Hi: I have 2 leopard tortoise hatchlings that are showing signs of respiratory illness (swollen eyes). I purchased a product called Reptaid that is supposed to be very good for respiratory illness, but I'm having trouble getting it into these little guys' mouths.

I have a small syringe and aim to give them each 2-3 very small drops from the tip of the needle. I've been trying to gently pry open their mouths using the round end of a paper clip and that's not working for me; I'm afraid to hurt them.

Are there any tips or tricks for getting a hatchling's mouth open with a minimum of stress to the animal?

By the way, I do also have them under a MegaRay with the basking spot thermostat turned up to 95-100, and I'm soaking them a couple times a day.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I would prefer to avoid antibiotics in such young animals unless I can't heal them through other means.

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