Help!! eyes never opened after hatching 2 years ago

[Prinmel]

I just took on an Arizona desert tortoise from my sister and he is 2 years old. She said he is blind because his eyes never opened after hatching. She was using some eye drops for a while on him but quite because they never worked and said nothing else could be done and his eyes would have just degenerated by now.... but I just can't except that without putting is some effort to see if there is something she missed. Any suggestions and anything I can do at this point to get the eyes to open?

Thanks!!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Prinmel:

Welcome to the forum!!

Try to find this:

Its a miracle drug!!!

Put a dab on a Q-Tip and gently rub it on the eyes three times a day. You should start to see some improvement within a week. If you don't, then your sister is probably right and the tortoise is blind. I've hatched a few eggs in my day, and I've never seen one pip and hatch out with closed eyes.

 

[Isa]

Welcome to the forum, I am sorry to hear about your little one's eyes. Please keep us updated

 

[Maggie Cummings]

You can also get a Terramycin powder that looks just like that tube and soak him in it daily. You can find both of those drugs at your local feed store. Just find one in the phone book. I would take that Terramycin tube and very gently use the tube edge to put that ointment under the lid on the eyeball. I personally think that is more effective then using a Q-tip. The Terramycin eye ointment is indeed a miracle drug and I use it frequently but I think you should also find a qualified reptile/exotic Vet and take that tortoise to a Vet. Don't think the eye ointment should take place of a visit to a Vet.
Welcome to the forum I hope we can help you and you will enjoy your stay here.

 

[Laura]

Post pics if you can.. and that ointment is good stuff..
Find your local feed store like mentioned above.. The powder will be found
in the livestock area.

 

[Prinmel]

You can also get a Terramycin powder that looks just like that tube and soak him in it daily. You can find both of those drugs at your local feed store. Just find one in the phone book. I would take that Terramycin tube and very gently use the tube edge to put that ointment under the lid on the eyeball. I personally think that is more effective then using a Q-tip. The Terramycin eye ointment is indeed a miracle drug and I use it frequently but I think you should also find a qualified reptile/exotic Vet and take that tortoise to a Vet. Don't think the eye ointment should take place of a visit to a Vet.
Welcome to the forum I hope we can help you and you will enjoy your stay here.

I will try the powder/ ointment which ever I can find...I dont think that I can get it under the lid though, its like they are sealed. First picture is of his left eye which seems to have a little crack to open. The second is the right eye which seems totally shut and maybe a bit poofy?? Also she said he didn't hibernate this last winter, will that kill him? Thanks all I will keep you updated!

 

[Sigmar]

jmho but after 2 yrs I would think he will be as he is

 

[egyptiandan]

Welcome to the forum

I'm afraid you don't have a Desert tortoise. You have a Desert box turtle, Terrapene ornata luteola. Care and diet is quite a bit different from a Desert tortoise. Here's a good caresheet http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/TerrapenecareSZ.htm

Danny

 

[Prinmel]

Oh, my sisters mother in law is where she got him from and she is a breeder of tortoises in Arizona and said that is what he is ???? How can I tell other than the ability to close the shell because he doesn't seem to be able to do that... Although, I am probably wrong, I have no idea about these little guys I just know that he needed a little more love than she was able to give him anymore… But what ever he is I am going to take really good care of him

 

[Maggie Cummings]

OM Gosh!!! That poor animal. The difference in the species is vast. Your box turtle needs to be pretty wet. He will eat worms and crickets and bugs like Rolly Pollies and super worms. He will sit in water just to soak. I really think he's deformed and blind because like I already said the difference in the 2 species is vast. Please put him in warm water as soon as you are done reading this. You say your mother in law is a breeder? Of what? She can't tell the difference between a box turtle and a tortoise?
Sigmar is probably right and his eyes won't open but you can't give up, how does he eat? Hand fed? I have had several blind animals so please let me know if I can help you. I am in Oregon or I would be knocking on your door right now... He is so lucky you took him in. But you haven't chosen an easy task. So please let me know how I can help. Where are you? I know a great person in Phoenix who would help also...Just let us know...:shy:

Not hibernating is no big deal, I don't hibernate any of my animals. You shouldn't hibernate a sick or blind animal anyhow...In my opinion that is...

