Hatchling

AstrisMom

New Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2020
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
attleboro
I took my hatchling to the vet yesterday thinking she was about three or four months old because she was having trouble opening her eyes.
her enclosure temps are good. humidity is great. her substrate is good. She's been pooping and moving around a lot. She usually opens her eyes during a soak.
Turns out she's only 3 weeks old. My question is when do three week old hatchlings fully open their eyes.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I took my hatchling to the vet yesterday thinking she was about three or four months old because she was having trouble opening her eyes.
her enclosure temps are good. humidity is great. her substrate is good. She's been pooping and moving around a lot. She usually opens her eyes during a soak.
Turns out she's only 3 weeks old. My question is when do three week old hatchlings fully open their eyes.
Several problems here:
  • Vets know very little about tortoise care. There really isn't much they can do for a baby, and most of what they do does harm.
  • You can't tell the age of a hatching by looking at it. If it still has an egg tooth, then you can say its less than 6 weeks old. No egg tooth, then over 6 weeks old. That's about it.
  • Most breeders don't start babies correctly, and then they tell their buyers all the wrong housing info.
  • Babies open their eyes when they hatch they come out of the egg with open eyes. Closed eyes means there is a major problem.
Telling us humidity and temps are good and great, doesn't tell us anything. Most people's idea of what good and great temps are is wrong. Most breeders have this wrong and tell people the wrong info. What are your four temperatures? Warm side, cool side, basking area, and over night low? What heating and lighting equipment are you using to accomplish these temps? What type and size enclosure? Pics really help. Are you using a UV bulb? What type?

We'd love to help, but we will need more info.
 

AstrisMom

New Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2020
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
attleboro
My vet specializes in Sulcatas specifically.. so I'm pretty sure I'm getting correct information
 

AstrisMom

New Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2020
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
attleboro
Basking is 103 overall temp is 81 cooling is 71.
Humidity is 65 to 75.
I have a UVB strip light. Humid hide. Coco coir substrate. 20 gallon long tank with semi-open top. I soak the baby twice a day for 30 minutes each. Put her in her humid hide a couple times a day.
Taking the tin foil off. Using a t-shirt instead. Sorry I didn't mean to cut you off short I was driving. Also there is only one light in the double dome lid.
 

Attachments

  • 20201120_151817.jpg
    20201120_151817.jpg
    1.2 MB · Views: 56

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
My vet specializes in Sulcatas specifically.. so I'm pretty sure I'm getting correct information
People who have been breeding them for decades don't understand the correct care for them. If your vet isn't on this forum reading the info here, then he/she does not know how to care for sulcatas. If your vet told you that the baby is 3 weeks old, and doesn't know the hatch date, then your vet doesn't know sulcatas. Did the vet give your tortoise a "vitamin" injection? Or a calcium injection? Did the vet explain why the eyes aren't open? Did the vet ask you how the baby was started with the breeder? Does the vet know why so many babies fail?

I know you don't know who I am yet, or what I know, or what I've been doing with sulcatas for the last 30 years, but you are barking up the wrong tree. I am personal friends with several reptile vets. They call me for info. I say again: Vets don't know tortoise care and don't understand what is going wrong with baby torts. Most of what they do is detrimental, and they don't address or correct the CAUSE of the symptoms they are attempting to treat.

If you want help, I'll help you, but as I said before, I'll need more info. You are now at a crossroads. Most people realize the free help that is being offered and thank me. Some people call me a know-it-all jerk and leave the forum in a huff. If you want to listen to your vet, then I'll leave you to it. If you want to know what's wrong with your baby, which I'm guessing is why you posted, I can tell you. Arguing with you about how much your vet knows or doesn't know is not going to help your baby. Not trying to sound abrupt here, but I've been down this road many times. My goal is only to help your baby get healthy.
 

AstrisMom

New Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2020
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
attleboro
People who have been breeding them for decades don't understand the correct care for them. If your vet isn't on this forum reading the info here, then he/she does not know how to care for sulcatas. If your vet told you that the baby is 3 weeks old, and doesn't know the hatch date, then your vet doesn't know sulcatas. Did the vet give your tortoise a "vitamin" injection? Or a calcium injection? Did the vet explain why the eyes aren't open? Did the vet ask you how the baby was started with the breeder? Does the vet know why so many babies fail?

