White flesh

[EppsDynasty]

UPDATE 11/10 612 grams Still repeating the same process of 2 times a day cleaning the "crack" and supporting it with popsicle stick. Every morning a 30 min. soak and feeding following of Mazuri. Then the morning cleaning and re support. Today was one of her biggest poops and this one was 100% free of any foreign material. Last couple days to cold for her to walk around, so enjoying her heated hide.

 

[Yvonne G]

I would worry about too much messing with the crack. You don't want each side to start healing of itself. You want the two sides to heal together.

 

[EppsDynasty]

I would worry about too much messing with the crack. You don't want each side to start healing of itself. You want the two sides to heal together.

What I mean by cleaning the crack is just rinsing it with water. When she eats or walks around she shoves debris, food, rocks and sticks under the popsicle stick and tape. 2 weeks or more ago we stopped the Hydrogel Vetericyn. Now we dry to keep the crack "Dry"
Thank you for keeping an eye on this thread. I do feel better knowing if I do something really stupid there are a lot smarter people watching me.
I'm working on my Tortoise Care Confidence levels.

 

[TammyJ]

What I mean by cleaning the crack is just rinsing it with water. When she eats or walks around she shoves debris, food, rocks and sticks under the popsicle stick and tape. 2 weeks or more ago we stopped the Hydrogel Vetericyn. Now we dry to keep the crack "Dry"
Thank you for keeping an eye on this thread. I do feel better knowing if I do something really stupid there are a lot smarter people watching me.
I'm working on my Tortoise Care Confidence levels.

I'm not one of the smarter people. I just love your level of caring for this very lucky little creature. If she for some reason doesn't make it, you can just feel good because you know how hard you tried.

 

[EppsDynasty]

I'm not one of the smarter people. I just love your level of caring for this very lucky little creature. If she for some reason doesn't make it, you can just feel good because you know how hard you tried.

I’m not either, feel we’re just another animal on this rock called Earth.

 

[EppsDynasty]

UPDATE: 11/11 605 grams and 11/12 618 grams…. Going to take a car ride to the front property and go for a walk today. This eye thing is good right?

 

[TammyJ]

It doesn't look to me like she can see out of it, but 🤔 (that means maybe).

 

[zolasmum]

UPDATE: 11/11 605 grams and 11/12 618 grams…. Going to take a car ride to the front property and go for a walk today. This eye thing is good right?

In the photo, it does look possibly like an eye to me. Can you test if she can actually see anything with it - maybe by holding a colourful bit of food near it, and see if she turns towards it. Poor little JoJo, but at least she is having a lot of love and care at last.
Angie

 

[Yvonne G]

UPDATE: 11/11 605 grams and 11/12 618 grams…. Going to take a car ride to the front property and go for a walk today. This eye thing is good right?

I worry that it looks like there's no eye lid. I don't know if tortoises need to blink to keep their eyes lubricated. Another question to ask the vet.

 

[EppsDynasty]

I worry that it looks like there's no eye lid. I don't know if tortoises need to blink to keep their eyes lubricated. Another question to ask the vet.

So I'm afraid the eye isn't a functioning eye. I have tried all kinds of stimulant items food, the Q tip, and my hands with her not reacting at all. This eye might have to be taken out I fear, especially with no eyelid.

 

[EppsDynasty]

UPDATE: OOOOOOOOO YEAH she can see....Yes she can see, I repeat Jo Jo can see with 2 eyes. Something is covering her eye like a "Mucus Membrane" it's like a real soft piece of skin, mucus, something that blocks her vision. I am afraid of drying out as well. It seems that if we do not keep Vaseline or Mineral on the surrounding area of her eye "Constantly" this whatever appears and covers the eye. My wife and I about cried when we realized this a few minutes ago.
11/12 618 grams and 11/13 601 grams Today some more random strands of the Nylon Stuffing came out in her poop but the last 2 days Urates, Urates, Urates. This is good right? She is an inspiration to never give up, my wife was talking about how miserable she must of been for so long. NEVER AGAIN for Jo Jo will she be miserable.

 

[zolasmum]

That's wonderful !!! It's a shame that she still hasn't managed to flush through all the horrible stuff she had been eating, but good that it must be nearly all out now - and surely very good she is getting rid of all those urates - and so very good you think she can really see !!! How did you realise she could see - what happened ?
Angie

 

[EppsDynasty]

That's wonderful !!! It's a shame that she still hasn't managed to flush through all the horrible stuff she had been eating, but good that it must be nearly all out now - and surely very good she is getting rid of all those urates - and so very good you think she can really see !!! How did you realise she could see - what happened ?
Angie

I noticed her eye looked a little different than it did this morning (when I tried to test her eye.) So I started to see if she reacted to my finger approaching her eye. All I had to do was lift my hand and she reacted....wait one more time, she reacted.....this can't be....it is Hallelujah.
On a side note my wifes mum is from Coventry..Close to you 3?

