hatchling keeps his eyes closed

[tortoise_addict]

My little Golden Greek baby I bought at a local reptile show two days ago is eating and I saw him drinking in his water bowl but he just sits there and does not move. He either always has his eyes closed or half open. When I pick him up he does not get active or open his eyes.
Should I be worried or is that normal for a baby?
Thanks

 

[Isa]

My little Golden Greek baby I bought at a local reptile show two days ago is eating and I saw him drinking in his water bowl but he just sits there and does not move. He either always has his eyes closed or half open. When I pick him up he does not get active or open his eyes.
Should I be worried or is that normal for a baby?
Thanks

If I would be you I would bring him to the vet asap because it is not a normal behavior for a tortoise to stay a while in his water dish.
Good luck and let us updated.

 

[egyptiandan]

No it's not normal. What do you have for lights? What temperatures are in the enclosure, warm end, cool end, under basking lamp and at night?
I would also, when you soak him, put liquid vitamins in the water. I do this for the first year for my hatchlings. I use Vitasol for birds by 8in1. I just make the water slightly yellow.

Danny

 

[tortoise_addict]

I may have worded it wrong. I am sorry. He does not sit in his water he got in there drank some water spent about 5 minutes then walked out. He just sits in one spot in his cage with his eyes closed. He ate but he for the most part just sits with his eyes closed.
His hot side is 95 at basking and 88 ambient temp and the cool side is 78 but he rarely goes over there. He hangs out in a spot that is about 90. He has a MVB Trex bulb and a plain fluorescent light at the other end for brightness.
I am headed to Petsmart now to get the liquid bird vitamins.
Thank you.
Oh at night I keep it about 75 with a red night head bulb.


Ok, I just looked at him closer and his eyes look like they are dry or there might be something in them. He is rubbing his eyes and I just called my vet and they have no appts today. The receptionist said to drop him off tomorrow and that they would probably give him a small antibiotic inj for URI. The vet said its probably that from the reptile show.
Is it safe for a baby this tiny to get antibiotics? Is there something I can buy to flush his eyes and see if it helps. He has no nasal discharge and squints but he just walked up to his food squinting and ate. I hate to treat him so tiny.
Any advice?

 

[Yvonne G]

There's a wonderful product made by Pfizer called Terramycin Opthalmic Eye Ointment. If you put a dab on each eye two or three times a day, you WILL see drastic results in only a couple days. Here's just one link to buy it online. You can also find it at feed stores or buy it from your vet:

http://www.drugstore.com/qxp87550_333181_sespider/terramycin/antibiotic_ophthalmic_ointment

It sounds to me like one of three things:

1. The substrate is irritating the eyes
2. The light is irritating the eyes
3. The habitat is too dry or dusty.

So even if you do see miraculous results from using the ointment, you have to correct the original problem that caused the eyes to be irritated in the first place.

Yvonne

 

[tortoise_addict]

Thank you everyone for such quick replies.
I went to petsmart and bought the 8-1 Vitamin yellow stuff for the water and put it in his dish and stuck him in his water. He just walked out of it.
I also bought some stuff called turtle eye drops. Here is the exact product:
http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=417
I also bought timothy hay and Bermuda grass in the small animal section. Is that ok to put in there hides and for them to nibble on? I saw pictures of some set ups where they had what looked like that in there.
Let me know if I can use any of the above on my russians and baby g.greek?
I also have terramycin eye oint here. My bulldog had to use it at one point so I will put some in his eyes.
He is on rabbit pellets now and I am going to go buy some organic soil to swap it out with.
Any other suggestions would be great.
I bought all of my torts cuttle bones to and my female russian ran and I mean ran over to it and started eating it like it was the best thing in the world. Can they eat to much?
Sorry so many questions but I am a new tort mom.

Edit:
Sorry, one last question. Should I bake the dirt in the oven to dry it out before I put it in his cage? It was pretty moist when I put some in my russians cage but I am worried with it to damp it might give such a tiny tort a URI??

 

[egyptiandan]

He also could have a vitamin A deficiency. You want to use the vitamins in his soaking water not in the water dish in the enclosure. You can't leave it long as it will grow bacteria in the water.
Not sure I'd do an antibiotic shot with him being this small. Also if he was sick he would need a course, over 10 to 14 days, not just one shot.
I would use the vitamins and eye oinment, change the substrate and see how everything is going in 7 to 10 days.

