Sick horse field

[Newtortmummy]

Please help I’m at the end of what I can do, i purchased a horsefield tort 4 months ago from a pet store ( yes I’m possibly stupid) for my son as his dad had passed away and he’d always wanted a tort of his own as his best friend has one. Sky the tort is around 13 months old and up until the red hot English heatwave we had all was ok other than needing a few soaks every now and again as she kept going off her food and lethargic. As the hot weather hit she went down hill and I’m unsure if it’s coincidental or not but she started going off her food and lethargic, we did daily soaks and after 5 days nothing. We went to the only vets here ( we live in the middle of nowhere and the vets more used to cattle than tortoise) they checked sky and came back saying they had googled and it’s just aestivation, I’ve been back 2 times since then and just get told the same, her eyes swelled and haven’t opened in 2 weeks and now they have gone down but won’t open and it’s like they sink in when she blinks/ twitches them even though they are shut. They gave her a vitamin shot and sent me away and all I get told is it will be aestivation.
She’s had carrot soaks, ive cleaned her eyes with saline water religiously but she’s now not eaten in 3 weeks and other than soaks she’s not drank in 2 weeks.
Her set up is a 4x3 open top tort table with fine orchid bark that’s dampened daily, she had a uvb high output strip light with reflector on and a heat lamp in a dome temperature and humidity etc is checked digitally to ensure all is as it should be and she’s been fed on weeds etc only to ensure she’s healthy. I feel like she’s slipping away and I’m at the end of what to do.
Sorry to waffle on.

 

[Newtortmummy]

Please help I’m at the end of what I can do, i purchased a horsefield tort 4 months ago from a pet store ( yes I’m possibly stupid) for my son as his dad had passed away and he’d always wanted a tort of his own as his best friend has one. Sky the tort is around 13 months old and up until the red hot English heatwave we had all was ok other than needing a few soaks every now and again as she kept going off her food and lethargic. As the hot weather hit she went down hill and I’m unsure if it’s coincidental or not but she started going off her food and lethargic, we did daily soaks and after 5 days nothing. We went to the only vets here ( we live in the middle of nowhere and the vets more used to cattle than tortoise) they checked sky and came back saying they had googled and it’s just aestivation, I’ve been back 2 times since then and just get told the same, her eyes swelled and haven’t opened in 2 weeks and now they have gone down but won’t open and it’s like they sink in when she blinks/ twitches them even though they are shut. They gave her a vitamin shot and sent me away and all I get told is it will be aestivation.
She’s had carrot soaks, ive cleaned her eyes with saline water religiously but she’s now not eaten in 3 weeks and other than soaks she’s not drank in 2 weeks.
Her set up is a 4x3 open top tort table with fine orchid bark that’s dampened daily, she had a uvb high output strip light with reflector on and a heat lamp in a dome temperature and humidity etc is checked digitally to ensure all is as it should be and she’s been fed on weeds etc only to ensure she’s healthy. I feel like she’s slipping away and I’m at the end of what to do.
Sorry to waffle on.

How her eyes are at present,

 

[zolasmum]

How her eyes are at present,

I am so sorry , and as Im not an expert, I don't know what may be going wrong, but my hermann's tortoise has had occasional eye problems, and we use Viscotears from the chemist - it is a clear gel - you put a blob on each eye, and it will gradually liquidise. It is fairly cheap, and you can get it over the counter at a chemist. It is quite harmless.
Have you tried offering cucumber - thin peeled slices - to get a bit of fluid into Sky - also chopped romaine lettuce, perhaps.
There will no doubt be other members coming along to help and advise you soon.
Best wishes
Angie

 

[Newtortmummy]

I am so sorry , and as Im not an expert, I don't know what may be going wrong, but my hermann's tortoise has had occasional eye problems, and we use Viscotears from the chemist - it is a clear gel - you put a blob on each eye, and it will gradually liquidise. It is fairly cheap, and you can get it over the counter at a chemist. It is quite harmless.
Have you tried offering cucumber - thin peeled slices - to get a bit of fluid into Sky - also chopped romaine lettuce, perhaps.
There will no doubt be other members coming along to help and advise you soon.
Best wishes
Angie

Thankyou I shall run to the chemist and see if they have any, ive tried her with everything from her favourite foods to lettuce, strawberry the lot even rubbing it around her mouth to show her it’s there but she’s just not interested.

 

[wellington]

Soak her daily for 30 minutes in warm water with carrot puree baby food and piediyte added to the water. Keep her warm 85 day and night until she is better.
Do not feed any fruit specially right now. It's bad for their gut.

 

[Newtortmummy]

Soak her daily for 30 minutes in warm water with carrot puree baby food and piediyte added to the water. Keep her warm 85 day and night until she is better.
Do not feed any fruit specially right now. It's bad for their gut.

Thankyou shall start her now, she’s been soaking in carrot purée and critical care formula shall I stop the CCF?

 

[wellington]

Thankyou shall start her now, she’s been soaking in carrot purée and critical care formula shall I stop the CCF?

No the CCF is just as good if not better then piediyte. Just soak her daily and for at least half hour. Be sure to keep her warm the whole time

 

[Newtortmummy]

No the CCF is just as good if not better then piediyte. Just soak her daily and for at least half hour. Be sure to keep her warm the whole time

I’ve been doing that daily for 2 weeks now 50/50 carrot and water and ccf added, the last 2 days she’s hardly moving even in her soak where as before she would have a little walk along in the tub, it’s like she’s given in. Her ceramic lights on now for the night and I’ve put her in a little hospital enclosure to keep a closer eye on her ive used her same substrate etc to mimic her usual tort table but she’s just lying there the only way I know she’s still with us is if I touch her leg she will move it a little. I’m so scared I’m causing her to suffer by keeping her going when she’s fading away before my eyes.
Thankyou everyone for all your help and advice

 

[Lyn W]

Dioralyte is the UK version of Pedialyte but you can buy Pedialyte on Amazon - the vet may be able to recommend an electrolyte treatment for tortoises.
Reptoboost soaks are used to encourage torts that have woken from hibernation to drink/eat. It can be bought from Pets at Home.
This caresheet will tell you what temps she needs
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/
If you post a picture of her enclosure and the lamps you are using, as well as usual diet that may help members try to work out what's happened.

