Help!! Sami cant open her eyes

[Zabbi0]

Help!! I'm freaking out...
My baby seems to be unable to open her eyes. She's very lethargic or maybe that's because she can't see.
I've checked on her a few times today and fed but I thought she was just sleeping.
I have had her soaking for 15mins but not helping. What should I do and what may have caused this? Is he just sick? I recently changed her diet but I wouldn't think that could cause this?
She ha

 

[Yvonne G]

This complaint is usually caused by being in too dry a habitat, along with it not being warm enough. Can we have a bit more information on how you have the baby set up?

 

[RedfootsRule]

More humidity and probably more heat are needed.

Try getting an eye dropper and dripping water directly on the eyes. That and higher humidity should help her to open them.

Pics of her and the setup would be a good idea if you want the best advice.

 

[sibi]

Have you set an appt to see a tort vet? Try giving her 2-3 warm soaks a day with some baby carrot food. We need to get pics of your baby and her enclosure asap.

 

[Zabbi0]

It is 9:50pm here. Vets are all closed. will call tomorrow if she is not improving. Yeah the tank I have her in the right now isn't great. Fairly dry and though I thought heat was overly enough I guess it isn't. Talked with a member on the phone who helped a lot. I guess the bulb I'm currently using is a UVA and not good source for heat though I ordered the right ones a while ago that he suggested and should be here any day. Also getting a temp guage.
She is able to open her eyes for a few seconds with fresh very warm water but then they shut again. I will try the drops. Is baby carrot food still a good idea for a 3-4yr old? Any ideas on how to feed this to her?

Thanks guys.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

You soak her in the baby food and it really helps giving them nutrition when they are not eating. Make sure your temps are all good as they stop eating when they get too cold. Still get the eye ointment too. You can get it on-line or at your local feed store...

 

[Tom]

Do you know your temps? What have you been doing for night heat?

 

[sibi]

Try increasing the heat in her hide and in the enclosure. Hot spot can be 100-105 degrees F, while the cool side can be 80-85. Make sure the enclosure has a top or lid so that you can cover the enclosure 3/4 the way. This will help hold the humidity in. Keep is posted and if u take him to the vet, let us know.

 

[Zabbi0]

Thanks guys.
Well after an hour long soak, I wrapped her up in a bunch of fleece type blankets and I'm keeping her next to me. I figure its better right now than the current heat bulb she has. The drops aren't working. What is the ointment mentioned?

 

[RedfootsRule]

Sadly, blankets do nothing for cold-blooded reptiles . It works for warm-blooded animals because they produce heat, and the blanket traps them around it. This doesn't work for cold-blooded reptiles.

No ointment was mentioned, I just suggested dripping water on her eyes. Maybe higher humidity would be helpful in a case like this? One of the best things I have found for cold reptiles is this; put her in a container in warm water in the bathroom to soak. Either in the shower where she will not be hit by water or just in the bathroom. Close the door of the bathroom, and turn the shower on as hot as it goes. Let the steam build up until it turns into a nice humid sauna.

What type of tortoise is Sami?

 

[Zabbi0]

That's a great idea. I'm going to do that right now before bed. I can't believe blankets don't do anything. Jeez. I've been hurting her the last few hours rather than helping. Dummy me.
I have been applying fish oil with a q tip to her eyes as someone suggested. I hope all this helps! I feel useless.

 

[RedfootsRule]

That's a great idea. I'm going to do that right now before bed. I can't believe blankets don't do anything. Jeez. I've been hurting her the last few hours rather than helping. Dummy me.
I have been applying fish oil with a q tip to her eyes as someone suggested. I hope all this helps! I feel useless.

Everyone has to learn that somewhere . And its unlikely you hurt her...Being surrounded by blankets was likely comfortable to her . The shower sauna should definitely work to warm her up....

Fish oil to the eyes? Who suggested that? I can give no information contrary if its good or bad. I've just never heard of it, so just curious...

She should be okay. Just keep her warm and try to get the humidity up. Do some baby food soaks tomorrow if she still doesn't eat, keep soaking in warm water a couple times a day, and if the problem persists it would be wise to take a trip to the vet.

