12-13yrs.?) desert tortoise, no known exposures to carriers. It was dreadful, with a dramatic and creeping mass of sores on the tortoises head, oral cavity, throat, resulting in tube feeding and extensive vet care (with limited efficacy...) I probably should have referred to A. horsefieldi rather than Russians...anyway, try hard to avoid this dreadful malady said to me commonly associated with A. horsefieldi.