Not eating

J3nmac

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Joined
Jan 16, 2022
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2
Location (City and/or State)
Nottingham
Hi all,

We have had our horsefield tortoise a few months when we got him he had one always closed so he was having daily baths and it worked, his eye opened.

Since Christmas both eyes remain shut and he walks around with closed eyes. We have spoken to the shop we got him from they just said keep bathing him. He has now barely eating and still has eyes shut.

Took him to the vet yesterday and they gave some eye drops and said carry on daily bathing but we are just a little concerned as not eating much and not doing much either.

His basking temperature is 27°c which seems to be as hot as the lights are getting.

Any help would be appreciated (I say him but apparently he is only 1 year old so don't know if he's male yet ?)
 

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Lyn W

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Hi and welcome,
Pet shops, some breeders and even non specialist vets often know very little about tortoise care and shops often sell unsuitable and unsafe equipment for profit not because they have any expertise. There's also a lot of old out dated information still circulating in places like FB and other websites.
From your enclosure picture it looks like you've been given some of that old advice ( as all of us have starting out) but this is the up to date caresheet you need to put things right and improve your torts living conditions.
Babies do better in a large viv (closed chamber) where you have more control over temps and humidity. What substrate are you using? It looks very dry, like sand which is bad for torts because it can irritate eyes and if they ingest it on food it can cause impaction in the gut- the caresheet will give you better options.
What lamps are you using? I can't tell in your photo if you have one, but the uvb tube should be used with a shield and directed downwards not mounted on the side. What sort of thermometer do you have? Do you have night heat?
You could try adding some baby carrot food (as sold in Tesco) to his warm soak that is often recommended for torts with closed eyes and may help. I'll have to check the ratio.
Anyway read the caresheet and make any changes you need, but ask as many questions as you like someone will be able to help.
 

Lyn W

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Joined
Jul 22, 2014
Messages
23,497
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I've searched the carrot baby food soak and Yvonne G who has kept torts for decades and rescued many torts, uses a 50/50 mix. It is only to be used for torts with shut eyes and off their food, as a means of getting some vitamin A into them - either when they drink it or through absorption via their vent. It should not be used with healthy torts. It is much safer than allowing a vet to give vitamin jabs which often cause more harm than good.
 

J3nmac

New Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2022
Messages
2
Location (City and/or State)
Nottingham
Hi and welcome,
Pet shops, some breeders and even non specialist vets often know very little about tortoise care and shops often sell unsuitable and unsafe equipment for profit not because they have any expertise. There's also a lot of old out dated information still circulating in places like FB and other websites.
From your enclosure picture it looks like you've been given some of that old advice ( as all of us have starting out) but this is the up to date caresheet you need to put things right and improve your torts living conditions.
Babies do better in a large viv (closed chamber) where you have more control over temps and humidity. What substrate are you using? It looks very dry, like sand which is bad for torts because it can irritate eyes and if they ingest it on food it can cause impaction in the gut- the caresheet will give you better options.
What lamps are you using? I can't tell in your photo if you have one, but the uvb tube should be used with a shield and directed downwards not mounted on the side. What sort of thermometer do you have? Do you have night heat?
You could try adding some baby carrot food (as sold in Tesco) to his warm soak that is often recommended for torts with closed eyes and may help. I'll have to check the ratio.
Anyway read the caresheet and make any changes you need, but ask as many questions as you like someone will be able to help.
Thank you for all your help.
The substrate is like a soil sand mix which was recommended but we are going to try one of the others suggested.

Quick question on the carrot baby food, I am struggling to find one, is there one you recommend?
 

Lyn W

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5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2014
Messages
23,497
Location (City and/or State)
UK
Teco sell
Thank you for all your help.
The substrate is like a soil sand mix which was recommended but we are going to try one of the others suggested.

Quick question on the carrot baby food, I am struggling to find one, is there one you recommend?
Tesco sells pouches of baby food - own brand and one called Ella's Kitchen which is the one I've used.

1642600482000.png1642600560688.png
Anywhere that sells baby food may have it but it must just be carrot.
In the US they use the Gerber brand but I've not found that anywhere in the UK yet.
It should take about 3 days to see results.
 

Ardelle

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Joined
Jul 5, 2022
Messages
104
Location (City and/or State)
Ilkeston
My horsefeild is doing exactly this! Did you find a fix or the cause please
 

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