I know you don't know who I am yet, or what I know, or what I've been doing with sulcatas for the last 30 years, but you are barking up the wrong tree. I am personal friends with several reptile vets. They call me for info. I say again: Vets don't know tortoise care and don't understand what is going wrong with baby torts. Most of what they do is detrimental, and they don't address or correct the CAUSE of the symptoms they are attempting to treat.

If you want help, I'll help you, but as I said before, I'll need more info. You are now at a crossroads. Most people realize the free help that is being offered and thank me. Some people call me a know-it-all jerk and leave the forum in a huff. If you want to listen to your vet, then I'll leave you to it. If you want to know what's wrong with your baby, which I'm guessing is why you posted, I can tell you. Arguing with you about how much your vet knows or doesn't know is not going to help your baby. Not trying to sound abrupt here, but I've been down this road many times. My goal is only to help your baby get healthy.

well yeah she actually is on this forum because she guided me here she gave me the info so I came here.
I'm always looking for any type of help but to come across as a know-it-all is pretty much going to make me cry and I am not for that at all.

My tortoise won't open its eyes and unless she's soaking. Or if I give her saline drops in her eyes. She moves around plenty she eats she poops.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Basking is 103 overall temp is 81 cooling is 71.
Humidity is 65 to 75.
I have a UVB strip light. Humid hide. Coco coir substrate. 20 gallon long tank with semi-open top. I soak the baby twice a day for 30 minutes each. Put her in her humid hide a couple times a day.
Taking the tin foil off. Using a t-shirt instead. Sorry I didn't mean to cut you off short I was driving. Also there is only one light in the double dome lid.
The pic helps.

Basking temp is good.
Ambient should be warmer during the day.
No part of the enclosure should drop below 80 day or night.
A 20 galon tank is too small. Minimum should be 40.
Foil will serve your purposes better than a t-shirt to close in the top.
You substrate needs to be hand packed firmly.
I can't see the strip UV bulb? Is it inside? What type is it?
What is in the two fixtures in the double hood? You said one bulb, but what type and wattage?
Daily warm soaks are excellent!

I don't know if you've found this or not, but here is all the current and correct care info. This might offer some insight too: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/t...leopard-or-star-tortoise.181497/#post-1814413

What was the source of your baby, and do you know how it was started right after hatching? Can we see a pic of the plastron showing the umbilical nub you mentioned?
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
well yeah she actually is on this forum because she guided me here she gave me the info so I came here.
That is excellent news, and that explains why your enclosure, lighting, substrate, humidity and soaking routine is so much better than the norm that we usually see.

Don't cry. I'll be as tactful and encouraging as I know how. :)


Hi Astrismom's vet! Shoot me a message! I'd love to talk tortoises with you. Don't be a stranger.
 

AstrisMom

New Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2020
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
attleboro
The pic helps.

Basking temp is good.
Ambient should be warmer during the day.
No part of the enclosure should drop below 80 day or night.
A 20 galon tank is too small. Minimum should be 40.
Foil will serve your purposes better than a t-shirt to close in the top.
You substrate needs to be hand packed firmly.
I can't see the strip UV bulb? Is it inside? What type is it?
What is in the two fixtures in the double hood? You said one bulb, but what type and wattage?
Daily warm soaks are excellent!

I don't know if you've found this or not, but here is all the current and correct care info. This might offer some insight too: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/t...leopard-or-star-tortoise.181497/#post-1814413

What was the source of your baby, and do you know how it was started right after hatching? Can we see a pic of the plastron showing the umbilical nub you mentioned?
Where have you gotten all your info from?
 

Sterant

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2016
Messages
693
Location (City and/or State)
Albany, NY
@AstrisMom 's Vet should jump in the conversation. Telling you the tortoise is 3 weeks old, not 3 months old, is something I would like to understand. NOT telling you that tortoises hatch with eyes wide open, and that if the eyes are closed as you described - that a serious problem exists, is a concern. I would like to understand the thinking behind the advice you were or were not given. Unless your Vet understands your care regimen, and then works to correct any issues with it, they are not providing you a good service as there is generally nothing that a vet can do in the office to help a sick hatchling.....other than counseling to correct the husbandry.
 

