Help for a blind baby tort :-)

[Sam Perkins]

Dear All,

I'm currently living in Nigeria and a few days ago I received two baby Sulcata torts, who were on the menu if otherwise taken care of. One of them is doing great - very active, exploring, climbing, eating etc.

Unfortunately the other (Dead Eyed ****) was born without eyes. When we got ****, we placed it in shallow water to soak it dipped it's head and drank deeply. It followed this with urination. This has been repeated on a number of occasions. We have also done the same with blended fresh greens with the hope it will ingest some nutrients as well as water. Solid food is ignored completely.

On the first day **** explored and moved around quite a lot. Second day **** was almost motionless. Today, **** spent most of the morning moving only slightly, but this afternoon has been off exploring and climbing as best it can.

Does anyone have any thoughts or recommendations regarding this situation?

Because the weather is hot here (30-40 decgrees C) outside conditions seem ideal and there is a lot of space for them wander, bask and seek shade. I have a smaller enclosure inside where I put them at night for safe guarding. Does anyone have experience or recommendations regarding this approach. They are much happier outside, but I am worried to leave them alone there until they are bigger - hence the use of two spaces?

Thanks in advance for any advice...

 

[JoesMum]

Hello and welcome

This sounds like an interesting one for @Tom to help with

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

When I've had to deal with blind turtles or tortoises, I cut the food up into very, very tiny pieces and pile it up against a wall, so when the tortoise bites at it, it doesn't move away from him. You can mix in some grated cucumber to give the greens a good smell. Tortoises usually really like cucumber and it's pretty easy to entice them to eat the good stuff if it smells like cucumber. I would keep him in a smaller habitat, planted so there are some hiding places and he feels secure. If you don't move him to new places, he will soon learn his boundaries and start to feel safer.

Good luck raising this baby. I'd love to see pictures.

 

[Sam Perkins]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

When I've had to deal with blind turtles or tortoises, I cut the food up into very, very tiny pieces and pile it up against a wall, so when the tortoise bites at it, it doesn't move away from him. You can mix in some grated cucumber to give the greens a good smell. Tortoises usually really like cucumber and it's pretty easy to entice them to eat the good stuff if it smells like cucumber. I would keep him in a smaller habitat, planted so there are some hiding places and he feels secure. If you don't move him to new places, he will soon learn his boundaries and start to feel safer.

Good luck raising this baby. I'd love to see pictures.

Thanks a lot for this. I am not sure there is so much "food" recognition going on at the moment, but I will keep trying as you suggested along with soaking in water and "soup". I am in the process of setting up a permanent space for the blind tort with enough interest and texture without the hazards and soft vegetation for the walls. I was also thinking of providing "leading" lined or objects that will direct towards water and food. Might help get the bearings

 

[Yvonne G]

Once he starts eating, you won't have to worry about leading lines. They have an excellent sense of smell. For your 'soup,' use Gerbers strained carrots. It has the highest vitamin A content, and when a baby isn't eating, the first thing that happens is swollen eyes from lack of vitamin A.

 

[Gillian M]

A very warm welcome to the forum!

Please post pictures of your torts as well as their enclosures.

 

[H]-[H]

Once he starts eating, you won't have to worry about leading lines. They have an excellent sense of smell. For your 'soup,' use Gerbers strained carrots. It has the highest vitamin A content, and when a baby isn't eating, the first thing that happens is swollen eyes from lack of vitamin A.

Just out of curiosity, what is the use of this soup? Is it a replacement for water so the tortoise drinks it?
And how to make the soup? Is it by boiling a bunch of carrots in water?

 

[Rue]

You could grate and puree your own carrots, but it's easy to just buy baby food. Strained carrots.

You put them in the soup (cool) so that they 'drink' or soak in it and take in some nutrition that they wouldn't ordinarily.

 

[H]-[H]

How often do they need to be soaked in the soup?

 

[Rue]

I'm not sure. I'd try it daily for a few days, and then if the animal looks better, every two days, then every three...until the animal has recovered.

 

[Yvonne G]

Baby tortoises that aren't eating benefit from soaking in Gerber strained carrots. I don't use it for healthy tortoises that are eating. They soak a bit of the nutrients through the thin skin on the throat and around the cloaca.

 

[Sam Perkins]

Once he starts eating, you won't have to worry about leading lines. They have an excellent sense of smell. For your 'soup,' use Gerbers strained carrots. It has the highest vitamin A content, and when a baby isn't eating, the first thing that happens is swollen eyes from lack of vitamin A.

Thanks a lot for this. So far the cut up vegies are not doing the trick, but **** is still drinking. I'll get some carrots!

 

[Sam Perkins]

Just out of curiosity, what is the use of this soup? Is it a replacement for water so the tortoise drinks it?
And how to make the soup? Is it by boiling a bunch of carrots in water?

The "soup" as a start we blended morning glory (a favourite of Clyde) some spinach and lettuce with water to create a soup like drink. Mainly water with some tiny pieces of greens within. The idea being that the tort will drink as per and at the same time will ingest some of the small solid particles along with nutrients picked up or dissolved within the water.

 

[Sam Perkins]

Baby tortoises that aren't eating benefit from soaking in Gerber strained carrots. I don't use it for healthy tortoises that are eating. They soak a bit of the nutrients through the thin skin on the throat and around the cloaca.

Many thanks Yvonne. I'll put some carrots onto slow cook today and blend them up with a bit of water. **** can have a carrot soak this evening.