Please helpp!!! (baby with closed eyes)

[Yvonne G]

Boy, one can sure tell the coiled bulb is affecting the babies' eyes. Two of them are starting to swell, and the third has his eyes at half mast. Turn that bulb off and don't use it at all. May I know what brand it is for a study one of our members is doing?

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Please turn off that UV bulb.

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[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

No, do not just turn it off. Throw it away or better yet, if you can, return it to the pet store and tell them it is hurting your little babies. The stores must know how damaging those coil bulbs are. I don't use one. I am assuming this is a bulb sold for pets. Or is this a coil bulb for lamps in general? In any case, get rid of that evil eye ball hurting thing.

Did the babies get some sunshine today? Hopefully, yes. We are all wishing the best for your littles! : )

 

[New Desert Tortoise Mommy]

Theres eyes arnt swollen they are soaking in water and yah the half mass eye is the one that is sick when I got him yesterday and the bulb is a zoo med

please and thank you

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And where my balcony is the sun hasnt hit it yet not till around 5 nd its barely 3.28

please and thank you

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What bulb is the best for them exactly ? What wattage? And since they cant have so much sunlight cuz of where I live I need a bulb that will work good please help. I know getting them in the sun is a major thing nd I will do my best once sun hits I will put them out there but its not a lot what can I do for lighting then

please and thank you

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Well I looked again nd they dont look much different from. Before but if u guys know more then I do obviously haha what should I do

please and thank you

 

[Yvonne G]

Please don't take offense, NDTM. We're trying to get you to understand the urgency of your situation. We only have the best interest of the babies at heart and we're trying to help you. I know it sounds like we're picking on you, but we feel the urgency. Babies die quickly. It takes a while of being sick before the eyes start to swell. ONce you see that symptom you have to act quickly to save the babies.

It's frustrating for us because we want to jump in there and do something right away. So we might sound like we're looking down our noses, but we're really not. We're very glad you found our forum so we can help you to help the babies.

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

The sun doesn't have to be much. I think what I have read as being suggested is less than a half hour. I venture to say, 10-20 minutes. Just enough for them to get the rays that help them use the calcium in their teeny weeny bodies.

We are all pulling for you and your little trio. : )

 

[New Desert Tortoise Mommy]

Oh no I dont think it at all im very happy for all of ur guys support. I am going to go get a lamp today I just need to know the exact kind

please and thank you

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

This is what Tom responded on a separate thread. Pasting here so you have it here ...

I have raised a few dozen baby desert tortoises over the years, and in my opinion people keep them much too dry and dehydrated. Here is what I like to do for them:
1. Use coco coir or orchid bark for substrate. For all the burrowing species, like these guys, I like them to be able to dig into a damp substrate. This simulates the little humid burrows and microclimates that they would exploit in the wild. Everyone thinks since they come from the desert, they should be kept hot and dry. This is incorrect. Above ground temps and humidity, has little to do with animals that live on or IN the ground. Think of an earthworm that lives in Mojave. How long do you think it would live above ground in the hot mid day sun? Yet there are billions of earthworms in the desert. Same thing for a hatchling tortoise.
2. Give them a humid hide box. I use $2 upside down black dishwashing tubs from Walmart with a door cut out. The half logs are fine, but hold very little humidity due to the large openings on both sides.

3. Hang a heat lamp over one side over a flat basking rock and adjust the height or the wattage to get a basking temp of around 100 degrees. Let the rest of the enclosure fade to room temp, and they don't need night heat in a "normal" house.

4. No need to cover the top for this species. Just moderate humidity is fine if they have a humid hide, a proper water dish and damp substrate.
5. Terra cotta plant saucers work the best for water dishes. Start with a 4" and move to a bigger one as they gain size. These are shallow, low sided, and offer good traction to wet tortoise feet. Sink them into the substate for best results. They work perfectly for food too.
6. Soak the babies daily for a while, then taper it off over time. I use the same $2 dish washing tubs for soaking. Warm water about a third of the way up their shells for 20-30 minutes.

7. Build a proper outdoor enclosure and sun your babies for an hour or two a day if possible. Its fine if you skip days now and then. As they get larger, leave them out longer, until they eventually live outside full time in a year or two, depending on growth rate. I like to soak them on the way in from their sunning sessions in our dry climate. If you do this, you do not need any artificial UV bulbs indoors. I just use regular 65 watt incandescent flood bulbs from the hardware store.