AstrisMom

New Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2020
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
attleboro
@AstrisMom 's Vet should jump in the conversation. Telling you the tortoise is 3 weeks old, not 3 months old, is something I would like to understand. NOT telling you that tortoises hatch with eyes wide open, and that if the eyes are closed as you described - that a serious problem exists, is a concern. I would like to understand the thinking behind the advice you were or were not given. Unless your Vet understands your care regimen, and then works to correct any issues with it, they are not providing you a good service as there is generally nothing that a vet can do in the office to help a sick hatchling.....other than counseling to correct the husbandry.
she said that my tortoise was a little dehydrated and told me how to take care of it. She did not tell me that tortoises hatch with eyes closed. Pmy vet does understand my care regimen and is working with me to correct the issues with it.

All anyone had to say on this thread was hatchlings are born with their eyes open..
No need to pick a part and criticize everything
 
Joined
Oct 5, 2020
Messages
21
Location (City and/or State)
Fresno, Ca
everyone Is just trying to help you care for your tortoise. I was looking at your pic and maybe you could rethink how the CHE is on the top of your tank? No heat would be going down in the enclosure from that. Just a suggestion. heat would be my biggest concern if my baby was sick
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Where have you gotten all your info from?
The school of hard knocks! I did it the same wrong way as everyone else for almost 20 years. Followed all their wrong advice, talked to all the experts, breeders, sellers, book authors, vets, and got the same failed results every time. So did other keepers. I knew they were wrong and something was missing, but it took a long time and info from many sources to figure it out. Once I figured it out, around 2007-2008. I started experimenting to fine tune things and make it better and better. Lots of side-by-side experiments with clutch mates testing one variable at a time. Still learning and still have many questions to answer, but we've learned so much along the way. My experiments have been duplicated literally all over the world with the same positive results everywhere. Threads and info from here has been translated into many different languages. Chinese, German, etc...

Animals and caring for them are my career, hobby, passion and lifestyle. Its been a lifetime of study, learning and application of what's been learned.
 

Guts

Active Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2020
Messages
112
Location (City and/or State)
Tennessee
Eye issues can be caused by a lack of vitamin A, so you could consider buying some red palm oil and adding a small amount to their diet to boost vitamin A. It may not solve your problem but it can’t hurt!
 

Markw84

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
5,041
Location (City and/or State)
Sacramento, CA (Central Valley)
Eye issues can be caused by a lack of vitamin A, so you could consider buying some red palm oil and adding a small amount to their diet to boost vitamin A. It may not solve your problem but it can’t hurt!
A common problem with aquatic turtles but very rare with tortoises. I think that is why many vets also researching problems find references to vit A deficiency in turtles and think a Vit A shot will help a tortoises.

With the dark green leafy diet of most any tortoises, they get an abundance of vitamin A. It is almost never a problem. Even the much maligned romaine lettuce and greenleaf lettuce is absolutely loaded with vitamin A. You would have to have a tortoise simply not eat to get low levels of vitamin A.

With tortoises eye issues, I would look for infections, irritations, and lighting issues. A tortoises eyes is one of the first signs of an illness.
 

Gijoux

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
May 28, 2014
Messages
469
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Basking is 103 overall temp is 81 cooling is 71.
Humidity is 65 to 75.
I have a UVB strip light. Humid hide. Coco coir substrate. 20 gallon long tank with semi-open top. I soak the baby twice a day for 30 minutes each. Put her in her humid hide a couple times a day.
Taking the tin foil off. Using a t-shirt instead. Sorry I didn't mean to cut you off short I was driving. Also there is only one light in the double dome lid.
After you get your heat up a few degrees during the day (83-85℉) and at least 80℉ at night, you might try wetting your coco coir more aggressively and then put a couple inches of orchid bark on top of the coco coir. Your baby's eyes may be reacting to tiny pieces of dry coco coir. The coco coir looks really dry in the picture.
 

New Posts

Top