One eyed hatchling Red foot tortoise having trouble

[John Franzwa]

Hi I have a baby red foot tortoise who has a bit of trouble eating he always seems to miss should I help him out or leave him to trying to get his lettuce he's about 3 weeks old I got him from an expo about 2 and a half weeks ago! He also occasionally mistakes his hand for food! Should I be giving him calcium? How much would a normal baby red foot eat?

 

[John Franzwa]

I have some repashy grassland tortoise diet for my Russian tort should I maybe give a little o this mush to the baby

 

[crimson_lotus]

What kind of bulb are you using, and what happened to the 2nd eye? It kind of sounds like he can't see, Is there any indication that he can? Does he have trouble getting around his enclosure?

 

[ascott]

Hi I have a baby red foot tortoise who has a bit of trouble eating he always seems to miss should I help him out or leave him to trying to get his lettuce he's about 3 weeks old I got him from an expo about 2 and a half weeks ago! He also occasionally mistakes his hand for food! Should I be giving him calcium? How much would a normal baby red foot eat?

Literally a "one eyed" redfoot? or do you mean the tortoise is like biting at the air and missing the food but it has both eyeballs ?

 

[John Franzwa]

Literally a "one eyed" redfoot? or do you mean the tortoise is like biting at the air and missing the food but it has both eyeballs ?

I can show a pick he or she only has one eyeball the other side is flat i think that when he first born one of the other Redfoots poked it out or something

 

[John Franzwa]

What kind of bulb are you using, and what happened to the 2nd eye? It kind of sounds like he can't see, Is there any indication that he can? Does he have trouble getting around his enclosure?

Moves around the enclosure fine he sees the food and me but just had trouble actually getting the foot in his mouth, for example he reacts to my hand just fine.

 

[Yvonne G]

Two eyes give the animal binocular vision. With only one eye it's hard for him to know exactly where the food is. Cut his food up into very, very tiny pieces and pile it up against the wall so it doesn't move away from him as he bites at it. You may have to push him closer to the pile.

 

[Pearly]

Moves around the enclosure fine he sees the food and me but just had trouble actually getting the foot in his mouth, for example he reacts to my hand just fine.

Some babies are just not very good eaters. I have one of those. It took about 10 months of very focused work on feedings to get him where he becomes interested in food. When he was a hatchling he was kinda awkward with his food. Would make few attemps to take one bite, things would often fall out of his mouth... So i started using human nutrition strategies that we use in human medicine in people with either mechanical or cognitive eating/swallowing issues. I started blending his food and adding soaked tortoise pellets as well as other tricks. I have thread illustrated with several pictures on it: Pearly's tips on feeding picky eater, in case you are interested

 

[John Franzwa]

Two eyes give the animal binocular vision. With only one eye it's hard for him to know exactly where the food is. Cut his food up into very, very tiny pieces and pile it up against the wall so it doesn't move away from him as he bites at it. You may have to push him closer to the pile.

I have been moving him there every day

 

[John Franzwa]

Some babies are just not very good eaters. I have one of those. It took about 10 months of very focused work on feedings to get him where he becomes interested in food. When he was a hatchling he was kinda awkward with his food. Would make few attemps to take one bite, things would often fall out of his mouth... So i started using human nutrition strategies that we use in human medicine in people with either mechanical or cognitive eating/swallowing issues. I started blending his food and adding soaked tortoise pellets as well as other tricks. I have thread illustrated with several pictures on it: Pearly's tips on feeding picky eater, in case you are interested

Thanks I will defiantly check it out

 

[Yvonne G]

I have been moving him there every day

No, I mean, when he's at the pile, if he's biting air, give him a little nudge until he's closer to the pile, maybe right in the pile.

 

[John Franzwa]

No, I mean, when he's at the pile, if he's biting air, give him a little nudge until he's closer to the pile, maybe right in the pile.

Oh ok I sometimes also hold a big piece up to him and he can usually get that