 

[Lyn W]

I’ve been doing that daily for 2 weeks now 50/50 carrot and water and ccf added, the last 2 days she’s hardly moving even in her soak where as before she would have a little walk along in the tub, it’s like she’s given in. Her ceramic lights on now for the night and I’ve put her in a little hospital enclosure to keep a closer eye on her ive used her same substrate etc to mimic her usual tort table but she’s just lying there the only way I know she’s still with us is if I touch her leg she will move it a little. I’m so scared I’m causing her to suffer by keeping her going when she’s fading away before my eyes.
Thankyou everyone for all your help and advice

Do you have the CHE running through a thermostat so it doesn't overheat her?

 

[Newtortmummy]

Do you have the CHE running through a thermostat so it doesn't overheat her?

Yes got thermostat running and set to 85.

Dioralyte is the UK version of Pedialyte but you can buy Pedialyte on Amazon - the vet may be able to recommend an electrolyte treatment for tortoises.
Reptoboost soaks are used to encourage torts that have woken from hibernation to drink/eat. It can be bought from Pets at Home.
This caresheet will tell you what temps she needs
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/
If you post a picture of her enclosure and the lamps you are using, as well as usual diet that may help members try to work out what's happened.

Hi Lyn She’s on critical care formula and the vet just states aestivation after they googled it, unfortunately I live in the middle of nowhere and the vets here are aimed more towards cattle than reptiles, at the moment she’s at 85 degrees over night although when she was in her normal tort table I’d gone by all temperatures set out in the care sheet. As for tort food we feed her on weeds etc set out in the care sheet, we’ve a 3 tier garden so 1 level is all for tort no weeds are picked until she needs them and we’ve even planted some shelled warriors seeds that have been doing really well. Her favourite go to is dandelions and clover, all food is calcium dusted and she has a bath twice a week.

 

[wellington]

In so very sorry
All I can say is keep trying and doing what you have been.
Unfortunately some just got a bad start from hatching and just don't make it.
Some also do make a miracle recovery.
I'm not sure what else you can do.
@Yvonne G

 

[Newtortmummy]

In so very sorry
All I can say is keep trying and doing what you have been.
Unfortunately some just got a bad start from hatching and just don't make it.
Some also do make a miracle recovery.
I'm not sure what else you can do.
@Yvonne G

Thankyou for all your help

 

[Newtortmummy]

We are on day 16 of CCF and carrot soak and this just happened 2-3 big gulps of the soak and eyes opened. I know we aren’t out of the woods yet but it’s got to be a good sign

 

[zolasmum]

We are on day 16 of CCF and carrot soak and this just happened 2-3 big gulps of the soak and eyes opened. I know we aren’t out of the woods yet but it’s got to be a good sign

That's wonderful news ! I am so glad. When she has finished her soak, keep her really warm, and perhaps give her another soak this evening.
Did you manage to get some Viscotears? It might help her eyes feel more comfortable.
Best wishes
Angie

 

[Newtortmummy]

That's wonderful news ! I am so glad. When she has finished her soak, keep her really warm, and perhaps give her another soak this evening.
Did you manage to get some Viscotears? It might help her eyes feel more comfortable.
Best wishes
Angie

She’s snuggly warm in her hospital table ive set up for her, I didn’t manage to get any viscotears but I’m bathing them for her a few times a day to help her. She’s having a soak tonight then the CHE will be on all night for her again, I hope she’s starting to want to fight this and decided stuff this I fancy some yummy weeds as I can’t bear to tell my little lad she’s gone

 

[Karen(pebbles)]

Hi and welcome to the forum, fingers crossed that your little tort is on the road to recovery, but if you could post some pics of your set up and lamps that you are using would be a great help.

 

[Newtortmummy]

So since earlier eyes open we’ve had nothing she’s just lying there she’s on soak number 2 but just lying there, if I pick her up she will wiggle a tiny bit but eyes shut again and no movement so I’m constantly checking her sleeping area temperature. I got some pictures of her earlier and one now in her soak she’s 0.88kgs if that’s any help.
Am I being cruel keeping her going? Was her eyes open a one off? Do I keep going until she’s gone or is that cruel? I’m full of questions

 

[Sarah2020]

Tortoise are tough I would keep going but they do like to sleep around 4pm so let it be after then. Dandelions are out in the parks so suggest a walk, pick, wash under the tap cut into quarters to help eating and avoid choaking place in front of its face and watch.

Check your set up and settings in the care sheet.

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Newtortmummy]

Tortoise are tough I would keep going but they do like to sleep around 4pm so let it be after then. Dandelions are out in the parks so suggest a walk, pick, wash under the tap cut into quarters to help eating and avoid choaking place in front of its face and watch.

Check your set up and settings in the care sheet.

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

Thankyou, set up is per the care sheet as it’s what I went off when I got her, we grow dandelions for the bearded dragon so put them in daily for her but she’s just not interested, she’s not eaten in over 3 weeks and other than 2-3 gulps of her bathing mix today she’s not drank in 16 days just soaks, I soaked her this afternoon but nothing at all just laid there head out a bit and no movement. I feel so bad for her as I can only imagine how she feels