Hi guys,
My Russian tortoise pair has been hibernating in the same bin in the same fridge since November (almost four months), and I have been checking up on them at least once a week. This morning when I went to check on them, I saw that the surface of their substrate was disturbed. I took that to mean one or both of them was ready to emerge from hibernation, so I took them out.
I gave them both a warm bath, and put them back in their regular enclosures. Both were groggy, of course, but the female seemed bright-eyed and fine. For the male, however, both eyes were swollen shut with a layer of whitish material over them. He rubbed his eyes and the white matter fell away, but both eyes are still swollen shut, and I am concerned.
Both tortoises were nice and plump before going into hibernation. Their fridge maintained a temperature of 40+/-2*F all winter long, and I misted their hibernaculum at least once per week. So, I would not have expected eye problems, because the tortoises should not have experienced frost, dehydration, or starvation. Nevertheless, when I picked them up, they seemed quite light to me.
Do you think this means my tortoises are dehydrated, starving, or both? Could the male could have suffered frost damage to his eyes, and that he might have been blinded? Or is this something common that he will simply come out of soon?
I was planning to continue giving them daily warm water baths, and to start offering them food tomorrow. Does this sound good? Is there anything else I should be doing, especially for the male with the swollen eyes? Please advise, as I am a bit worried about him.
My Russian tortoise pair has been hibernating in the same bin in the same fridge since November (almost four months), and I have been checking up on them at least once a week. This morning when I went to check on them, I saw that the surface of their substrate was disturbed. I took that to mean one or both of them was ready to emerge from hibernation, so I took them out.
I gave them both a warm bath, and put them back in their regular enclosures. Both were groggy, of course, but the female seemed bright-eyed and fine. For the male, however, both eyes were swollen shut with a layer of whitish material over them. He rubbed his eyes and the white matter fell away, but both eyes are still swollen shut, and I am concerned.
Both tortoises were nice and plump before going into hibernation. Their fridge maintained a temperature of 40+/-2*F all winter long, and I misted their hibernaculum at least once per week. So, I would not have expected eye problems, because the tortoises should not have experienced frost, dehydration, or starvation. Nevertheless, when I picked them up, they seemed quite light to me.
Do you think this means my tortoises are dehydrated, starving, or both? Could the male could have suffered frost damage to his eyes, and that he might have been blinded? Or is this something common that he will simply come out of soon?
I was planning to continue giving them daily warm water baths, and to start offering them food tomorrow. Does this sound good? Is there anything else I should be doing, especially for the male with the swollen eyes? Please advise, as I am a bit worried about him.