What should I do?

[Scooter]

A guy I used to work with emailed me and said he needed some help with his tortoise. He found it as a baby in his yard 16 years ago during winter. It has had a problem with its right eye since he found it and now the left eye is swelling.

He says it is about the size of a softball and is a gopher tortoise. I have not seen the tortoise in person just these pictures. He keeps saying he will take it to the vet but has not done so yet.

 

[jeffbens0n]

It looks pretty bad, and the second pic looks like his eye is open but there is some swelling underneath? I would think it definitely needs a vet.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

He needs to go to the vet as you already know. Until then get him some Terramycin eye ointment and it will soothe the eye. If nothing is in it, the medicine should cure the eye. I can't see the pix as they are too small for my eyes but it looks like it's the nictitating membrane that is swollen. A 16 yr old Gopher tort is or should be bigger than this tort is. He needs to go to the vet as it looks like whatever is the problem is spreading...You mean to say that he's had an eye problem for 16 years and he hasn't been taken to the vet??? Do you hear me screaming? Ask this guy if his kid had an eye problem like that would he wait 16 years to take him to the Dr? Ridiculous...
Is there something wrong with his bottom beak too? Can you get that tort and take him to the vet?

 

[Jacqui]

Is his reluctance to take it to a Vet because of money or because he knows he really shouldn't have the animal? Would he consider giving it up to a rescue who works with the Gophers? This animal looks and sounds like it has several health issues it is dealing with at once.

 

[Isa]

Poor little tortoise, he has eye problems since 16 years It breaks my heart! I really pray that he will bring him to the vet or bring him to a rescue. Please keep us updated.

 

[Scooter]

I think one reason he has not gone to the vet yet is because he knows he is not supposed to have the animal. He keeps saying she would be dead if he had not taken her in. I have tried to set up a time with him to let me see her but it never happens. I have thought about offering to take her to the vet for him, though since I have not been able to set up a time to see her I am not sure that will work either. The only other thing I can think to do at this point is to just call Fish and Wildlife and tell them about it and give them his name.

Maggie, I have told him about the Terramycin, he said he was getting some for her. I also told him to soak her in warm water, and gave him a food list for her.

He gave me an update and said the left eye is starting to open up.

 

[Jacqui]

I'd hold off on calling the FW. I would hate for him to just turn it loose before letting a FW officer take it, which he could do. Keep telling him how important immediate Vet help is and how because of the legal world, you would suggest if not a Vet, for one of you to give it to a rescue/rehabber person.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

A Vet will do nothing about him having it. The vet will care more that the tort is getting treatment. He's had the tort for 16 years, kind of grandfather'ed in dontcha think?

 

[Scooter]

Maggie, I was wondering about that, if they would just let me keep it if he got it proper care.

I am stressing him taking it to the vet, he said has vacation time soon that he is going to use to build her a tort table, hopefully I can talk him into taking her to the vet then too. I am not sure if she has a UV bulb, I have asked but he hasn't said, he doesn't want to build an enclosure outside because he doesn't trust her outside by herself.

 

[Jacqui]

Depends on the Vet. I have heard of some that have turn in their clients.

 

[Yvonne G]

I think that the vets in Florida have to turn people in who have illegal gopher tortoises.

There are two eye problems going on - the first swollen eye is one problem that should have been addressed 16 years ago. No telling what that is caused from, but I'm thinking poor diet (because of the beak).

The second, the nictitating membrane, is caused by stress.

Its real easy for us arm chair quarterbacks to sit here and look at pictures and climb all over that guy who has the tortoise. None of us really knows what's going on, all we can do is guess. I'm guessing the tortoise hasn't had the best care since the guy found it. He says it would have died if he hadn't picked it up. In my opinion, it is dying because he picked it up. Bad-looking shell, eye problems, beak problems. Poor tortoise.

 

[shellysmom]

You can't hear me, but I'm growling. Turn the guy in, for heaven's sake. It sounds like you've already tried every other reasonable approach. This tortoise needs help, and you are its best chance for getting that help. Do whatever is necessary. If you don't feel comfortable making the call, send me his info via PM and I'll do it. That's right, I'm the tortoise police.

 

[Laura]

i vote for him finding a rescue to turn it into. ASAP.

 

[Scooter]

I think that the vets in Florida have to turn people in who have illegal gopher tortoises.

There are two eye problems going on - the first swollen eye is one problem that should have been addressed 16 years ago. No telling what that is caused from, but I'm thinking poor diet (because of the beak).

The second, the nictitating membrane, is caused by stress.

Its real easy for us arm chair quarterbacks to sit here and look at pictures and climb all over that guy who has the tortoise. None of us really knows what's going on, all we can do is guess. I'm guessing the tortoise hasn't had the best care since the guy found it. He says it would have died if he hadn't picked it up. In my opinion, it is dying because he picked it up. Bad-looking shell, eye problems, beak problems. Poor tortoise.

The nictitating membrane is actually the one that has been like that for 16 years, the swollen one is the new issue. I am stressing again it needs to go to a vet asap and am going to find some rescues and give him their info.

 

[Yvonne G]

Once stress causes the nictitating membrane to swell, it just keeps happening over and again. It really helps to remove all the stressful things in the tortoise's life. I adopted out a gulf coast box turtle with this problem. Happened all the time here at my house, but once the turtle got to Danny's house, he never saw the problem again.

Eyes swelling is sometimes caused by the tortoise having stopped eating. Advise the person to soak the tortoise until the eye is open, then offer it some nice, fresh greens to eat.

 

[Scooter]

I told him to soak her, but he said he mist/pours water over her because she will not stay still for the soak. I said that is normal but to keep her in it. I am checked back with him to see if he is still soaking her and if he has taken my diet suggestions and if he has a vet appointment yet.