Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,I have leopard tortoise, probably about 2 years old. It likes to bask under a heat lamp, and it looks like it's sleeping. However, I think it has a problem with it's eyes. They don't open right away. In fact, the left eye typically opens and the right eye stays shut for a long while. The right eye does eventualy open, but in could take 5-10 minutes. Any ideas or suggestions?

One book suggested that this could be a vitamin deficiency. I feed it romaine lettuce with calcium powder and some dried tortoise food (Zoo Med, I think); however, I'm not sure if she actually eats the pellets.

Thanks for your assistance.

Mark

Change the diet. Add more weeds. If you cannot get safe weeds at least add more variety of grocery store greens. Endive, escarole, collared greens, mustard greens, turnip tops, dandelion greens. The more varied the diet the better off the animal will be. Also try to get it outside for some natural sunlight if possible. Do you have a UVB light on it? Also get a mutlivitamin for reptiles and sprinkle that on the food once or twice a week, on a different day than when you use the calcium. I think you sill see the most benefit of giving more variety in the diet, and adding a UVB light if you don't already have one.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try it. There's a ready pack mix with turnip, mustard and collard greens. I've tried it once, and she didn't seem to be interested, but I'll persevere this time. I'll try the reptile vitamin. I think the same people who make the Rep-cal make a vitamin powder too.

Thanks again,

Mark