Am I being paranoid?

[Esc]

I have had a 6 month old Russian tortoise for about a month. He was purchased from a mail-order breeder.

The enclosure is working great. I know my foods.

My question: I don’t see Yuri reacting to food. He’s either buried in substrate on the cool side of the enclosure or in the shade on the hot side.

He rubs his eyes with his “forearms “ and I don’t see him open his eyes very often.

The last time I soaked him, there was almost no poop.

Does anyone have any ideas to offer?

thanks.

 

[Blackdog1714]

1. Type of lights- general and UVB type
2. Heat- temps and locations
3. Soaks- how often and what temp
4. Substrate composition

Welcome to TFO

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm afraid there's something very wrong with the way you have Yuri set up. We have no way of knowing without being able to see the enclosure and it's lights, etc. and for you to tell us the temperatures, etc. No healthy, well kept tortoise will sit in your hand like that and keep his eyes closed. So, more information please. It's critical we learn quickly so we can help this tortoise right away before it's too late.

(The enclosure is NOT "working great" or he wouldn't look and act like he does)

 

[Toddrickfl1]

What kinds of light are you using?

 

[Tony the Tort42]

Not pooping when soaked is okay. Not opening eyes is not. His eyes look kinda puffy, which is probably caused by lighting.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I'm also betting it's your lighting.
Did you have a coiled or spiral, compact florescent bulb or a Mercury Vapor bulb?
Permanent blindness can result. So let's get this fixed ASAP.

 

[Esc]

There is a Zilla reptile strip light with a T8 fluorescent 50UVB bulb across the middle of the tank and heat lamp that are on during the day, both on timers. That side of the tank stays in the upper 90’ Fahrenheit. There is a 50W nocturnal infrared heat lamp that comes on when the timer turns off the daytime lights.
The left side of the enclosure is at 75’ Fahrenheit with 75% humidity.
The substrate on the left is aspen shavings.
The substrate on the right ( the hotter side is rabbit food pellets. Our local reptile breeder/retail store keeps his tortoises on that and he’s the one who recommended it.

Please advise. See new photographers

I'm afraid there's something very wrong with the way you have Yuri set up. We have no way of knowing without being able to see the enclosure and it's lights, etc. and for you to tell us the temperatures, etc. No healthy, well kept tortoise will sit in your hand like that and keep his eyes closed. So, more information please. It's critical we learn quickly so we can help this tortoise right away before it's too late.

(The enclosure is NOT "working great" or he wouldn't look and act like he does)

s

 

[Yvonne G]

Take out the alfalfa pellet substrate and replace it with either coco coir or fir bark (small particles). Moisten the substrate once you've got it changed out. The pellets you're using will mold when moistened, and are too dry for young tortoises. I'm not sure, but that pine bedding might be the reason your baby's eyes don't open. Pine isn't good for any animal. I don't know why on earth they sell it for animals. We shouldn't use any of the wood that give off aromatic oil scents.

Soak your baby in warm water every morning and leave him in there while you prepare his food. I think you'll find his eyes open at the end of each soak, especially once the pine bedding is removed.

 

[Esc]

Take out the alfalfa pellet substrate and replace it with either coco coir or fir bark (small particles). Moisten the substrate once you've got it changed out. The pellets you're using will mold when moistened, and are too dry for young tortoises. I'm not sure, but that pine bedding might be the reason your baby's eyes don't open. Pine isn't good for any animal. I don't know why on earth they sell it for animals. We shouldn't use any of the wood that give off aromatic oil scents.

Soak your baby in warm water every morning and leave him in there while you prepare his food. I think you'll find his eyes open at the end of each soak, especially once the pine bedding is removed.

It’s not pine. It’s aspen and it’s recommended for tortoises. We do soak him and he does not open his eyes.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Id agree with info thats been provided. Regardless of aspen vs pine vs rabbit pellets, you really should swap out your substrate with cypress mulch, coco coir or fine grade orchid bark. Give the mulch a good soaking before you add it in, then keep it moist. Lastly regarding the eyes, your enclosure looks way way too bright with not many dark hides.

I would make the enclosure larger, change the substrate, add more dark hides, add more plants, upgrade your temp/humidity gauges. (Make sure no coiled lights). Those eyes just look like “sun blindness” type symptoms.

Good luck.

 

[Esc]

The enclosure is 4’x3’. It’s plenty big.
He has three dark hides. Two in the sunny - hot side, one in the cooler side.
The three light fixtures you see - only two are on in the daytime.

There are many schools of thought on substrate.

The aspen pine is recommended for tortoises. The rabbit pellet idea was presented to me by a retail reptile store owner who breeds Russian tortoises and Sulcatas.

however, I will remove the pellets and switch to cypress based on y’all’s recommendation.

I’ll add another hidey-shade space too. There’s room to do that.

I’ll report back soon.

thanks for the suggestions.

Id agree with info thats been provided. Regardless of aspen vs pine vs rabbit pellets, you really should swap out your substrate with cypress mulch, coco coir or fine grade orchid bark. Give the mulch a good soaking before you add it in, then keep it moist. Lastly regarding the eyes, your enclosure looks way way too bright with not many dark hides.

I would make the enclosure larger, change the substrate, add more dark hides, add more plants, upgrade your temp/humidity gauges. (Make sure no coiled lights). Those eyes just look like “sun blindness” type symptoms.

Good luck.

 

[Tortoise MasterMan]

Good luck!

 

[Esc]

Good luck!

Thanks!! ?

 

[TammyJ]

Are the lights on all the time 24/7? He needs darkness at night, with warmth at the correct temperature. I also think the lights you have are hurting his eyes. Keep us informed, please, as to the progress to solve this problem!

 

[Esc]

Are the lights on all the time 24/7? He needs darkness at night, with warmth at the correct temperature. I also think the lights you have are hurting his eyes. Keep us informed, please, as to the progress to solve this problem!

The lights are exactly what he’s supposed to have. I listed them earlier. It’s dark at night with only a heat bulb. The enclosure has a hot side and a cooler side.

I did just change out the substrate. He opened his eyes during today’s soak. He’s got lots of shady areas to get out of the light and not be so hot.

 

[TammyJ]

Try soaking him for half an hour every day in warm water with mixed-in carrot baby food. Make the soak bowl or tub small so the concentration of carrot and water is not too weak.

 

[Kipley]

Get him off the wood shavings. The only people who will advise you keep a hatchling on Aspen or any wood shavings are those who are selling it or those who's husbandry is 20 years out of date. It is drying and an irritant. Please listen to the experts here.
I'm at work or I'd post photos of the badly deformed shell of the Redfoot tortoise I adopted last fall. He spent his first 8 years on Snake bedding (Aspen Shavings) and is paying the price.

 

[Tony the Tort42]

Get him off the wood shavings. The only people who will advise you keep a hatchling on Aspen or any wood shavings are those who are selling it or those who's husbandry is 20 years out of date. It is drying and an irritant. Please listen to the experts here.
I'm at work or I'd post photos of the badly deformed shell of the Redfoot tortoise I adopted last fall. He spent his first 8 years on Snake bedding (Aspen Shavings) and is paying the price.

Aw thats awful. Hope he's okay now, good to know hes in good hands. To the op: people do know what they are doing here, please take their advice.

 

[Viola B]

Welcome to the forum. The best to you and your tort. You have been giving some good advise.

 

[AnnV]

Welcome! I hope your baby comes around with some tweaks in lighting and substrate!
For night, you need a ceramic heat bulb that produces no light. Only heat.