Here's a thread about these enclosures, but there are many ways to do it: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-30683.html
8. Here's a diet thread I typed up for sulcatas. Its pretty much the same for DTs, but just less emphasis on the grass for them.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-76744.html

Ask lots and lots of questions.

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Remember to get your money back for that ZooMed coil bulb. Maybe exchange it for some coco coir substrate. Better use of your money for the babies. : )

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

how is the turtle today? did you change the substrate and light?

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[New Desert Tortoise Mommy]

Yesi have read that. Nd I have been talking to tom thank u . I am doing everything I can and I am doing everything now I just need to find money. We spent our checks this week all of it on theses little ones.

please and thank you

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Okay will do I will keep u guys updated tonight

please and thank you

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

If you can, return what you do not need in exchange for what you do. Wish you could return those rabbit pellets. Darn.

Soak the babies in a little baby food if not the bird vitamins. At least it is a soak for hydration and a little nutrition from the baby food. Experts have recommended mixing carrot or squash baby foods with the water. Seems to help give them a boost.

Do you have a 99 Cent Only store by you? They have organicspring mix salads at mine and the other day they had organic baby food. And since it is Halloween time, you may find the black bulb there also, for the night time warm.

 

[New Desert Tortoise Mommy]

So I was able to get some soecial dropps for tortoises with his eyes closed plus it helps give vitamin A which means the puffy eyes. Nd I have calcium now for their food. Also I went to lowes and home depot nd other little garden stores and no coco coir lowes said that they get it spring only but to look online nd home depot said they never seen it or heard of it in there store ever... nd other places said the same. But I found earth gro top soil. But is that okay ? Should I do have and half? Im scared this top soil isnt completely good. But its the only one they have nd its earthgro. So my little baby has been eating a lot lol of course I have to give it to him he cant see still but his eye slightly opened. So far thats my update goodnight everyone

please and thank you

 

[Levi the Leopard]

EarthGro is the same brand of top soil I use. It's fine I use it 100%. Not mixed with anything.

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[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

Yay! EarthGro is good like Heather said. Great that you got it. Keep them warm and humid like they would be in the desert hiding in burrows or under plant life so they do not get eaten by crows and other wildlife that preys on them. Warm water soaks, little spa time, several times a day. Ah, yummy. Spa time good.

Also, to be sure, do not, no no, give them any fruit. We have a little discussion going in another thread about how fruit sugars may trigger a bloom of not good things in their tummies. I often have wondered if them eating fruit can actually hurt them. Here is the thread for when you have time to research/read.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-79617.html

As you know, we want your babies to be well and thrive! : )

 

[New Desert Tortoise Mommy]

Im going to get coco coir for them its better lol

please and thank you

 

[Laura]

dirt.. its what they live in in the wild.. its natural.

make sure they get real sunshine as much as possible. build a secure pen outside. Cinder blocks work well.

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dirt.. its what they live in in the wild.. its natural.

make sure they get real sunshine as much as possible. build a secure pen outside. Cinder blocks work well.

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

Did u changed the bulb???
Go with the top soil, and when you have more money do half coir core and half of the top soil

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[New Desert Tortoise Mommy]

So I was gona get coco coir but I went everywhere !!! Home depot ! Lowes! Every nursery and every garden store!! Turns out over here where I live coco coir is used to grow marijuana. So the hydroponic stores out here have it all different kinds including organic. Haha but its $14 for a nice size brick. But it was far so I ended up getting top soil. I have the heat side with the heating lamp pointed on the rock and that is keeping moist and there water is there to. Also the shade side is dry with just top soil nd there wood hiding spot. Im getting a roll of grass that doesnt have any poisons on it and will have that for them on the balcony ive been giving him 2 carrot with warn water both and I have the eye drops. Because he cant see we place him in the food area surrounding him with food and he is able to eat but not alot at all. But at least he is eating something. we have shredded carrots they eat with their greens for vitamin A because that helps with eyes. So far everything is okay but 2 of their shells seem a little dehydrated so I have the thermometer on and the heat lamp off for now just there uvb bulb its staying at about 85 but they have their little water dish I just dont want to over heat them

please and thank you

 

[New Desert Tortoise Mommy]

Well top soil was a horrible idea. They keep getting stuck when they try to walk. They were born In dirt but they were placed on rabbit pellets afterwards. So now they keep getting stuck nd flipping I dont know what else to do

please and thank you

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

press the top soil down formly then they can walk fine on top of it
also did you try to get the coco coire at the pet store were they sell reptiles
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Not formly firmly

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