 

[zolasmum]

I noticed her eye looked a little different than it did this morning (when I tried to test her eye.) So I started to see if she reacted to my finger approaching her eye. All I had to do was lift my hand and she reacted....wait one more time, she reacted.....this can't be....it is Hallelujah.
On a side note my wifes mum is from Coventry..Close to you 3

Congratulations to you and JoJo. I'm sure the vet will be able to advise what more you can do to help,but at least you can feel really positive about it.!
I do know Coventry fairly well, as my cousin lives near there, but we actually live in the Southwest of England, on the border between Devon and Cornwall, and a few miles from the Atlantic Ocean. That's where Zola goes to look at the sea. You can see how intently he is looking
Angie

 

[EppsDynasty]

UPDATE 11/14 609 grams. 11/15 607 grams. 11/16 636 grams. She has regular bowel movements now it seems, just about everyday she poops. I included these pics so you can see the "Stuff" that covers her eye, usually in the morning (the first 2 pics). Then the last 2 pics are as she soaks and eats she will rub her eye to get rid of it. My wife commented on how much more "It looks like an eye instead of a dark hole." As I looked at the pics it reminded me of how far she has come. The first pictures of her face were sad. When we do some thing with her eye such as wash, lubricate, or clean she doesn't seem to mind. Her seemingly comfort with us doing what we do is a comfort to us.
Thank you so much for the Picture we all in the family love it.

Congratulations to you and JoJo. I'm sure the vet will be able to advise what more you can do to help,but at least you can feel really positive about it.!
I do know Coventry fairly well, as my cousin lives near there, but we actually live in the Southwest of England, on the border between Devon and Cornwall, and a few miles from the Atlantic Ocean. That's where Zola goes to look at the sea. You can see how intently he is looking
Angie
View attachment 363380

 

[zolasmum]

I'm sure she is comfortable in many ways now that she wasn't before - her insides are not being constantly damaged by sharp feathers and grit, her skin is not irritated by duck droppings, her stomach is happily digesting proper food - and most of all, she senses the warmth and care with which you are surrounding her - I'm sure she feels that too.
Here's another photo of Zola when he was a lot younger -we try to give him a good and interesting life ! The sea is wonderful - always different - thecolours of the water, - the clouds - the waves -we love it too! Even when it's raining, he still loves it -even when he has snow falling on his nose he loves it !
Angie

-

 

[EppsDynasty]

I'm sure she is comfortable in many ways now that she wasn't before - her insides are not being constantly damaged by sharp feathers and grit, her skin is not irritated by duck droppings, her stomach is happily digesting proper food - and most of all, she senses the warmth and care with which you are surrounding her - I'm sure she feels that too.
Here's another photo of Zola when he was a lot younger -we try to give him a good and interesting life ! The sea is wonderful - always different - thecolours of the water, - the clouds - the waves -we love it too! Even when it's raining, he still loves it -even when he has snow falling on his nose he loves it !
Angie

View attachment 363428 -

It's obvious that Zola not only has a beautiful place to live, but a beautiful family to live with. Sincerely Thank You for sharing the pictures, I will never forget "Zola of the Sea"

 

[EppsDynasty]

UPDATE: 11/17 624 grams 11/18 664 grams. We're starting to see the pattern of gaining then losing weight. It's about an ounce that she'll eat when hungry. She will have about 2-3 days where she won't be as hungry, only 1/2 ounce eaten. She does have a continuous appetite for really whatever you give her. She does seem to favor the greens over Mazuti. So I'm sure it's a beak thing but...Every so often there will be a clicking noise when she closes her mouth. I am looking up "trimming" but it will go away on it's own then come back. With the vet appointment coming up I will definitely bring it up. Really excited about the appointment as well. It's pretty cold now been raining alot so she sits in her hide comfy as a bug in a rug.

 

[zolasmum]

UPDATE: 11/17 624 grams 11/18 664 grams. We're starting to see the pattern of gaining then losing weight. It's about an ounce that she'll eat when hungry. She will have about 2-3 days where she won't be as hungry, only 1/2 ounce eaten. She does have a continuous appetite for really whatever you give her. She does seem to favor the greens over Mazuti. So I'm sure it's a beak thing but...Every so often there will be a clicking noise when she closes her mouth. I am looking up "trimming" but it will go away on it's own then come back. With the vet appointment coming up I will definitely bring it up. Really excited about the appointment as well. It's pretty cold now been raining alot so she sits in her hide comfy as a bug in a rug.

Jo Jo has only very recently started having proper food again, and perhaps her stomach hasn't totally learned to digest it - maybe she will gain weight more steadily as she gets used to it. It's great to hear about her progress.
I love the photos of where you live - I went on a bus trip across the USA many years ago - the space was what impressed me most of all.
Angie

 

[EppsDynasty]

UPDATE: 11/19 626 grams 11/20 595 grams. I included the 1st pic so you could see the color coming back around her eye...yes. Still no eyelid, bummer. The 2nd pic I included so you could see her Monster side. She's doing well. Doesn't mind now at all us applying Mineral oil to the eye area. We use Vaseline at night for it's staying ability.