 

[Prinmel]

It is not my mother in law, it is my sisters. The mother in law is in arizona and I am in wa state. I would think that she would know the differance, because it is a business for her and she has been doing it for over 15 years. That is why I am wondering if there are some other ways to tell them apart.
I soaked him last night and he drank, and he ate a lot this morning of the pellets that you soak in water.

He does have a slit in the one eye lid, and I am pretty sure he can see shadows because he responds to light..

 

[Yvonne G]

You've been given the correct scoop by one of our foremost turtle/tortoise identifiers. It most definitely IS a desert box turtle. Here's a couple pictures for you, first the desert box:

http://www.wildherps.com/images/herps/standard/04080701PD_box_turtle.jpg

and next the desert tortoise:

https://www.hoglezoo.org/images/animal_finder/DesertTortoise2.jpg

It is against the law to breed desert tortoises. Maybe its just simply the fact that she calls them all "tortoises." Most people don't use both, turtle, tortoise all the same thing to some folks.

---

Also, your little guy's shell shows the effects of having been kept too dry. Its lucky for him that you have taken over his care. Good luck with him. It looks to me as if there are eyes behind those lids. Use the ointment. It works wonders.

 

[egyptiandan]

I know they used that picture Yvonne on their Desert tortoise page, but thats a picture of their Texas tortoise

Here's a Desert tortoise http://www.chelonia.org/gopherusagasiziiw.jpg

Danny

 

[Candy]

I was going to say that did not look to me to be a DT. Danny will the ointment help with the eyes or not? Is it too late to help it?

 

[egyptiandan]

It should help get the eyes open (higher humidity will help also). The eyes though will be smaller than usually. A birth defect you sometimes see is what has happened here. The head is small and pointed, the eyes are smaller and the beak looks a bit like a parrot's beak.
Not to say he/she can't do well if taken care of like a box turtle.

Danny

 

[Kristina]

That IS most DEFINITELY a Box turtle, and NOT a tortoise. I won't make assumptions as to how the identity confusion has happened, but it has for a fact been mis-identified as a tortoise. It is a turtle.

As Maggie said, get that baby some water and humidity ASAP. If you can get the Terramycin, and do daily warm water soaks, those eyes MIGHT have a small chance.

 

[Prinmel]

Thank you all so much! I love my new little "Box Turtle" and will get the ointment ASAP. I will brush up on my box turtle care with the link above and keep you all posted on the eyes. I guess my sister told her mother in law it was a box not a tortoise and the mother got very upset, so apparently she is in denial.. Again thank you all!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I am in Oregon, so we are very close to each other. What can I do to help? We are not trying to say the MIL is a bad person. It's just that the turtle got misidentified somehow and it almost killed him. He is lucky you have him and blind animals are kinda my specialty so I can help you. What city are you in? I am in Corvallis Oregon that's by Eugene.
Have you gotten the eye ointment yet? What are you doing for him now? Have you read the care sheets? Can I help? I am so excited that you are so close...well, as long as you aren't in Spokane...

 

[Prinmel]

I am I’m Spokane... He went for a swill last night and I rise this morning.. I am going to try and get the ointment tomorrow after work. I will read the care sheet at lunch tomorrw and let him swim tonight. I have to get my daughter to bed now though. I will let you know if I have any questions. Thanks!!!!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Ha! I told you to NOT be in Spokane!!! You understand this is not a water turtle he just needs a more moist environment. He needs a moist substrate and a humid hide and a good water dish in his habitat.
You didn't answer my question on how is he eating? How are you feeding him? By hand? or what...I don't mean to be pushy I am just trying to help...