Russian Tortoise 7 months old eyes shut

[Tinytom08]

Hi All

I have 3 RT one is a year old, 2 are 7 months. One of the 7 months is smaller than other tortoise and its eyes are shut all day until bathed and one eye opens. Both the other tortoises eyes are open and are eating fine and putting on weight.

I have a 3ft wooden vivarium with pellets on floor, regulating 60W heat lamp to around 26/28 degress. A 3ft UV tube which is on for 12 hours. Feeding them kale, rocket, water cress and once a week strawberries, also mixing it with clacium dust and repavite.

Has anybody got any feedback as to why its eyes are shut.

Regards

Tom

 

[wellington]

Pellet substrate is bad, replace it with plain dirt, leaf mulch, coconut coir, orchid bark and if them. Do not use any coil bulbs they cause eye problems. The enclosures are too small for one russian let alone three. Also, russians should not be housed together, specially in such small areas. A large yard could hold three with lots of sight barriers and only one male. Humidity, do they have any?
@Tom can help and refer you to his care sheet for russians.

 

[Tinytom08]

Thank you for reply wellington.

I think the small one may be getting bullied so will have to separate all three. Can you house male and female together? Yes but not sure on the measurement . will have a look at his care sheet

 

[Tom]

The little one definitely needs his own enclosure and you should be soaking him daily.

The other two should no be housed as a pair, so you'll need to house them separately as well. There is no way to know the sex by looking at a young one.

Stop feeding strawberries. Fruit is not good for them and all the sugars mess with their intestinal flora and fauna. The other stuff you are feeding is okay, but it lacks fiber. Either grow or find some weeds, leave, flowers and spineless opuntia for them.

Here is the care info:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/