Danny

 

[tortoise_addict]

He also could have a vitamin A deficiency. You want to use the vitamins in his soaking water not in the water dish in the enclosure. You can't leave it long as it will grow bacteria in the water.
Not sure I'd do an antibiotic shot with him being this small. Also if he was sick he would need a course, over 10 to 14 days, not just one shot.
I would use the vitamins and eye oinment, change the substrate and see how everything is going in 7 to 10 days.

Danny

Oh, ok. I will dump out the water in his cage. I dump it twice a day anyways.
I am going to hold off on taking him to the vet. He seemed like he wanted to do to much for such a little guy.
The eye drops rinse stuff has vit a in it. Is that stuff ok to use on a tortoise?
I put terramycin in it already and will do it one more time before lights out.
Substrate will be changed before the night is over.
Should I bake the organic soil first to dry it out and kill any mites?
Thanks everyone!! Yall are great.

 

[Crazy1]

tortoise_addict, Do you have a check on the humidity in the enclosure? I would not use the turtle eye drops at this time. Stick with the terramycin for now. Soak your little one in a warm bath with the bird vit. if he is dehydrated this will certainly help. Follow Dannys instructions they are good ones.

 

[tortoise_addict]

tortoise_addict, Do you have a check on the humidity in the enclosure? I would not use the turtle eye drops at this time. Stick with the terramycin for now. Soak your little one in a warm bath with the bird vit. if he is dehydrated this will certainly help. Follow Dannys instructions they are good ones.

The humidity is like 20% during the day. The probe is on the hot side of the tank. I added a moister hide to his enclosure but he likes to hang out in the hot side. I bought the organic soil and will change it out tomorrow. I did not want to bug him to much tonight.
I will follow your instructions on this site. I have changed everything around and I am sure with the soil there will be more humidity. Probably to much so I am going to bake the soil a little before I put it in there.
I am soooo thankful for this site.
Is there anywhere else other than Carolina pet supply to order the TNT?
I ordered it but its on back order and I wanted to get it in this week. I also ordered some of the grass mix they recommend for them.
Thanks

 

[tortoise_addict]

I wanted to thank everyone for your help. Its amazing what one day will do.
This was Lightening yesterday...

This is Lightening this morning after some terramycin, moist hide, bird vitamins ...

I figured instead of replacing the soil in the tank he is going to get new digs all together. I am going to go buy him a plastic tub today and give him a bigger and better suited house till I move the Russians out of there table and put him in it.
Thanks everyone and Lightening is even more thankful he did not go to the vet today and get shots for no reason.
I will continue with the bird vit and terramycin.

 

[Crazy1]

Lowes or Home depot have great black tubs that work well for little ones and they are really inexpensive about $6.00 small-$12.00 for large. They are in the sections with the cement. They work wonderful for a hatchling. I have my yearling and my 6 month old Greek in the large one.

Glad to see Lightening is doing better. Sounded like he/she might have been dehydrated. I keep one side or the hide about 70% humidity and the rest about 40%-55% for the hatchlings and am finding this is working well for them. there is one corner that is about 20% but they almost never go there.

 

[tortoise_addict]

Lowes or Home depot have great black tubs that work well for little ones and they are really inexpensive about $6.00 small-$12.00 for large. They are in the sections with the cement. They work wonderful for a hatchling. I have my yearling and my 6 month old Greek in the large one.

Glad to see Lightening is doing better. Sounded like he/she might have been dehydrated. I keep one side or the hide about 70% humidity and the rest about 40%-55% for the hatchlings and am finding this is working well for them. there is one corner that is about 20% but they almost never go there.

Thanks for the info.
I did set him up a new home today. He loves it and actually burrowed so deep that it took me a while to find him. He was up most of the day and burrowed down for bed around 4pm and has been sleeping since. His humidity is higher and I am hoping all is well now and he can relax, grow and be happy.
Here he is exploring his new home. Its still only temporary for a few months and I set it up exactly how I had the tank set up so it would not be to confusing. I just want this guy to be happy.

Even Tink and Pan got fresh bedding and some rocks to play on.