Keep us posted .

 

[acrantophis]

Could you buy a heating pad at the pharmacy till you get appropriate heat elements? Also, partially covering the enclosures top will trap a lot of heat. Just be sure that if you use something flammable, like a towel, that it doesn't touch the heat lamp. do you own a thermometer? That should be one of the first things you buy when you get a tortoise. Knowing the temperature of your enclosure would have cut out a lot of speculation.

 

[Zabbi0]

Sami is in the sauna right now while I'm posting. She just seems so tired. I hope this helps. Will continue doing all these things through tomorrow. Thank you everyone very much for the help.
The fish oil was something someone from here on the forum suggested. If he wants to pop up he can but I'd rather not give out his name just in case he wants to be nameless.

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Could you buy a heating pad at the pharmacy till you get appropriate heat elements? Also, partially covering the enclosures top will trap a lot of heat. Just be sure that if you use something flammable, like a towel, that it doesn't touch the heat lamp. do you own a thermometer? That should be one of the first things you buy when you get a tortoise. Knowing the temperature of your enclosure would have cut out a lot of speculation.

Unfortunately I was given a whole lot of bad information before stumbling upon this site and am trying to make up for it now. Therm is in the mail too.
I thought about the heating pad idea but didn't feel totally comfortable with it. Even if I had her in the blankets still it just didn't seem like it would proportion heat the right way. Anyway, she's finished her last soak of the night and I put her semi close to the lamp for the night.

Thanks again everyone. Hope things are better tomorrow.

 

[ascott]

You can also use a household bulb to provide heat (for the day time anyways) and in the evening I would provide somewhere for her to cuddle up to that is warm (at best) and tomorrow you really should pick up a night heat bulb as well as a stronger bulb for the daytime...again, heat can be provided by a regular household bulb (not the coil bulbs)....

 

[Zabbi0]

She has a heat bulb. It's just one of those heat/light UVA 75watts.
She had a nighttime heat bulb but it like sparked and went out. So anyway I have a Zoomed Mercury UVB 100watt ceramic bulb, nighttime heat bulb, & thermo all in the mail that should be here any day.

 

[ascott]

Oh good

 

[RedfootsRule]

Any updates on Sami?

 

[Zabbi0]

She had her eyes partially open when i woke up and checked on her. I gave her another 30min soak (didn't do the sauna yet bc sis was in the shower) & it seemed to help. Her eyes didn't shut automatically within a few seconds of getting out.
She seems incredibly lethargic. I can't seem to get her to eat. She just sleeps. But when I prod her a little she opens her eyes halfway.
I'm going to go to the store later today when my car is out of the shop. Do you think pumpkin soaks would be just as effective as baby carrots? I thought I read somewhere of someone doing pumpkin soaks. Also if I used a syringe and tried to feed her a little would that be ok? Idk how successful I would be at doing it but I could try.

Thanks again. You guys are great & have helped me through a lot. Very grateful.

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Oh. Also I'm thinking of changing her bedding or whatever word y'all use for it. S something or another. I do think it is really dry and ashy even spraying it down. I'm currently using reptibark. Can y'all suggest something different that could keep in more humidity that won't grow mold or anything and where I can purchase it & about how much it is?
Thanks.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Lizzi:

You've been given lots of info and it seems like a lot to have to absorb. Here's some info that you can take to the bank:

You need to start over from scratch. I believe your baby is a sulcata, right? So read the first part of this thread (How to raise healthy sulcata hatchlings):

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-18448.html

Then go back and take a good hard look at the way you are taking care of your baby. You will need to make any adjustments and improvements. Pay particular attention to your heat and your humidity.

Baby tortoises are pretty sensitive. They require specialized care, and everything you need to care for your baby is in that thread.

While you are improving your tortoise-keeping technique, soak the baby every day in warm water mixed with Gerber strained carrots. The baby food is not a magic pill, but it does keep a small amount of nutrients getting into your baby while his eyes are closed and he's not eating.

This is not something you can wait for. You need to jump right on it. Your baby has been sick for a while before his eyes stuck shut.

Good luck. I hope you can help him get better.